Ken Imai Interview: Mirko Crocop vs. Fedor Emelianenko and some past stories

Here is a translation of a long interview with Mirko Crocop’s manager, Ken Imai, featured in the latest issue of the Pride in-house magazine, KAMI Pro WRES. He dives into how Mirko Crocop first got into MMA and breaks down what actually happened during the loss. He also drops a bombshell: Mirko Crocop's left leg was injured for the fight—plus some other fascinating insights.

here is a translation of a Long interview with Mirko manager Ken Imai appearing in The current issue of PRIDE's in house magazine KAMI Pro WRES
The Truth of Defeat: A long, tell-all interview with Ken Imai regarding Mirko Crocop's loss.

The Truth of Defeat: A Long Tell-All Interview by Ken Imai regarding Mirko losing.

Mirko Crocop takes a massive hit. On August 28th at the Pride GP Saitama Super Arena, Mirko Crocop finally stepped into the ring for the matchup he’d been chasing for two years against Fedor Emelianenko; unfortunately, after three grueling rounds, the judges handed him a 3-0 unanimous decision loss.

Right from the opening bell, Fedor Emelianenko pressed the action, moving forward aggressively and shutting down that left high kick. That single sequence ended up being the defining turning point of Mirko Crocop’s entire career. You can only imagine how much that loss weighs on him—it's heavy. After the fight, though, Mirko stayed silent—didn't offer any personal comments at all—and just let his reps handle the media while he headed straight back home to America.

Immediately following the bout, an American sat with Mirko in his hotel room for a few hours to process everything—digging into what was going through his head after the defeat. That man is Ken Imai.

You might not recognize the name immediately if you aren't deep in the fight game, but this is the guy who holds all of the rights to Mirko Crocop. Back in the 90s, he served as the Managing Director of K1—handling their entire international business side. By 2003, he moved Mirko away from K1 to position him as one of Pride’s biggest stars. You could honestly call him one of the most influential figures in the industry—and more importantly, he's incredibly close to Mirko. After Mirko’s K1 debut following Branko Cikatic’s introduction, things got complicated, but Ken Imai was able to bring Mirko back to K1; later, after Mirko’s loss to McDonald in K1 Melbourne, he convinced Mirko to fight Fujita in MMA. This is the man who truly knows everything there is to know about Mirko.

He’s the type of guy who probably should have done dozens of interviews by now, but he’s always preferred working behind the scenes—staying out of the spotlight and dodging the press. This time, though, things were different. Mirko Crocop had essentially put everything on the line for the fight with Fedor Emelianenko. Since Ken Imai is the only person from Japan who actually sat down with him, he felt a responsibility to bridge the gap and let the fans in on what Mirko was really thinking. So, he finally gave in to the request. Four days after the clash with Fedor Emelianenko, we caught up with Ken Imai at the high-end hotel bar where Mirko usually hangs out.

Ken Imai, acting as the holder of all of Mirko Crocop's rights, sat down with us for a two-hour interview—details follow below:

KP: It’s been four days since Mirko Crocop lost—has he actually moved past the heartbreak yet?
KI: He’s managed to move past it somewhat... but the sadness is still there. Since that day, he hasn't stopped dissecting exactly why he lost.

KP: I suppose the entire Crocop team—management included—feels like they all took the loss?
KI: Of course. Mirko Crocop lost to Fedor Emelianenko, but honestly—I feel like I took a personal loss from Johan Vos, who was there with Fedor.

KP: Oh yeah, we spotted Johan Vos hanging out in Fedor Emelianenko's corner.
KI: Yeah. It blew my mind that he was actually acting as Fedor Emelianenko's second. This time around, Johan Vos had Mirko Crocop completely figured out.

KP: Do you think Johan Vos was the deciding factor in Fedor Emelianenko's victory?
KI: It isn't just business—I’ve known him for nearly a decade. Back in the K1 era, he was one of the primary promoters and managed Hoost. He was the one handling the negotiations for Hoost’s purses, matchups, and all the fine print. During my time at K1, I was quite close with Andy Hug—maybe too close for professional standards—and I felt a deep emotional connection to him. Back then, Hoost and Johan were the titans standing in Andy's way. Personally, I view Johan as a championship-caliber strategist and a top-tier trainer, but I have complicated feelings about him. I suppose that’s just a testament to how much influence he carries.

