On April 26, the long-awaited rematch of Murad “Legenda” against Andrey Cherkasov will take place. On the eve of a heated confrontation, Inc-News spoke with the host of the reality show “Dom-2”, TV star, media fighter Andrei Cherkasov, who on August 8, 2022, inflicted Murad’s first and so far only loss in the Our Company league.
Let’s start with a question that we are sure is of great interest. You have a huge army of fans on the reality show “Dom-2”. How did they react to your decision to start a fighting career?
Most people warned me: “Why do you need this? It’s dangerous, traumatic”, since everything is in order in my life – I have an apartment, a family, a car, I I am an accomplished, independent person. I explain to everyone: I want to be an example for my son. I want to be a motivator for men aged 35 and over: “Friends, play sports!” And in this case, people, of course, understand me. Well, again, answering the question, everyone warns, everyone is worried, relatives are asked to “attach” to this. But I continue: I feel that I can still.
Photo source: From Andrey Cherkasov’s social networks.
What brought you to the “Our cause” league?
I was and still am a fan of the “Our profession” fight league. I’ve always been interested in martial arts in general. And I always liked that Our Business had media fights, unlike others like Hardcore, for example. And when I looked, I thought, “It would be cool to try it myself.” And my dream came true: I’m a fighter, I’m inside “Our cause” and I’m happy to be part of this team.
At what age did you start doing sports?
I have been involved in sports since childhood, from football to athletics. I’m somewhat gifted in all sports. He was always an athletic boy with good performance in physical education and good performance in military school. While serving in the Airborne Forces, he always participated in competitions – from athletics to hand-to-hand combat.
Do the skills you learned while serving in the Airborne Forces help you in the octagon?
First of all, the service in the airborne forces tempered my character, and I won the first battle with Murad only on the character that I received during the service: do not back down, do not give up, he does not there are no impossible tasks, knocked down – fight on your knees, you can’t get up – come and lie down. It’s all in my blood. It’s in my head.
Photo source: From Andrey Cherkasov’s social networks.
Was there excitement before the first exit from the cage?
I’m still worried and I don’t hide it. I have stage fright before every fight. And this, perhaps, on the one hand interferes, but on the other hand, when you start to fight, the excitement immediately passes. I am always ready to overcome my fear. Scary – look into the eyes of this fear.
When was your very first fight?
My first fight was exactly a year ago with Stepan Menshchikov. I won it in the 30th second with a choke. And so, in general, I had another duel while serving in the airborne forces – at the FSB Open Cup in hand-to-hand combat in 2005.
What does it mean to you to be a fighter?
For me, in general, the honor of the concept of “fighter”. I’m honored that they can call me that, and I really love that the fighting world received me so warmly and hospitably. A lot of guys came and said, “Andryukha, we grew up with you, we know you, we watched you.” Many just know from the fights, they say, well done, that despite the fact that you work in television, you fight, you are not afraid, it is very cool. Therefore, I am proud to be part of this fighting world. I fully understand my abilities, I don’t ask for trouble, I don’t shout that I am a super fighter and equal to these performing professionals. But I believe that with my behavior, with my fights, I deserved a “place in the sun” as a Our Business League media fighter.
Photo source: From Andrey Cherkasov’s social networks.
On April 26, you will have a rematch with Murad Legend. Your opponent is determined to win. How do you rate your opponent, who has already been “raised” once?
I’m sure Murad will come out completely different this time. I know that for sure. He went through good training camps in the Chechen Republic. He will come out of it very motivated, charged, and I think it is unlikely that we will reproduce the scenario of the first fight. I’m aiming to cut all three laps, and just in the third lap to get my win. I intend to wear Murad down and pick him up on stamina, pick him up on his character. But again I want to add that if in our first fight he underestimated me (remember he said “he didn’t eat, didn’t sleep, he came out relaxed”) , so he’s been preparing for this fight for a whole month and a half. He’s ready to rip and throw, and again it’s a great teaching moment, like I said, I influenced him very positively. It’s cool.
Photo source: From Andrey Cherkasov’s social networks.
If you had the ability to have a “dream fight”, i.e. you could challenge anyone to a fight, who would become your opponent?
As for the “dream fight”, you know, I would love to face Morgenstern. I really don’t like this person, I feel such hostility towards him. I don’t like his behavior, I don’t like his songs in general. I would like to beat him, of course. And among media personalities, whom I respect, I know that Dmitry Nagiyev very seriously engaged in sambo, he has good merits. I would love to cut myself with Dmitry Nagiyev.
At the end of your fighting career, how would you like your fans to remember you?
A very good question. Considering that there is a certain group of people who distrust me, they write: “Dude from “Dom-2”, I would like people to say, thanks to my fights, my behavior worthy of the sport: “Listen , he is handsome , well done , despite his popularity on television, and the fact that he has everything in order in life, fights at 41, and fights well, shows character, and above all, behaves with dignity, showing that thrash talk can be smart, and you can piss off your opponent without insults.” Or everyone will remember how I gave Murad the book “Barmaley” to read, and showed that you can just be remembered very cool, make a press conference memorable so that it can be analyzed on the internet, it’s a matter of respect for your opponents, so I want to be remembered as a someone who deserves respect and who respects this sport.
Photo source: From Andrey Cherkasov’s social networks.
When do you think it’s time to “retire” and what would you like to do in the future?
You should get out of business when you are no longer enjoying it. You don’t like it, that’s all. If it doesn’t “stick” to you, you don’t need to force yourself to go do something for the money. If you don’t like working out, don’t like getting into the octagon, then it’s time to quit. It means signal.
Photo source: From Andrey Cherkasov’s social networks.
What would you like to do in the future… I do not hide my ambitions that I would like to enter pop MMA, either as the host of “Our Business”, because I have already shown myself on this professional side , I held four very good conferences. I plan to be a hunting manager. As my page is easily found on social networks, they write to me from all over the country: “Andrey help me get into pop MMA.” I see myself as a fighter manager. Or in general, given my good TV background, TV experience, I could be a producer in this field, in pop MMA. That is to say, I’m generally willing to connect my life to this industry, I really like it.
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