Originally posted on 04/04/2014:

Brand new interview with Vitaly Minakov: http://www.mmaoddsbreaker.com/news/b...ng-experience/
Brian Hemminger: What did you think of Cheick Kongo’s performance in his first two fights for Bellator when he earned this title shot by winning the tournament?

Vitaly Minakov: I think that when Cheick Kongo won the last tournaments, his opponents that he beat were pretty comfortable for him because they were a little one-dimensional for him and they were all strikers. Also, I was very surprised by Peter Graham’s performance because I know that he is capable of much more than what he showed in his fight against Cheick Kongo. I don’t know, maybe he wasn’t ready for that fight.
I think that I have an advantage on the ground and I think I have a lot to offer against Cheick Kongo. I have a lot of surprises for him. My fight with him will be completely different than his last two fights against those other two opponents in Bellator MMA.
Brian Hemminger: Kongo is pretty strong in all areas. He has the striking background, but he’s developed his clinch and wrestling significantly in recent years. Is there any particular aspect of his game that you’re concerned about in this fight?

Vitaly Minakov: I have been wrestling all my life and I’ve been doing sambo for many years as well. I know that it’s impossible to develop wrestling, learn all the nuances and tricks that are acquired over a lifetime of competition in just a short period of time. Even if he catches up in some of the wrestling since he started competing in MMA, I know that I’ve been doing it for a way longer period of time at a higher level than him. I know a lot of things that he’s not aware of. I think I have a very big advantage and I feel confident that I’ll be able to use it.
Brian Hemminger: When you visualize victory against Cheick Kongo, what do you see?
Vitaly Minakov: When I think about the fight, as much as I think about it, I often visualize the ways I can finish it. There are so many ways I can do it and I visualize all of them: How I can beat him standing up, how I can beat him on the ground and everything I can do to him to beat him. I have a lot of ways to do that and that adds to my confidence.