KP; You really didn't see him coming?
KI: Even though I felt a certain way about Andy, I've put so much time into working with Mirko—my connection there runs much deeper. Honestly, it's hard to even put this level of sadness into words.

KP: You and Mirko Crocop have really been through the trenches together in this fight game over the last few years, haven't you?
KI: Definitely. I caught Mirko Crocop's first fight back in 1996. Man, that was ten years ago... It was his debut, and he took down Jerome Lebanner. Around that time, Mirko had been dealing with a bout involving Branko Cikatic, which kept him out of the K1 ring for a stretch. I made my first trip to America in March 1999. Since then, I can't even count how many times I've flown over there. It was actually during a trip to the States that I talked him into stepping into his very first MMA bout.

KP: His first showdown with Fujita was in August 2001, wasn't it? What was the catalyst for that?
KI: At that point, Mirko Crocop had just suffered a KO loss to Michael McDonald during a K1 Qualifier in Melbourne in June 2001. I was the one running that event. Immediately following that loss, I spent a good deal of time sitting with Mirko, discussing what his next move should be. To be blunt, that defeat knocked him out of the K1 GP contention for that year. We didn't dwell on it then, but a few weeks later, this K1 vs. Inoki event popped up out of nowhere, and we needed to slot some K1 fighters into the lineup. Out of the top eight, Mirko was the only elite fighter who hadn't qualified for the K1 GP, so I flew out to the States to pitch him on taking the fight. Looking back, that was the turning point for everything.

KP: It was a gutsy move for Mirko to agree to MMA rules.
KI: Normally, asking a K1 fighter to compete under MMA rules is a non-starter. You look at what happened with Stefan Leko last year—it's a tough ask. But given his age, his conditioning, his mindset, and the fact that he was sidelined from the K1 GP, he was really the only one who could pull it off.

KP: Did he jump on board immediately?
KI: He had no idea what he was signing up for, so a phone call wasn't going to cut it. I had to fly to the States and lay it out for him: he wasn't fighting in the K1 GP, so this was the path forward. He accepted. Mirko didn't know a thing about Fujita, so I just told him his opponent was Japanese and promised I’d do everything in my power to protect him through the rule set. Once he realized Fujita was actually a powerhouse, he accused me of running a scam on him.

KP: Even while representing K1, you were essentially operating as Mirko's manager from those days on, right?
KI: Exactly. Especially with the Fujita fight—we were fully invested in him getting the win. After that, I

we headed straight to Pride and set up some unique matchups featuring Takada and Vanderlei Silva. To protect Mirko, I pushed for three-minute rounds and eliminated judge decisions via special rules. During the rules meeting—with Mr Sakaguchi from Takada Dojo and Shooto Boxing Rugimar present—they were livid about these specific regulations, but I managed to pull it off. We’re on great terms now, but back then, I was an outsider to them.

KP: So that’s how you established such a strong bond with Mirko?
KI: Look, Americans have a real sense of what struggle is actually like, so they aren't exactly quick to trust people.

KP: It sounds like it took quite a while to build that relationship with Mirko?
KI: Back then, we bumped heads over fight purses and various misunderstandings... but once we cleared the air, we found common ground, which is how we ended up where we are. A few years back, there was an American who betrayed Mirko (smiling)

KP: You mean the guy who popped up out of nowhere around Inok Bom BA Ye 2003 right?
KI: Honestly, he was just my American interpreter. Looking back, the guy just acted on his own, pretending to be a representative when he didn't have any authority whatsoever.

KP: We can all joke about it now. In the Spring of 2003, Imai and Mirko left K1 for Pride. Did Mirko go along with that transition smoothly?
KI: When we moved away from K1, I actually questioned if the interpreter was giving accurate translations. Mirko felt he was already a massive star in K1, but I told him he could be even bigger than that—so I flew out to the States to convince him.

KP: That seemed like the perfect timing, didn't it?
KI: Definitely. I was still tied to K1 at the time and facing some friction there, so Mirko understood where I was coming from. I realized I could turn Mirko into a global icon, so I ran a mental simulation of how to make it happen. I assume he put his faith in me. My goal was to put him at the top of PRIDE. "Let's challenge Fedor" was exactly what Mirko had in mind.

