Fedor Emelianenko
 |
Name | Fedor Emelianenko |
| Nickname | The Last Emperor | |
| Association | Red Devil Sport Club | |
| Weight Class | Heavyweight (233 lbs.) | |
| Height | 6' 0" (183 cm) | |
| Style | Sambo, Judo, Boxing | |
| Birth Date | September 28, 1976 | |
| Fighting Out Of | Stary Oskol, Belgorod | |
| Country | Russia | |
| Fedor Emelianenko Pictures | Fedor's Official Site |
Fedor Vladimirovich Emelianenko is a Russian Heavyweight mixed martial artist. He is the current World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts (WAMMA) Heavyweight Champion and the last holder of the PRIDE Heavyweight Championship. He has won numerous tournaments and accolades in multiple sports, most notably the Pride 2004 Grand Prix and the World Combat Sambo Championship on multiple occasions, as well as medaling in the Russian National Judo Championship.
Emelianenko has been considered the best Heavyweight fighter in the world for many years by many major publications, including ESPN, the Orange County Register, The Fight Network, the Houston Chronicle, The Wrestling Observer, MMA Weekly, Sherdog, and Inside MMA. Emelianenko was also chosen as the greatest fighter of all time across all weight classes by the expert panel of the television show "Inside MMA".
His brother Aleksander Emelianenko is also a Heavyweight mixed martial artist.
Contents |
Professional Record
| Record | 34 - 4 - 0 (Win – Loss – Draw) (1 NC) |
| Wins | 10 (T)KOs 16 Submissions 8 Decisions |
| Losses | 3 (T)KOs 1 Submissions 0 Decisions |
| Result | Opponent | Method | Event Title | Date | Round | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | Pedro Rizzo | KO (Punches) | M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Rizzo | 6/21/2012 | 1 | 1:24 | |
| Win | Satoshi Ishii | TKO (Punches) | Dream: Fight For Japan! New Year! 2011 | 12/31/2011 | 1 | 2:29 | |
| Win | Jeff Monson | Unanimous Decision | M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Monson | 11/20/2011 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Loss | Dan Henderson | TKO (Punches) | Strikeforce and M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Henderson | 7/30/2011 | 1 | 4:12 | |
| Loss | Antonio Silva | TKO (Doctor Stoppage) | Strikeforce and M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Silva | 2/12/2011 | 2 | 5:00 | |
| Loss | Fabricio Werdum | Submission (Triangle Armbar) | Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum | 6/26/2010 | 1 | 1:49 | |
| Win | Brett Rogers | TKO (Punches) | Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers | 11/07/2009 | 2 | 1:48 | Strikeforce debut; Defended WAMMA Heavyweight Championship; First MMA bout fought in a Cage |
| Win | Andrei Arlovski | KO (Punch) | Affliction: Day of Reckoning | 1/24/2009 | 1 | 3:14 | Defended WAMMA Heavyweight Championship; Awarded the 2009 Bazzie for "KO Punch of the Year" |
| Win | Tim Sylvia | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | Affliction: Banned | 7/19/2008 | 1 | 0:36 | Won vacant WAMMA Heavyweight Championship |
| Win | Hong Man Choi | Submission (Armbar) | Yarennoka: New Years Eve 2007 | 12/31/2007 | 1 | 1:54 | |
| Win | Matt Lindland | Submission (Armbar) | Bodog Fight: Clash of the Nations | 4/14/2007 | 1 | 2:58 | Lindland moved up from Middleweight to compete at Heavyweight |
| Win | Mark Hunt | Submission (Kimura) | PRIDE: Shockwave 2006 | 12/31/2006 | 1 | 8:16 | Defended Pride World Heavyweight Championship |
| Win | Mark Coleman | Submission (Armbar) | PRIDE 32: The Real Deal | 10/21/2006 | 2 | 1:15 | |
| Win | Wagner da Conceicao Martins | Submission (Punches) | PRIDE: Shockwave 2005 | 12/31/2005 | 1 | 0:26 | |
| Win | Mirko Filipovic | Decision (Unanimous) | PRIDE: Final Conflict 2005 | 8/28/2005 | 3 | 5:00 | Defended Pride World Heavyweight Championship |
