It’s hard to set up a meeting with Arsen in Moscow. Once he’s in Volgograd, Vladykaukaz, Samara, but rarely in the capital. However we’ve managed to catch him, he came to Moscow for a photo session for FitMax. That’s where we met. Arsen doesn’t look like he belongs to 90kg class now, contrary to how it was at this year’s Russian Championships. That’s obvious, he significantly put on muscle mass.

I’m glad we’ve finally met Arsen. Tell me, what do you remember about ARMFIGHT in Bulgaria?

Arsen: I’d say that I only felt mental pressure before the draw. When it turned out who fights with whom then
I could set my mind at rest about that. I got to know with whom and how I would fight. I did everything I had planned. In a shape I’m now, I won’t give anyone any round! My motto in Bulgaria was: “I came, I saw,
I conquered!”.

The six-round system in exhausting. How did you prepare for it? In any special way?

Arsen: In no way! If your are weak, even the special preparations won’t help you. I don’t prepare in any special way, I train as always.  ARMFIGHT, NEMIROFF, Russian Championships, World Championships – it’s not a problem for me! I’ll always be first!

Not long ago Engin Terzi published rating of the ten best world armwrestlers, now, at the moment. It looks as follows: 1. Devon Larratt; 2. Denis Cyplenkov; 3. Michael Тоdd; 4. Andrey Pushkar; 5. Tim Bresnan; 6. Arsen Liliev; 7. Dzambulat Оmarow; 8.

Genadi Кvikvinia; 9. Farit Usmanili; 10. Artem Grishin.
Do you agree with him?

Arsen: Basicly not really! My raking looks as follows: Pushkar; Cyplenkov; Michael Todd; Me; Usmanili; Kvikvinia; Omarow; Zoloev; Brzenk; Bagent. A competitor who never participated European or World Championships and never stood on the podium can’t be included in a rating. Who’s Larratt? For his whole career he beat John Brzenk only once, when he was not in a best form. And so was his win over Travis Bagent. In 2006 he could not win over Ivakin. What made him be first?

What modest you are... you place yourself 4th “only” …

Arsen: When I win A1 tournament, I’ll be first in ratings.  Currently 

When I win the A1 tournament, I’ll be the first in ratings. For the moment, except for me, I can see no other candidate for the top. It’s Pushkar, there are no others!

Let’s assume you beat all the competitors and became the absolute Champion. What then?  

Arsen: Then I’ll abandon Armwrestling, just a few more year and I’ll leave. I’ve been in this sport for 14 years and I think I have to get off the scene tall. So I’ll fight for a few more years and that’s all!

So as I thanked Arsen for this interview I could only wish him the title of the Champion of the Champions. And as to his announcement, we would all like him to fight for many, many years  and did not leave our sport.

Interview: Yulia Khoziainova

Translation form Russian:  PeSzy