Vadim Nemkov was anxious to battle after sitting out for the previous 11 months however he claims an announcement he was set to face Corey Anderson on Jan. 25 was merely untimely.
The previous Bellator gentle heavyweight champion was initially slated to face PFL veteran Ante Delija on the cardboard, however Delija suffered an damage that prevented him from competing. Simply after Delija fell out, the PFL introduced Nemkov would run it again with Anderson after they clashed twice beforehand at 205 kilos.
However then Anderson revealed that the battle with Nemkov wasn’t occurring and he put the blame back on the Russian for initially accepting the matchup earlier than deciding towards it. For his half, Nemkov says he by no means truly accepted Anderson as an opponent however PFL introduced the battle anyhow.
“We didn’t even take into account him as an opponent to start with,” Nemkov advised MMA Preventing. “However when it was introduced, we talked to PFL, we requested them to renegotiate the contract, supply higher cash or ask for the contract to be for a title battle let’s say, for the heavyweight division title with the belt on the road however the PFL refused to take action.
“In order that battle didn’t make any sense. You’ve been round for some time, you recognize each battle has to make sense.”
Nemkov was dropping to Anderson throughout their preliminary encounter again in April 2022 however an unintentional conflict of heads and a grotesque reduce led to the battle being stopped and declared a no-contest. A rematch occurred six months later with Nemkov totally dominating Anderson over 5 rounds to win a unanimous determination.
He then defended his gentle heavyweight title with a win over UFC veteran Yoel Romero earlier than saying plans to maneuver to heavyweight after revealing that the burden reduce to get all the way down to 205 kilos was turning into too troublesome for him.
Nemkov hoped his subsequent battle would give him an opportunity to take a step ahead within the heavyweight division after he tore via former PFL champion Bruno Cappelozza in his debut. He admits a 3rd battle towards Anderson simply didn’t do something for him except the PFL made it price his whereas.
“Truthfully talking it’s from the angle of what I can get out of this battle,” Nemkov defined. “There’s nothing that I can achieve from it. There was one other battle that was supplied to me, which we agreed on. The second battle [with Corey Anderson], the PFL introduced the battle earlier than we agreed to it. Afterwards, we began negotiating. As a result of there was a chance that we’d battle if the cash was totally different, if the contract was totally different.
“I positively confirmed all my expertise. I believe I declassified him within the second battle the place he was extraordinarily pissed off. He misplaced 4 rounds out of 5. He received knocked down. I don’t assume there’s something for me to achieve out of this battle. Initially, he’s not a heavyweight. He by no means fought at heavyweight. He’s not rated at heavyweight. So there was extra questions than solutions with that battle. There was no level in that battle in any respect.”
Nemkov believes he already confirmed what he can do towards Anderson within the rematch however with no plans to return to the sunshine heavyweight division, he doesn’t see the necessity to revisit that battle once more.
“Truthfully if he would battle another person and he could be in [the rankings] and it was going to be a battle with a belt on the road or one thing else that I may achieve out of it, however in the mean time I [already beat] him,” Nemkov stated. “It was a reasonably straightforward battle. He likes to run his mouth and he does it finest. He [should] get ready higher subsequent time.”
Nemkov is now scheduled to face UFC, Bellator and PFL veteran Tim Johnson within the co-main occasion on Saturday in what is about up as the ultimate bout on his present cope with the promotion.
There’s been a whole lot of speak that Nemkov was solely enthusiastic about preventing, successful after which shifting on from the PFL, however the Russian says he’s not against returning to the group — below the suitable circumstances.
“Truthfully, all of it is determined by the PFL,” Nemkov stated. “In the event that they’re going to offer me good fights, good names however I’ve to remain lively. I can’t battle every year. That is one thing I can’t afford to do. So in the event that they’re going to offer me good contracts, good names, I’m prepared to remain.”
It’s unattainable for Nemkov to keep away from potential questions on leaving the PFL and signing with a corporation just like the UFC as a result of he’s by no means fought there earlier than. Nemkov made it clear that he’s not planning on returning to 205 kilos so his future stays at heavyweight whether or not that’s in PFL, UFC, or wherever else.
That stated, Nemkov is open to staying with the PFL however he can’t deny his potential curiosity in finally competing within the UFC.
“In fact, the UFC has a whole lot of nice heavyweights that I’d like to face,” Nemkov stated. “It’s positively thrilling and it could positively be one thing I’d be enthusiastic about.”