| Win | Tsuyoshi Kohsaka | TKO (Doctor Stoppage) | PRIDE Bushido 6 | 4/03/2005 | 1 | 10:00 | |
| Win | Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira | Decision (Unanimous) | PRIDE: Shockwave 2004 | 12/31/2004 | 3 | 5:00 | Defended Pride World Heavyweight Championship; Won Pride 2004 Heavyweight Grand Prix |
| NC | Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira | No Contest (Accidental Cut) | PRIDE: Final Conflict 2004 | 8/15/2004 | 1 | 3:52 | Pride 2004 Heavyweight Grand Prix Finals |
| Win | Naoya Ogawa | Submission (Armbar) | PRIDE: Final Conflict 2004 | 8/15/2004 | 1 | 0:54 | Pride 2004 Heavyweight Grand Prix Semifinals |
| Win | Kevin Randleman | Submission (Kimura) | PRIDE: Critical Countdown 2004 | 6/20/2004 | 1 | 1:33 | Pride 2004 Heavyweight Grand Prix Quarterfinals |
| Win | Mark Coleman | Submission (Armbar) | PRIDE: Total Elimination 2004 | 4/25/2004 | 1 | 2:11 | Pride 2004 Heavyweight Grand Prix Opening Round |
| Win | Yuji Nagata | TKO (Punches) | Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2003: Inoki Festival | 12/31/2003 | 1 | 1:02 | |
| Win | Gary Goodridge | TKO (Soccer Kicks and Punches) | PRIDE: Total Elimination 2003 | 8/10/2003 | 1 | 1:09 | |
| Win | Kazuyuki Fujita | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | PRIDE 26: Bad to the Bone | 6/08/2003 | 1 | 4:17 | |
| Win | Egidijus Valavicius | Submission (Kimura) | Rings Lithuania: Bushido Rings 7 - Adrenalinas | 4/05/2003 | 2 | 1:13 | |
| Win | Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira | Decision (Unanimous) | PRIDE 25: Body Blow | 3/16/2003 | 3 | 5:00 | Won Pride World Heavyweight Championship |
| Win | Heath Herring | TKO (Cut) | PRIDE 23: Championship Chaos 2 | 11/24/2002 | 1 | 10:00 | |
| Win | Semmy Schilt | Decision (Unanimous) | PRIDE 21: Demolition | 6/23/2002 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Chris Haseman | TKO (Punches) | Rings: World Title Series Grand Final | 2/15/2002 | 1 | 2:50 | Won Rings World Class Tournament |
| Win | Lee Hasdell | Submission (Guillotine Choke) | Rings: World Title Series 5 | 12/21/2001 | 1 | 4:10 | |
| Win | Ryushi Yanagisawa | Decision (Unanimous) | Rings: World Title Series 4 | 10/20/2001 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Renato Sobral | Decision (Unanimous) | Rings: 10th Anniversary | 8/11/2001 | 2 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Kerry Schall | Submission (Armbar) | Rings: World Title Series 1 | 4/20/2001 | 1 | 1:47 | |
| Win | Mihail Apostolov | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | Rings Russia: Russia vs. Bulgaria | 4/06/2001 | 1 | 1:03 | |
| Loss | Tsuyoshi Kohsaka | TKO (Cut) | Rings: King of Kings 2000 Block B | 12/22/2000 | 1 | 0:17 | |
| Win | Ricardo Arona | Decision (Unanimous) | Rings: King of Kings 2000 Block B | 12/22/2000 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Hiroya Takada | KO (Punches) | Rings: Battle Genesis Vol. 6 | 9/05/2000 | 1 | 0:12 | |
| Win | Levon Lagvilava | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | Rings: Russia vs. Georgia | 8/16/2000 | 1 | 7:24 | |
| Win | Martin Lazarov | Submission (Guillotine Choke) | Rings Russia: Russia vs. Bulgaria | 5/21/2000 | 1 | 2:24 | |
Biography
Fedor Emelianenko, whose name is sometimes romanized as Fyodor Yemelyanenko, was born in 1976 in the city of Rubizhne, Luhansk of the Ukrainian SSR, then part of the Soviet Union. His family moved to Stary Oskol, Belgorod of the Russian SFSR in 1978. His mother, Olga Fedorovna, was a teacher and his father, Vladimir Alexandrovich Emelianenko, was a welder. Emelianenko is the second child in the family and has an older sister and two younger brothers, including professional mixed martial artist Aleksander Emelianenko. His other brother Ivan has also trained but not competed at his brothers' level.
