This will be his first fight in Vendetta in Vegas, which he is very excited about. Christian Binnie, American armwrestler, is already getting ready for his opponent, Armen Chapukhyan, whom he will fight in left arm during the February armfight #45. They will fight in +95 kg over 210 lbs Superheavyweight.
I know my opponent is string and fast, I will be ready for him – promises Binnie.
His training encompasses both weights and practice.
I train every Sunday with my crew, “Jupiter Farms” - says Binnie. - They are preparing me for the fights. With the weights, I train a little differently than other armwrestlers, I train more like powerlifters. I warm up thoroughly and lift very heavy, with 2-4 sets of 1-5 reps per set.
He trains for strength, not looks. Binnie doesn't want to look like a bodybuilder.
I prefer full range of motion with every exercise – says Binnie. - Armwrestling is a strength sport, not a beauty contest. I work the muscle that gets used in armwrestling, that are flexed, contracted during the setup and the fight.
Binnie uses wrist straps with his weights.
When I am training my bicep, I can do standing curls with 22,5 dumbbells, no straps – or 35 kg, with straps. You tell me, which one works the muscles better?
Binnie does a lot of isometric holds, during training and practice, and even when watching TV. He also works his “arm”, though he says it's an empty phrase.
In reality, it's all about wrist flexors – he explains. - I work them like every other muscle. I know that every armwrestler has strong forearms (wrist flexors) and most problems with taking your arm away during setup is not weak arms, but losing flexor tension.
Is his training enough to beat Chapukhyan in armfight #45?
This will be his second Vendetta in Vegas. Before, he fought Vazgen Soghoyan and won 5:1. Now he will face Eduardo Tiete.
Corey, this is your second Vendetta. How are you preparing for it?
I was supposed to fight Eduardo once before, so I am just getting back to the preparations I did back then. Eduardo is great with side hook. I have to be certain that when I start in the middle, I can take control and attack. So a lot of my training will be focused on that.
What do you know about Eduardo?
I know he has a great side pressure hook, and smaller arms, with great supination. When we were supposed to fight the last time, I got injured playing softball. I had a few months' break, a broken ankle and a huge hematoma. I was very disappointed to not be able to fight him, but now I get a second chance.
How does your everyday training look like?
I lift weights 2-3 times a week and I also do practice.
How are you training for the Vendetta?
I focus a lot on my forearm, and I pull a lot with heavy expanders. I work out a lot on machines and specialist devices, focusing on controlling my arm.
Are you switching weights for the Vendetta?
Yes.
You used to weigh 73kg, will you go up to 78kg?
Yeah, I usually weigh about 73kg. Going up will give me bigger strenght and stamina.
Armen fights in both left and right arm. He fought many Worlds in both arms, as well as Europeans and the Zloty Tur. However, at the February Vendetta, he will fight in left only.
My left arm is more sensitive, gives me more confidence at international levels – says Armen Armen Chapukhyan, Armenian armwrestler. - And as this is my first Vendetta, I want to show what I can do. I always wanted to fight the best lefties in the world.
He placed 2nd in Złoty Tur 2015 in SENIOR MEN LEFT +95KG, right after Andrey Pushkar , before Dmitry Trubin. Now he will fight in armfight #45, where he will face American Christian Binnie during the February Vendetta in Vegas.
In his day-to-day life, he trains with Team Armenia.
They are strong, world-class fighters – says Armen. - I spend a lot of time at the table, working on my technique and skills. I love heavy weights.
His favorite exercises are bicep, forearm and wrist curls. He likes to train with Mazurenko Equipment.
I will try to be in my best shape at the armfight#45 – says Armen. - I know the fight will be broadcast worldwide. I will meet a great opponent, I must win! I also am very happy to be a part of an event organized by Mazurenko Promotions. This will be another step up in my career.
He fights mainly in bicep / hook, but he won't hesitate from toprolling.
Everything depends on the opponent and his technique – I think that I can find my way out of even the worst trouble at Vendetta in Vegas.
Michael Todd, who has been the PAL intercontinental champion since 2012, has to prepare to fight for everything. Trubin, who is going to be his opponent during the armfight 45, promises that it would be a hard fight!
