“This camp was very hard” - Vitaly Bigdash trained with Fedor Emelianenko’s team to prepare for Aung La Nsang

Former ONE middleweight world champion Vitaly Bigdash knows just how important his trilogy match with rival Aung La Nsang is, which is why he decided to make a few adjustments in his training camp for this fight.

One of the biggest changes is training with a smaller group, in particular, Fedor Emelianenko’s team in Stary Oskol, Russia.

In a recent interview with ONE Championship, Bigdash talked about the experience and said:

“The main part of my training camp was done with Fedor Emelianenko's team in Stary Oskol. I had great training partners, Anatoly Tokov from Moldavia and a lot of other guys. I had no problems with sparring partners during this camp. It is full of highly decorated guys with amazing skill sets and work ethics. This camp was very hard, everyone gave it their all. I got in shape. I’ve learned a lot, you will see. All that's left is to bring it all to the fight.”

Vitaly Bigdash also recalled what it was like seeing the legendary Emelianenko in the flesh. He said:

“The camp has a bit of a mysterious aura about it, people think it is quite hard to get there. I’d say, if you want to train with pros, of course, you must have some certain qualities and skills… People tend to know each other in the MMA world. I knew guys from his camp and they invited me to train. When I saw Fedor for the first time there it was buzzing - he has been an authority in the world of martial arts since I was a kid, it was such an incredible feeling to be at his camp, to train with him, to learn from him.”

Vitaly Bigdash will be back in action soon, as he faces former adversary Aung La Nsang in a trilogy match at ONE: Full Circle. The event will be broadcast live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium this Friday, February 25.

Vitaly Bigdash prefers training with a smaller group

In order to address his issues with having to pull out of recent bouts due to injuries and COVID-19 protocols, Vitaly Bigdash says downsizing his training camp has been key. He explained:

“In the past, I trained a lot in big international camps, but I see high-level fighters leaving them now and focusing on training in small groups of regular sparring partners and a couple of coaches. Big camps have the advantage of potentially many sparring partners but I think the disadvantages and risks outweigh the benefits. Among them is a high level of infections and injuries. With so many people to look after, coaches often miss vital moments when sparring goes wrong, people get injured.”

Bigdash says he is fully ready to take on Aung La and get that third victory. More importantly, he’s looking to earn a title shot with a resounding win.

“You don't need to build an army to get ready for a fight, you just need several trusted soldiers. Sometimes, you just need one trusted sparring partner who will give you his heart and soul. I had to withdraw three times from my bouts because my immune system got racked, I got injured easily, picked up infections. From now on, I prefer to train in small groups with trusted partners, who can help me grow.”