Emelianenko finished high school in 1991 and graduated with honors from a professional trade school in 1994. From 1995 until 1997, he served in the Russian Army as a military firefighter. In 1999, he married his wife Oksana, and their first daughter Masha was born in the same year. In 2006, Emelianenko broke up with his wife and started a new family with his girlfriend Marina. On December 29, 2007, his second daughter Vasilisa was born. In his spare time, he likes to read, listen to music, and draw.
Martial Arts Background and Training Regimen
Emelianenko's enthusiasm for fighting began with Sambo and Judo. He initially trained under Vasiliy Ivanovich Gavrilov, and later under his current grappling coach, Vladimir Mihailovich Voronov. His coach remembers that ten-year-old Emelianenko was relatively weak physically and did not have an innate grappling talent; instead, his biggest strength was his perseverance and strong will. Although Emelianenko's official biography states that he trained in Sambo during his army years, he specified in a 2005 interview that this is incorrect. His training in the army was limited to running and strength training in a makeshift gym he put together himself.
Emelianenko received the official certification of a "Master of Sports" in Sambo and Judo in 1997, and he became part of the Russian national team. After earning a bronze medal in 1998 in the Russian Judo Championship, he started studying striking under coach Alexander Vasilievich Michkov. Emelianenko started competing in combat Sambo and mixed martial arts in 2000 at the age of 25, because he "didn't have any money".
Emelianenko trains two or three times per day to maintain and improve his skills. He uses basic training methods like running, ropes, and weightlifting. Emelianenko used to weight train extensively, but in 1997 he almost completely substituted his weight exercises with sport-specific training in grappling, boxing, and kickboxing. His strength training consists of daily pull-ups, dips, and crunches. Emelianenko also runs twice daily for a combined distance of 12–15 kilometres (7.5–9.3 mi), and is a proponent of high altitude training, travelling to Kislovodsk, Russia with his team once or twice a year to train in high altitude. Emelianenko's team consists of grappling coach Voronov, boxing coach Michkov, Muay Thai coach Ruslan Nagnibeda, doctor, masseur, and psychologist Oleg Neustroev, his training partners, including Roman Zentsov, and, until June 2006, his brother Aleksander.
Improving his kicking technique became a focus for Emelianenko in 2005. He trained Muay Thai with kickboxer Ernesto Hoost in Netherlands, and added Nagnibeda, who was a "Seikin-do" league 78 kilograms (170 lb.) title holder from 1998 to 2002 with a record of 33-3-1, and a former Tula State University Muay Thai instructor to his team. Recently, Emelianenko has expressed interest in training young athletes.
Emelianenko defended his title at the 2007 World Combat Sambo Championships, which brought together 780 representatives from 45 countries. When his opponent in the quarterfinals failed to show up, he received a bye to the semifinals, where he submitted a Bulgarian fighter with a choke in 40 seconds. The other finalist declined to compete, defaulting victory to Emelianenko. On November 16, 2008, Emeliankos's first loss in Sambo in eight years came at the Combat Sambo World Championships in St. Petersburg, Russia, where he fell in the semifinals of the over 220 lb. (100 kg) division to 23-year-old Bulgarian Blagoi Ivanov on points, 8–5. Emelianenko finished the tournament in third place.