A chance has come to fight Michael Todd, and I will not pass that chance - says Trubin in interview with Igor Mazurenko. And he promises "It will be hardcore!".
Trubin, after two years' break in armwrestling, is coming back with a bang.
He showed us what he's got at the 15th Złoty Tur, where he almost beat Pushkar in the OPEN category in right arm.
I want to develop as a sportsman - says Trubin. - How do I plan to do this? First I'm going to try to take Todd's belt and title of Intercontinental Champion. I know it's a lot, but Michael is going to try real hard to keep his title.
During those two years of break, Trubin has changed a lot.
I'm stronger, better, faster and hungry for a win! - says the sportsman. I can stand up to the world's toughest, proof of which is my last fight with Pushkar.
Trubin is under a lot of pressure. His fans expect him to beat the American.
The expectations are very high, I cannot imagine losing this fight - says Dima. Todd has a specific fighting technique, he beat Andrey Pushkar with it. So I watch his fight every day and train for him especially. I train a lot and I want what my fans want - to win. I believe in myself. I want them to believe too.
This will be his second Vendetta in Vegas. At armfight#44 Tiete fought Dawid Bartosiewicz. He defeated the Polish wrestler 5:1. This time the Brazilian will face Corey Miller from USA, for whom this will also be a second Vendetta.
This fight was supposed to happen last year, but Corey got injured – says Tiete. - I've never fought him before, this is going to be a great experience for me.
How does the Brazilian train for the upcoming Vendetta?
I had a good preparation for Vendetta #44 and Zloty Tur, then I had to take a break until 1st of January – says Tiete. - I had an injury two weeks before the tournament, in my right arm, a partial tendon tear. I had 40 days of rehabilitation, but now I feel good and I will give a 100% at the Vendetta.
They will fight in 156 - 172 lbs 78 kg Middleweight. Tiete is back to training and is studying Corey's style closely.
He is very fast and has great back pressure. I will be ready for him, you'll see! - promises Tiete.
He is 42, he started armwrestling when he was 17. So far he has won NAL, UAL, PAL and ArmWars titles. He says his biggest win was in a Vendetta, over Andrey Pushkar – 6-0, but he will not stop at that. He now prepares for armfight #45, where he will face Dmitry Trubin, the star of the last Zloty Tur. His original opponent in this bout was to be Andrey Pushkar, who unfortunately had to resign due to an elbow injury.
This was bad news – says Michael Todd, - But only because the fight won't be for the 1st place in the world! I talked to Neil Pickup a few days before Zloty Tur and told him that Trubin may give Pushkar some trouble. Trubin is a tougher opponent, than Pushkar. All I have to do against Pushkar is hold him out and tire him. Trubin may not be as powerful, but he's much more versatile. He has a chance, although if he doesn't flash me, he won't beat me!
Todd is preparing for the upcoming fight, though he makes no special alterations to his training.
I have been following the same program for some time now, I just switched to bigger weights since this fight was announced – he says. - I am not doing anything especially for Trubin, though.
Michael Todd and Dmitry Trubin will wrestle on 27th February, for the intercontinental title. If Trubin wins, he will go on to wrestle Pushkar for the PAL world champion title. If Todd wins, he will face Pushkar.
They will be wrestling in +95 kg over 210 lbs Superheavyweight.
I consider being a member of armwrestling world elite for ten years my biggest life achievement. I want to become PAL champion of the world and keep the title as long as I want to! - says Todd.
Alexey Voevoda: Return of the Legend of Armwrestling
On February 26 in Las Vegas (USA) will take place the Fight of the World armwrestling Giants - Alexey Voevoda, Russia and Tim Bresnan, U.S.A. This Armfight is being eagerly awaited by fans of both Stars worldwide. After all, in essence, it will mark the comeback of the invincible Voevoda to the Arm-sport.
We can say that this return is the most anticipated in the history of our sport - said the president of the Professional Armwrestling League (PAL) Igor Mazurenko. - We have made every effort to ensure that this historic event would take place as soon as possible.
