Hour-Long Fedor Emelianenko Interview to Air Friday on AXS-TV

On Friday, “The Voice” host Michael Schiavello will sit down for a hour-long, one-on-one interview with pound-for-pound legend Fedor Emelianenko.

The interview, which airs on Friday on AXS-TV at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, covers a variety of topics, including the Russian’s relationships with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, UFC President Dana White, UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture and actor, director and martial artist Jean-Claude Van Damme.

In the clip above, Emelianenko shares his thoughts on the situation between Russia, where he lives, and Ukraine, his birthplace.

“There is war in Ukraine. Ukrainian government is fighting with its own people. It has nothing to do with Russians,” he said. “Ask this from hundreds of thousands of refugees…. My own relatives are fleeing. My own relatives who have lived in Ukraine all their life are fleeing from war, fleeing from their own government.”

Emelianenko last fought on June 21, 2012, when he scored a first-round knockout of Pedro Rizzo at an M-1 Global event.

“Fedor Emelianenko is a man shrouded in mystery, but in this interview, he sheds light onto some of the most intriguing parts of his life,” Schiavello said in a release. “Anyone familiar with Emelianenko’s career and the history of his media appearances will appreciate the great depth and thoughtful discussion he provides.”