On February 21, 2009, Emelianenko won the gold at Russian Combat Sambo Championship. Quarter- and semifinal were over in 14 and 26 seconds while the final lasted 20 seconds.
Club Affiliation
Emelianenko began his mixed martial arts as a member of Russian Top Team (RTT), training with the first generation of Russian Rings competitors, such as Volk Han and Andrey Kopylov. After winning his PRIDE Heavyweight title, a rift grew between Emelianenko and the manager of RTT, Vladimir Evgenevich Pogodin. According to Emelianenko, Pogodin, who held the position of vice-president in the World Sambo Federation, attempted to control Emelianenko's career through threats and abuse of his position to deny "Master of Sports" titles to Emelianenko and his brother Aleksander. Emelianenko also alleged he was deceived by Pogodin in financial disputes between Pogodin and Emelianenko. After his bout with Gary Goodridge, the Emelianenko brothers left Russian Top Team and began to train in St. Petersburg with the Red Devil Sport Club, which is managed by Vadim Finklestein. To date, Finklestein is still his manager. Emelianenko is also a member of the VOS gym in Holland, where he trains with Johan Vos and Lucien Carbin.
Mixed Martial Arts Career
Rings
Emelianenko's early loss in the sport is controversial, and came at the hands of Tsuyoshi Kohsaka at the King of Kings 2000 Block B event on December 22, 2000, via doctor stoppage due to a cut 17 seconds into the fight. Footage shows that the cut was caused by a missed looping punch where Kohsaka's elbow struck Emelianenko's head. Elbow strikes are illegal under Rings rules unless the striker is wearing elbow pads, which Kohsaka was not. Emelianenko says that this elbow reopened a cut sustained in his previous fight against Ricardo Arona. Since the fight was in a tournament format, a winner and loser was required as draws or no contests could not be awarded. Since Emelianenko could not advance due to his injury, Kohsaka moved on (the match would have been a no contest or disqualification victory for Emelianenko otherwise).
Pride Fighting Championships
Entering the PRIDE Fighting Championships on the heels of winning the Rings King of Kings 2002 tournament, Emelianenko debuted at Pride 21 on June 23, 2002 against the 6 ft 11 in (2.1 m), 256 lb (116 kg) Dutch fighter Semmy Schilt, whom he defeated by unanimous decision. His next opponent was Heavyweight Heath Herring, in a contest to establish the number-one contender for the Heavyweight title. Emelianenko, considered an underdog at the time, defeated Herring by doctor stoppage after the first round. This victory against a perennial contender brought him into title contention.
Emelianenko was then signed to fight heavily favored Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira for Pride's Heavyweight Championship title at Pride 25 on March 16, 2003. The judges rendered a unanimous decision, and Emelianenko became the second Pride Heavyweight Champion.
Three months later Emelianenko embarked on his title reign. His first match was against the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion, amateur and professional wrestler Kazuyuki Fujita. A heavy favorite, Emelianenko was expected to make quick work of Fujita, but was caught by a wild right hook that stunned him. After working his way to a clinch, Emelianenko knocked Fujita down and went on to submit him at 4:17 in the first round with a rear naked choke.
Next came a one-sided bout against heavy underdog Gary Goodridge at Total Elimination 2003. Emelianenko took down Goodridge after wobbling him with standing combinations, then finished him with a ground and pound technique in the first round by referee stoppage after delivering unanswered punches and kicks to the head. Emelianenko broke his hand in this fight, resulting in surgery. He has since reinjured this hand, leading to the postponement of several bouts.
His next fight against New Japan professional wrestler Yuji Nagata at Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2003 ended the same way, with Emelianenko first knocking Nagata to the ground twice with punches. Emelianenko fought at this event as opposed to Shockwave 2003 on the same day due to being offered a higher fight purse because of the great deal of competition between the Japanese television networks screening these events and K-1 Premium Dynamite!! on the same night.