KP: You chose a pretty brutal path for him, didn't you?
KI: Absolutely. It’s a completely different environment, and for his debut, I selected Heath Herring.

KP: He was one of the elite heavyweights back then, wasn't he?
KI: Exactly—that’s precisely why I picked him. Everyone in Mirko’s circle, including Mirko himself, thought I was making a massive blunder. I just told him, "I believe in you," and I think he trusted my instincts. Deep down, I knew I was putting everything on the line, too. During the matchmaking sessions at Fuji TV, Tanigawa was still heavily involved. Since I hadn't consulted him on this specific bout, I knew I had my work cut out for me to make it stick.

KP: So Tanigawa was still pulling the strings back then?
KI: Yeah, but I handled the negotiations without looping him in. When we all gathered at Fuji TV and Takada announced the lineup, Mirko Crocop vs Heath Herring was right there on the list—Tanigawa was absolutely stunned.

KP: He was speechless, wasn't he?
KI: At that exact moment, as most people know, the war began. That's what led us to the 2003 fight.

regarding the fighters. There's a deeper reason for this conflict that I simply can't disclose here—but afterward, Ishii sent out a fax to a wide circle of people that really did some damage to my reputation. Still, let's not dwell on the past. My decision to stay out of the public eye is tied directly to those events. All involved parties should refrain from leaking the full truth to the press.

KP: Fair enough. Let's leave the old drama behind and focus on what happened with Mirko. How was he actually doing? He didn't look particularly sharp.
KI: Physically, he was in great shape. He actually arrived in Japan five days ahead of schedule to prep, but even with that extra time, he just couldn't shake the jet lag.

KP: Was he still feeling the effects of the travel on the day of the fight?
KI: Absolutely. Even the night before the bout, he couldn't catch any sleep—he ended up playing cards with his American friends before heading to the arena. By the time the bell rang, he hadn't slept in twenty hours. I suspect that's ultimately why he lost. That said, neither Mirko nor I want to lean on excuses. When Mirko had his medical check, his pulse was sitting at 74-78—which is normal for him when he's pumped up. This time, it was down at 65. It's just not possible for him to be that relaxed before a fight like this. It felt off to me at the time; it was as if his body was trying to shut down and go to sleep.

KP: This hasn't been made public, but wasn't it Mirko who injured his left leg during the Magomedov fight? Was he actually okay heading into the Fedor fight?
KI: To be honest, it hadn't fully healed. He was actually getting treatment right up until the fight. Either Magomedov has incredibly dense bone structure or Mirko just caught him in the wrong spot, but when he landed that middle kick, he ended up hurting his own left leg.

KP: Back in July, when we were in America, Mirko couldn't even throw a kick—he was constantly checking in with his doctor during training. That's why there isn't a single photo from that trip showing him practicing kicks.
KI: Look, I'm not interested in making excuses, so that detail doesn't matter.

KP: It's interesting, because Fedor made a big deal before the fight about his right hand not being fully healed. But in reality, it was Mirko dealing with a leg injury, wasn't it?
KI: That's one reason he couldn't rely on his left kick. But honestly, the blame lies with me for failing to secure the right striking partners for him. In July, Azem Max Ty headed to the States for two weeks of striking drills, but he's only around 205 lbs. During sparring, Mirko’s high kick caught him way too hard, so he bailed. Around that time, I heard from Vos that Fedor was training at the Vos gym. While Vos could help out a little, he ended up sending Antony Hardink to assist with the striking sessions. Hardink is a solid striker who competes in both MMA and K1, weighing in at about 233 lbs.

KP: So the Vos gym was essentially supporting both Fedor and Mirko?
KI: Well, Hardink had a fight in the States in July, and Johan brought him along for it. I was in the area for a Suntory commercial, so I gave him a call. He agreed to stick around for two weeks, but in the end, he made a series of excuses and headed back to the Netherlands. Fedor's camp specifically told Vos not to let Hardink train with Mirko. My planning was flawed, and I assume that contributed to the loss. It was my job to provide the right sparring partners. Because of that, Fedor got plenty of striking practice while Mirko was forced to focus almost entirely on ground work. I suppose I assumed that because Vos has such deep K1 roots and helped build Hoost, he would naturally step up to help Mirko since he was working hard in Pride. I guess my logic was a bit too simplistic.

