Personal life
Aleksandr married his wife, Olga, on September 4, 2004. The couple resides in Saint Petersburg and have a daughter, Olya, who was born in September 2007.[7] The couple also has another daughter who was born in 2009.[8]
Aleksandr has an older daughter named Ksyusha from a previous relationship. [9]
In an interview, his brother Fedor confirmed that Aleksandr had spent time in a prison for robbery. Aleksandr was sentenced to 5 years but was released after 3.5 years.[10]
Emelianenko has claimed that he killed a bear by trapping its head with a fork-like staff and stabbing it in the heart with a knife. This is a traditional, but not common, way of Russian bear hunting.[7]
Aleksandr's tattoos are a constant source of questions from his fans and journalists. Aleksandr explained their meaning in his interview on Fedor’s official website.[2]
[edit] Tattoos
* Right arm: Cathedral with five domes: symbolizes five years of imprisonment.
* Shoulders: Stars: Symbolize a "career criminal" or Vor v Zakone in Russian (English translation: thief in law).
o Shoulders: More recently he has covered up the Stars with Clouds.
o Aleksander has recently added a tattoo of Muhammad Ali to his shoulder.
* Left shoulder: cobweb: Aleksandr did not explain its meaning other than saying that contrary to what has been suggested by some, it does not have anything to do with the Mafiya. In Russian prisons, tattoos using this symbol typically denote drug addiction or robbery.
* Chest: The Battle of Kulikovo.
* Left shoulder: Russian script.
* Left forearm: Half cat’s head, half skull: “Homo homini lupus est.” Translated: Man is a wolf to his fellow-man.
* Back: Grim Reaper holding a baby.
* Back: "Gott Mit Uns", meaning “God is with us” in German: for Aleksandr, it’s a symbol of revival. This tattoo caused a controversy, since this slogan was written on belt buckles of German soldiers in the Third Reich. For many Russian prisoners the phrase means you are totally opposed to the soviet penal system.[citation needed] This phrase was very popular among prisoners during the 60's and 70's.[citation needed]
* Knees: Stars: symbolize that the owner will never be brought to his knees. These tattoos also stirred up controversy, after a picture published on his website revealed a swastika in the middle.[11]
* Pirate tattoo: stands for article 167 of Russian Criminal Code: “armed robbery”.
* “Fortis fortuna adiuvat” Translated: Fortune favors the bold.
* A name on his lower abs ('Marina'). Later covered by a tribal tattoo.
* A spider web on scalp.