Four months later at Total Elimination 2004, he met Pride 2000 Grand Prix winner and former UFC Heavyweight Champion Mark Coleman for the first time in the ring and submitted him with an armbar at 2:11 of the first round to advance in the 2004 Heavyweight Grand Prix.
A notable match with Coleman’s protégé Kevin Randleman followed just two months later at the tournament's second round. Randleman, a two-time Division I NCAA Wrestling Champion for Ohio State University and a former UFC Heavyweight Champion, quickly worked into a clinch with Emelianenko and then delivered a suplex, slamming him to the canvas headfirst. Emelianenko recovered immediately and forced Randleman to submit with a Kimura armlock 1:33 into the first round.
On August 15, 2004, Emelianenko faced six-time All-Japan Judo Champion Naoya Ogawa in the semifinals of the 2004 Grand Prix. After submitting Ogawa with an armbar, he advanced to face Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, who had won a decision against Emelianenko's former teammate Sergei Kharitonov earlier that night. This match was not only to decide the winner of the 2004 Grand Prix, but to unify the Heavyweight Championship as Nogueira was awarded the interim title due to Emelianenko's inability to defend his championship in a timely manner. In this rematch with Nogueira, the fight was stopped due to a cut to Emelianenko's head from an accidental headbutt he delivered to Nogueira. A third meeting was thus scheduled for Shockwave 2004, which Emelianenko won. Emelianenko overpowered the Brazilian on the feet in the first round, beating him to the punch for the first nine minutes of the first round. Nogueira faced great difficulty in attempting to put his opponent on his back, save for the final 30 seconds of the first round. During the second and third rounds, Emelianenko's takedown defense and counter-punching earned him a unanimous decision victory to retain the Heavyweight Championship.
In other notable bouts, Emelianenko won a unanimous decision over former K-1 star Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic. The fight had been delayed previously due to Emelianenko's hand injuries and Filipović's loss to Kevin Randleman derailing their expected meeting in the 2004 Grand Prix. Emelianenko managed to outscore Filipović in stand up fighting, landing many hard body shots, and controlled the bout on the ground. He has later stated that his hand injury took away his grip strength and so prevented him from trying submissions.
Although originally endangered due to Emelianenko's recurring hand injury, a plate inserted in his hand green-lighted a rematch with American Mark Coleman in Pride's American debut show, Pride 32. In a fight where Coleman was unable to mount any significant offense, Emelianenko defeated Coleman with an armbar at 1:15 in the second round.
Emelianenko's last title defense before the purchase of Pride by the UFC was against 2001 K-1 World Grand Prix champion Mark Hunt at Shockwave 2006. Sporting a broken toe during the contest, Emelianenko nevertheless secured an armbar in the second minute of the first round, but Hunt was able to escape and counter by stepping over Emelianenko, ending in side control. At five minutes into the first round, Hunt made two attempts at an americana on Emelianenko’s left arm but failed to complete them. Emelianenko submitted Hunt with a Kimura at 8:16 in the first round.
BodogFight
With a special clause in his Pride contract that allowed him to fight under the banner of any mixed martial arts organization as long as the event was held on Russian soil, Emelianenko accepted a match in BodogFight against Matt Lindland. The fight was held on April 14, 2007 at the "Clash of the Nations" event in St. Petersburg, Russia. Lindland moved up two weight classes (from Middleweight to Heavyweight) for the match and came in weighing 218 lbs. (99 kg) to Emelianenko's 233 lbs. (106 kg).
Early in the fight, Lindland opened a cut above Emelianenko's left eye and clinched with him, pushing him into the corner and working for a takedown. At this point, the referee warned Emelianenko against grabbing the ropes and Emelianenko corrected himself. After a few seconds of working in the clinch, Lindland attempted a bodylock takedown. When Lindland lifted Emelianenko from his feet, Emelianenko reversed Lindland's takedown and landed in his half guard. The fight then remained on the ground where Emelianenko won by submission via armbar at 2:58 of the first round.