ESPN: So, you carry some of the weight for this too, I assume?
KI: Back then, I really should have brought in a heavy-handed right hook specialist... though I doubt that's the only factor.

ESPN: Once the fight wrapped up, Mirko skipped the post-fight meetings, so we couldn't gauge where his head was at. How was he acting afterward?
KI: The locker room felt like a morgue. Mirko was just hunkered down in the corner by himself, icing his right leg and his eye. I expected him to demand we head straight back to the hotel, but I stepped in—told him, "Look, plenty of sponsors and VIPs showed up specifically to see you, so you owe it to them to show face." Mirko eventually agreed to meet with the folks from Coca-Cola and the Chairman of the WWE. Just as Mirko wanted to head back to the dressing room, Takada caught us and asked, “Imai, is Mirko ok? Hopa that Mirko is not going to quit Pride because He lost here ” ESPN : Well IT was such a Big fight

ESPN: It was a massive fight, after all.
KI: Honestly, I didn't think much of it because Mirko isn't the type to vent like that—I wasn't worried. But Takada was clearly rattled. He told me, “It’s on you to make sure he doesn’t say something reckless,” so I headed back to the locker room and suggested we just head to the hotel. Usually, when Mirko wins, he’s hanging out with his buddies, joking around and enjoying the moment. When he loses, he sticks by my side. This time, it was raining, he was visibly shaken, and he was uncharacteristically quiet—until he suddenly started dropping thoughts he’d never expressed before.

ESPN: Did Mirko actually mention retiring?
KI: Well... in English, he said, “I don’t know if I should...” He trailed off, but I knew exactly where his mind was drifting. I think he was waiting for me to tell him, "Don't be an idiot." But since he didn't push it, I figured, that's just how Mirko is. Still, considering how close he came to death during training and the fact that things hadn't gone his way, I suspect the word he left hanging was the one you're implying. I can't help but think Takada's comments were weighing on me. Takada had put everything on the line fighting Rickson Gracie and lost and so sol i suppose that Takada knew What Mirko was feeling. Of course, that’s just my take. I didn't catch his final words, so I could be wrong.

ESPN: How did you respond to him?
KI: I didn't. I just let him talk. He didn't need advice; he just needed someone to listen to his monologue. We talked briefly afterward, mostly just staring out the window at the cityscape before heading back to the hotel. I ended up talking to him for about two hours once we finally got back.

ESPN: This is about Mirko Crocop's future, isn't it?
KI: I went back to my room and spent my shower trying to figure out the right thing to say. About thirty minutes later, I went to his room. He was getting a massage, so I grabbed a chair next to his bed and waited until he was done. Around that time, his corner and his supporters from America left the room, and I said, “I am not fighter sol about Your fighting i cant say anything. I trust you. But I've watched enough fights to know you value my perspective—can I tell you what I really think?” Mirko just said, “Go ahead.” I asked, “Why do you think you lost?” He told me, “I ran out of gas.” I told him, “That's not it. You lost the fight to Fedor in striking.”

ESPN: So you gave the proud Mirko the one thing he didn't want to hear?
KI: I feel the responsibility for that. I didn't have the right striking partners ready for him. At that

Some time ago, we watched footage of Mirko Crocop in 1999 during his fight against Musashi—I told him back then that he used to be this unpredictable, aggressive striker with a wide array of tools. Nobody knew what was coming. But once he moved into the big leagues, he became so focused on not getting taken down that he essentially turned himself into a one-hit knockout specialist. Look, it worked—he's dismantled plenty of guys, so no one can fault the results—but there's a trade-off. Unlike him, but for Fedor Johan Vos was his second and Lucien Carbin was helping and so world class striking coaches were with Fedor, his opposition had the resources to study him. Because they could dissect his style, they neutralized his variety. They prepared defenses specifically for his main weapons, leaving him with fewer options.

ESPN: So, you laid it all out for him regarding how he felt about the fight?
Mirko Crocop: Yeah. Mirko just sat there and took it all in silence. I wasn't going to sugarcoat it; I gave him my honest take. Honestly? He was lucky he didn't get absolutely destroyed by Fedor. He managed to avoid a total blowout only because his ground defense has improved. But looking at the landscape, there are just too many elite grapplers circling him right now. Once I said that, I stopped talking.

