April 18, 2007

Three million rubles is the cost of the boxing-gloves sold after the international Ultimate Fighting Championship 'Russia vs. America'.

In general, bets for the championship in the bookmaker's offices of Russia and America were almost the same as far as numbers are concerned but quite opposite in actual fact. If the Yankees bet 6:2 that they would win, the Russians bet the same that their team would be victorious. The outcome of the championship wasn't much different from the predictions of our fans - 5:3 in favour of the Russian team.

We have to say that Van Damme wasn't the most honoured guest of the tournament held on April 14 in Saint Petersburg. The 14-thousand audience of the Ledovy Palace rose twice to their feet. First - to greet Vladimir Putin who came to watch the fights and then - when Fedor Emelianenko defeated Matt Lindland. This very fight was the high spot of the championship, the axis around which the vehemence and intrigue of the combats between the two nations were revolving.

The presence of Vladimir Putin at the Championship emoted the Russian fans so much that they were yelling 'Russia!' for several minutes. Before the fights started, Putin and Van Damme were lively chatting but when the combats began they followed them absorbedly sharing their impressions. The fight between Andreuy Semenov and Jorge Santiago was the first disappointment for everybody. The Russian athlete rushed headlong into the attack in the second round and was knocked out after three heavy punches in his head. The knockout was so serious that defeated athlete tried to continue the fight with the referee bending over him.

The second fight ended in a categorical victory of Alexander Emelianenko. After a short period of hunt in the ring the superheavyweight Emelianenko knocked out the American Erik Pele. Vladimir Putin nodded contentedly and had a sip of water from his plastic bottle.

After Alexander Emelianenko his brother Fedor entered the ring. This fight was to answer the question who's better at Ultimate Fighting: Russia or America. Fedor Emelianenko's adversary was Matt Lindland, the Olympic Greco-Roman Wrestling Championship Silver Medallist.

Matt is one of the USA's best fighters and a worthy adversary, so the audience was waiting for an exciting fight. Practically the first American's punch dissected Fedor's right eyebrow. The section was deep. The blood was streaming all the time and that is perhaps why Fedor had to end with Lindsland as soon as possible. During the first seconds of the fight Emelianenko almost wrist-locked the American's leg but he managed to escape. But not for long. After 2 minutes 58 seconds the American gave up as he couldn't endure the pain in his arm, held by Fedor, any more. The VIPs didn't try to hide their emotions away. Van Damme and Silvio Berlusconi, who was also at the championship, rose from their seats to congratulate Putin who awarded the winner with a standing ovation.

To the audience's tumultuous applause Fedor Emelianenko thanked his fans for their support. 'We tried to win and glorify our country so that we were considered and well-known,' he said. In the night Vladimir Putin invited Fedor Emielianenko and friends for a late tea to the Konstantinovskiy Palace. As Fedor said, the President was interested in creating a Mixed Fighting school in Russia and would probably do something for its establishment.

Charity was an important part of the Russia vs. America Chanpionship. A part of the sum gained at selling tickets and all the money realized at selling the gloves autographed by the celebrities were sent to the Psychoneurological Home for Cildren-Orphans in Saint Petersburg.

Based on the information agencies data.