M-1 Global
Since the purchase of Pride by the majority owners of UFC and the expiration of Emelianenko's contract with Pride, there has been speculation about the possibility of him fighting in the UFC, especially since a public falling out between Bodog's Calvin Ayre and Emelianenko's manager, Vadim Finklestein. In a June 2007 interview with the Baltimore Sun, Chuck Liddell suggested that Emelianenko was on his way to the UFC. Dana White has also expressed interest in signing Emelianenko, but considers his management team to be the primary barrier left to the inking of a contract, whereas Finklestein has cited difficult negotiations as the reason. A main point of contention between the two is Finkelstein's request for the UFC to work with his Russian M-1 promotion, extending contractual offers to other members of the Red Devil Sport Club, and permitting Emelianenko to compete in combat Sambo tournaments. At UFC 76 however, UFC president Dana White stated that he expected Emelianenko to sign with the UFC in late 2007 or early 2008, after Emelianenko was to compete in a Sambo competition that White would not allow him to participate in if he were under a UFC contract. He also revealed his intent to set up a unification bout with UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture as his first UFC fight. Nevertheless, these negotiations broke down, as Emelianenko committed to a non-exclusive, two-year and six-fight deal with M-1 Global in October 2007.
Yarennoka
Monte Cox, the president and CEO of M-1 Global, confirmed Emelianenko would face South Korean kickboxer Hong Man Choi in a New Year's Eve event, Yarennoka!, taking place in Japan and organized by the former Pride FC staff with support from M-1 Global, FEG, and Deep. A special rule was used for this fight to not allow any knee strikes on the ground. The fight was broadcasted live in the United States on Mark Cuban's HDNet. Emelianenko defeated Choi in the opening round by submission via an armbar.
Dream
On February 13, 2008, Emelianenko attended a press conference held by Dream, a newly-formed Japanese mixed martial arts promotion. His manager, Finkelstein, confirmed that the organization had a tightly knit alliance with M-1 Global and that he would be fighting on the new organization's fight cards.
Affliction
At Affliction's inaugural event, promoted as Affliction: Banned, Emelianenko defeated former two-time Ultimate Fighting Championship Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia via submission at 36 seconds in the first round. By defeating Sylvia, Emelianenko was crowned the first WAMMA Heavyweight Champion.
In his next fight with Affliction, Emelianenko defeated former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski at Affliction: Day of Reckoning on January 24, 2009. Arlovski deceivingly appeared to be winning in the exchanges but in fact Emelianenko was deflecting most of the punches. After knocking Fedor into the ropes Arlovski attempted a Flying Knee and Emelianenko countered with an overhand right, knocking out Arlovski at 3:14 of the first round to retain his WAMMA Heavyweight title. The knockout was considered a fluke until it was discovered that Fedor had written about this exact situation years before.
Fedor met WAMMA Lightweight Champion Shinya Aoki during a five-minute "special exhibition" at an April 29 M-1 Challenge (presented by Affliction) event in Tokyo. Emelianenko made Aoki tap out from a Achilles Lock just before the bell sounded to end the exhibition.
Emelianenko was scheduled to defend his WAMMA Heavyweight title against former UFC Heavyweight Champion Josh Barnett on August 1, 2009, at Affliction: Trilogy, but on July 22 Barnett was denied his license to compete after testing positive for anabolic steroids by the California State Athletic Commission. As of July 22 no replacement has been officially confirmed. Early rumors stated that Fedor would face Middleweight (185 lbs.) Vitor Belfort who stated that he wanted to fight Emelianenko, but in the end, the entire event was cancelled. According to Tom Atencio, they just "didn't have enough time to promote a new fight to our standards.”
A bidding war ensued, between all the major mixed martial arts promotions, most specifically the UFC and Strikeforce, even though promotions in Japan showed interest as well. There was a rumored $30 million, 6-fight contract offered to Emelianenko from the UFC, though his manager, Vadim Finkelchtein, denied the rumor. UFC President Dana White stated in a press conference on July 31, 2009 that he tried everything to sign Fedor, except co-promotion with M-1 Global.