Alex Voevoda is a unique athlete who stays in armwrestling history as a Russian hero who had been leading in the world rankings for many years and left armwrestling undefeated. Even after the long break, the videos of his fights are the source of inspiration and master classes for many thousands of armrestlers worldwide. Classics of the genre became his brilliant victory over the legendary American John Brzenk, who was considered an invincible champion and who even became the prototype of the hero of the Over The Top movie played by Sylvester Stallone.
When Alex decided to try himself in the Olympic sport of bobsledding it was a real loss for his armwrestling fans. Despite the impressive list of all his conceivable achievements in bobsled, including double Olympic gold, loyal fans around the world waited patiently for the return of their idol to armwrestling.
It took a long time for promoters to find a decent competitor for Alexey. Few dared to fight with the Hero from Sochi, Russia unpredictable for the opponent and known for his will to win. The challenge was accepted by the American armwrestling Star Tim Bresnan. Their fight has already been called The Battle of the Giants. This is not exaggeration. With the height of both competitors about two meters, Alexey’s weight is 113 kg, and Tim Bresnan’s weighs nearly 140 kg.
Even Hollywood didn’t remain indifferent to this fight. A cult film director, Oscar winner, Louie Psihoyos will shoot the duel for his new documentary. Louie has been watching the career of Alexey Voevoda known as one of the prominent vegetarian in the world for a long time.
All armwrestling fans are awaiting this fight eagerly. This will be Voevoda's comeback, very much awaited by everyone in the world of armwrestling. For his first fight after a long break Alexey Vevoda will face Tim Bresnan from USA. And though he considers him a worthy opponent, the Russian still plans to win.
My goal is not to win, but to present a great style of fighting in different positions – says Voevoda. - At present, my arm is ready to take on the fight in different positions and moments. I am pleasantly surprised by Tim's shape and I also know that he is going to get even better before we meet. It will also be good for him to fight on his own turf. I want the fight to be as long as possible, with manue technique switches.
Tim Bresnan is the winner of two previous Vendettas. On the 12th of July he faced Evgenyi Prudnik. The fight was supposed to be a rematch for the 2013 bout, when Tim lost to Prudnyk in right arm, at the Nemiroff World Cup, by fouls. Many bet on young Prudnyk to win this second bout, the veteran came out victorious – Bresnan beat Prudnyk 4:0.
I used top roll in the first fight – recalled Tim. - It was quite easy, I heard Prudnyk's wrist crack. I used the hook in the second, third and fourth round round and that was that. Way easier than I thought it would be.
Then, at Armfight #44, Bresnan faced a Bulgarian wrestler – Krasimir Kostadinow. The outcome was 6:0 for Bresnan. The USA wrestler beat his opponent mercilessly.
This win was more technical than by sheer power – summed up Bresnan. - It wasn't easy. I had to fight hard and think fast right until the very end. Krasimir is a great wrestler, very inteligent and strong. It was areal pleasure to wrestle him.
Bresnan and Kostadinov wrestled in 95 + kg over 210 lbs, superheavyweight. Now Bresnan is up for meeting the world armwrestling legend, Alexey Voevoda, also in +95 kg over 210 lbs Superheavyweight.
I'm not changing anything in my training regime, what for? - says Bresnan. - If it's not broken, why fix it?
Bresnan admits that he gets a little nervous before a fight, and he never underestimates anyone. He wrestles with his right arm only, after he suffered an injury in his left. His toughest matches, in his recollection, were with Devon Larratt and Jerry Cadorette. This second opponent's style was the biggest challenge for him.
Tim trains every day, sometimes even twice a day.
What will be the outcome of his fight with Voevoda at the armfight #45? We will see on the 26th of February.
Armfight #45 will take place on 26th February at the Sunset Station Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Vendetta in Vegas - Armfight #45
February 26, Start: 7 pm PT/ 10pm ET
Online broadcast: Armbets.tv: http://goo.gl/QvTcoH
The link for watching PPV on TV (InDemand): http://goo.gl/BeNeY3
Tickets: http://goo.gl/5zKwkw