MOSCOW, May 19 (RAPSI) - MMA fighter Alexander Emelianenko was convicted of sexual assault and sentenced by Moscow’s Simonovsky District Court to 4.5 years in jail, RAPSI reported from the courtroom.

The court also imposed a 50,000-ruble fine ($1,000) on Emelianenko.

According to investigators, Emelianenko assaulted and raped 27-year-old Polina Stepanova, his housekeeper, on the night of March 2, 2014, and then seized her passport. The trial was held behind closed doors.

Emelianenko has pleaded not guilty and claimed that sex with the girl was consensual.

Prosecutor demanded five years in prison for the fighter.

Alexander Emelianenko is a Russian mixed martial arts fighter who has represented the country at many international championships. He ranked as the No.73 heavyweight in the world in 2013. His younger brother Fedor Emelianenko is believed to be the greatest mixed martial arts fighter in history.

Unlike his brother, Alexander is often implicated in scandals, usually as a result of alleged heavy drinking. Earlier, he was charged with assaulting a retired person at a Moscow café. The criminal case against Emelianenko was dropped after a settlement had been reached.