Strikeforce
It was announced August 3, 2009 that "The Last Emperor" had signed a contract with Strikeforce, who was more than willing to co-promote with M-1 Global. Fedor's signing with the promotion opens doors for him to fight the likes of Brett Rogers, Fabricio Werdum, and current Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem.
Scott Coker stated that a fight with Overeem would be an amazing fight, but that he would like to build the fight up before throwing Emelianenko straight in for a title shot. It was announced in late August 2009, at Fedor's public workout in New York City that Fedor's first opponent under the Strikeforce banner would be fast-rising Heavyweight Brett Rogers. The fight will take place on November 7, 2009 at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers and will be for Emelianenko's WAMMA Heavyweight Championship. The fight would be Fedor's first fight of his entire career to take place in a cage, as compared to a ring.
Before Fedor's fight with Brett Rogers, he made an appearance at M-1 Global's Breakthrough event at August 28, 2009, where he sparred former DREAM Middleweight and current Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Gegard Mousasi in an exhibition match, where he defeated Mousasi with a straight Armbar.
On November 7, 2009 Emelianenko once again proved why he is considered the best Heavyweight mixed martial artist, as he ended the fight at 1:48 of the second round with a looping right hook. The fight would sideline "The Last Emperor" though, as it was learned that he suffered a fracture and tendon damage in his left thumb, along with a fractured nose in the Rogers clash. The injuries would sideline Emelianenko for four to six months. Scott Coker stated that the most likely bout for Emelianenko's return would be Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem, though that would not be the case, as Overeem went on to face Brett Rogers, and Emelianenko would face Fabricio Werdum on June 26, 2010 at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum.
In an enormous upset victory, Fabricio Werdum forced Fedor to tap via Triangle Armbar at 1:09 into the first round. Within 30 seconds of the opening bell, Emelianenko unloaded a heavy-handed combination that stunned Werdum and sent him tumbling to a seated position. Emelianenko dove in and rained down a barrage of hammerfists, but an alert Werdum quickly secured an Armbar to slow the attack. Emelianenko immediately broke free of the hold, but perhaps overly anxious, he again found himself trapped by an Armbar and accompanying Triangle Choke. Werdum torqued the choke and armbar for nearly a half minute until a nearly unconscious Emelianenko finally relented and tapped out.
Werdum became the first MMA fighter to attain a non-controversial victory over Emelianenko. After the fight, Emelianenko said the following:
- “The one who doesn't fall never stands up. It happened that people made me an idol. But everybody loses. I'm just a human being. And if it's God's will next fight, I'll win.”
Though Emelianenko and his management never seemed interested in fighting Alistair Overeem when Overeem and his camp called him out, things seemed to change after his loss to Werdum. In August 2010, Emelianenko and his camp called out Overeem.
- "This is an important match for me and something that I personally want to happen," said Fedor. "There have been conversations about putting this match-up together in the past and now is the time to begin making this bout possible."
Overeem, though, seemed no longer receptive to the fight, under the circumstances, as he stated he was not willing to fight another fighter coming off a loss for his Heavyweight title.
Ranks and Titles
Mixed Martial Arts
- WAMMA World Heavyweight Championship
- Pride World Heavyweight Championship
- Won Pride Grand Prix Tournament
- Won Rings Kings of Kings Tournament
- Won Rings World Class Tournament
Judo
- 7th place in Dutch Grand Prix (2000)
- 3rd place in Sofia Liberation A-Team (1999)
- 3rd place in Moscow International Tournament (1999)
- 3rd place in Russian National Championships (1998)
- Won Russian National Championships (1997)
Sambo
- Won over 12 Sambo competitions from 1997 to recently
Honorary Titles and Appellations
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter 2005 Shootfighter of the Year
- Sherdog.com 2005 #1 Pound-for-Pound Fighter in the World
- Sherdog.com 2005-2008 #1 Heavyweight in the World
- Yahoo! Sports #1 MMA Fighter (July—November 2007)
- Inside MMA #1 MMA Fighter of All-Time
