Russian MMA promotion releases Alexander Emelianenko following DUI arrest

Today, the Russian Cagefighting Championship (RCC) announced that they have released notable heavyweight contender Alexander Emelianenko (28-7-1) from the promotion following a recent arrest for driving under the influence (DUI) and related charges.

Emelianenko, 37, is the brother of legendary Russian heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko.

RCC confirmed Emelianenko’s release Thursday in a statement on Russian social media site, VK, writing, “The contract between the RCC and Emelianenko canceled,” per an English translation of the original post.

RCC President Nikolay Klimenko is quoted as saying, “From today, Alexander Emelyanenko is a free agent, there is no longer any legal relationship between the league and the fighter,” in the translated remarks.

Emelianenko was arrested on March 1 for DUI, resisting arrest, and “insulting a representative of the authorities in the performance of his official duties”, per Russian news outlet Tass.

RT Sport chronicled the incidents of that night, alleging that Emelianenko, while “under the influence of alcohol”, locked himself inside of his car after police began to tow it from an illegal parking zone.

Then, Emelianenko allegedly attempted to drive off, hitting two other vehicles with his golden Mercedes-Benz in the process.

After being detained, RT’s video shows Emelianenko protesting his arrest.

According to Tass, Emelianenko admitted to getting “behind the wheel drunk”, but disputed claims of resisting arrest, though he “apologized for being rude to the police” in court.

Tass reports that Emelianenko has already been found guilty of “disobedience to the lawful order of a police officer”, and was sentenced to ten days of administrative arrest for that charge.

In the days immediately following the events, Klimenko told Tass, “The fight of Emelianenko, scheduled for May 4, has been canceled.”

Now, RCC has responded even more strongly with Emelianenko’s release.

This recent arrest is not Emelianenko’s first brush with the law, however.

The heavyweight fighter was convicted back in 2015 of a litany of charges stemming from a sexual assault, including “‘kidnapping’ by withholding a passport, and the forced use of ‘narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances’ on 27-year-old Polina Stepanova,” as Bloody Elbow’s Karim Zidan reported at the time.

Emelianenko was sentenced to four and a half years in prison, along with a 50,000 ruble (approx. $1,010 USD) fine, in May of 2015. He was paroled in November of 2016 and resumed his MMA career in 2017.