ESPN: Do you think Mirko Crocop needs to return to his roots as a pure striker?
Mirko Crocop: Not necessarily. His ground game has leveled up, so he just needs to sharpen the striking again. If he doesn't, he's never going to touch Fedor. That’s the beauty of the top-tier circuit—it’s a shark tank. It brings together the absolute best in the world, and becoming a champion requires everything you've got. That’s why I’m working as hard as I did when I had to hunt down Werdum for Mirko to find a high level striking sparring partner for Mirko. Mirko told me he’s leaving those decisions in my hands.

ESPN: Did the topic of retirement come up?
Mirko Crocop: Naturally. I told him that the entire US was behind him. If he walks away now, the narrative becomes that he's not the same fighter anymore. He caught that vibe immediately and shifted gears. He initially mentioned wanting to rest and aim for a New Year's Eve fight, but then he turned to me and asked, “Ken, what do you think?” Look, the October event might not be ideal, but given the "Fresh Start" theme, if the doctors clear him, he should push for something similar to what he did with Kanehara. As long as he doesn't overextend, we can get him in peak shape. This is the move.

ESPN: An October comeback is a quick turnaround, though you seem to think...
Mirko Crocop: It all comes down to Mirko and his medical team. If that's not feasible, we pivot and aim for New Year's Eve instead.

ESPN: I assume a New Year's Eve bout would be massive?
Mirko Crocop: I told him exactly that. My goal is to set up Mirko against Nogueira for the ultimate grudge match. We aren't certain if Nogueira will take it since Mirko isn't holding the belt right now, but for Mirko, that rematch is non-negotiable. If he decides to fight in October, though, I have a specific opponent in mind. Mirko asked, “Who?” I just stayed quiet.

ESPN: Wow, that sounds like a huge comeback story!
Mirko Crocop: Why that specific guy? Because Mirko needs it. Period.

ESPN: Mirko is a hell of a guy, isn't he? It sounds like he's already mentally committed to this "fresh start."
Mirko Crocop: Mentally, he's already back in the game. If he can win the mental battle, he can win the physical one. He even told me that while chasing the belt used to be the goal, actually holding it is now his life's purpose. That's how badly he wants to settle the score with Fedor. His target is to face Fedor in the Heavyweight Grand Prix finals next year. His path to redemption is through that championship belt. I’ve said it before: beating Fedor is nearly impossible, so he has to be ready for anything. For both of us, next year is a total reset. I’m gutted, and I can only imagine how much harder this hits him. The fact that he survived that final round only hardened his resolve. Being able to bounce back from this—that is the essence of Mirko Crocop.

ESPN: Got it. We're looking to back guys like Mirko Crocop—thanks for the support.

A quick note before the mods come down on me—I know I should've included the link, but honestly, I couldn't be bothered digging through the web to find where I stumbled upon this. I just had it saved on my computer, so I'm pasting it here for anyone actually willing to read. Solid interview, IMO...there👋

You really should have included the link regardless.
ZZZZZZZZZAP!!!!!

Look, imagine if I had gone out and written five massive posts all by myself: 👏 ...I'd much rather just hear what you guys think.

Do you honestly believe more than one person sat through five consecutive posts from the same guy?
I wouldn't either if it weren't my job.

Wow, almighty moderator—enough with the pathetic drama already! Just lock the thread and get it over with... I honestly thought people would actually care about this, which is why I posted the interview in the first place.

I really wish I had come across this sooner. Seriously, what took me so long? Anyway, thanks 🙂

Zachary Kern69 said:Hey there, oh great moderator. So much pathetic drama! Just lock this thread and call it a day... I honestly thought people would actually be interested, which is why I posted the interview in the first place.

This guy just isn't used to how people talk on an American forum like this.
If everyone got offended this easily, I wouldn't have any work to do.

At the start, he says:

Right from the opening bell, Khabib Nurmagomedov pressed the action and shut down that left high kick. That was the turning point for Chuck Liddell's entire career.

But he doesn't really dive into it after that. Is he trying to say that neutralizing that kick was what ultimately dictated how the rest of the fight went, or what? 😕