Tag: Fedor Emelianenko

Fedor Emelianenko explains why Tim Johnson was ‘the obvious choice’ for Bellator 269 return

According to Bellator president Scott Coker, Fedor Emelianenko chose Tim Johnson – but why?

A lot was made about who [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag] would fight for the first leg of his retirement tour – and when [autotag]Tim Johnson[/autotag]’s name surfaced as the chosen one to face “The Last Emperor” at Bellator 269, many people were surprised.

According to Bellator president Scott Coker, he left the matchmaking to the heavyweight legend Emelianenko (39-6 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) and said Johnson (15-7 MMA, 3-3 BMMA) was the name the Russian chose to face on home soil.

Why? Emelianenko explained for the first time on Tuesday.

“Tim Johnson had quite a winning streak going on,” Emelianenko told MMA Junkie at a virtual news conference. “That obviously shows he’s quite a good fighter. Fighting someone who is spearheading the (division) is always a great opportunity.”

As for the more frequently anticipated matchup ideas that circulated among fans online, names like former UFC heavyweight champion and current free agent Junior Dos Santos, Emelianenko explained why he went in a different direction.

“Aside from Tim Johnson, Dos Santos, for example, had a serious streak of losses alongside,” Emelianenko said. “He was also fighting for the UFC, as well. That is why I don’t think it would’ve been much suitable to fight him compared to Tim Johnson. Not to mention the fact that Bellator came up with a bunch of options and Tim was the obvious choice.”

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While Emelianenko didn’t provide insight into his future opponent, he indicated the result of the bout vs. Johnson will not draw him away from his current plan of one additional pro mixed martial arts contest.

“Sport is sport and the results of this fight will not change my opinion,” Emelianenko said. “They will not influence my opinion in any way because sport is sport and my life plans are my life plans, which I will not change.”

Emelianenko, 45, has not competed since December 2019 when he defeated Quinton “Rampage” Jackson by first-round TKO. In his most recent four fights, Emelianenko is 3-1 with three first-round knockouts.

Bellator 269 takes place Saturday at VTB Arena. The main card airs on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.

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Spinning Back Clique: World’s best light heavyweights, Fedor’s GOAT status, Jon Jones, more

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week, we look at the best light heavyweights in the world, the return of Fedor Emelianenko, Jon Jones’ ban from his longtime gym, Aspen Ladd’s coach’s tactics and the UFC Fight Night 196 main event.

Our “Spinning Back Clique” panel of “Gorgeous” George Garcia, Nolan King and Danny Segura discuss these topics along with host John Morgan.

  • [autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] picked up a big knockout of former champion Ryan Bader to move into the light heavyweight tournament final for a shot at Bellator champ [autotag]Vadim Nemkov[/autotag]. He also proclaimed himself the best 205-pounder in the world – which UFC champ [autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag] took issue with. But are Bellator’s light heavyweights better than the UFC’s?
  • [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag] returns Saturday at Bellator 269 to take on Tim Johnson in Moscow in his home country of Russia. Fedor long was considered the best heavyweight of all time, but that GOAT status has come into question in recent years. So is he the best heavyweight in MMA history?
  • Former UFC light heavyweight champion [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag], considered arguably the greatest fighter of all time, has been banned from training at his longtime JacksonWink MMA gym in Albuquerque, N.M., in the wake of his latest arrest – this time on domestic violence-related charges. Our panel reacts to that news.
  • [autotag]Aspen Ladd[/autotag] returned for the first time in nearly two years, but never could get rolling against Norma Dumont in a unanimous decision loss in the UFC Fight Night 195 headliner. Before the fourth and fifth rounds, her coach was particularly harsh with her verbally, and it drew a lot of criticism in the MMA world. Did he go too far?
  • [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag] takes on [autotag]Marvin Vettori[/autotag] in the UFC Fight Night 196 main event Saturday. Does the winner have a fast track for a title shot against middleweight champ Israel Adesanya?

“Spinning Back Clique” is released each Tuesday on MMA Junkie’s YouTube channel. You can watch the full episode in the video above.

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Scott Coker: Fedor Emelianenko chose Tim Johnson, wanted top-ranked opponent over ‘legend’ fight

The decision for the matchup was specifically made by “The Last Emperor” himself, according to the Bellator president.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – When [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Tim Johnson[/autotag] was announced, the news of the booking was met with a harsh reception.

According to Bellator president Scott Coker, the Oct. 23 main event booked for Moscow, was paired at the choosing of Emelianenko (39-6 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) himself. Free agents ranging from Junior Dos Santos, Tito Ortiz, to Jake Hager were on the table, but Emelianenko wasn’t interested in a fight booked on name recognition alone.

Emelianenko wanted someone at the top of the Bellator rankings – and Johnson’s name was on the tip of his tongue. In June, Johnson (15-7 MMA, 3-3 BMMA) lost a decision to Emelianenko’s underling Valentin Moldavsky – a fight Emelianenko coached his fighter in.

“We started taking these names and Fedor was really thinking about it,” Coker told MMA Junkie on Thursday. “When he came here for the Moldavsky fight, he said to me, ‘If Moldavsky loses, I want to fight Tim Johnson.’ In his mind, I think he already had a focus on somebody that’s ranked – somebody that’s relevant in today’s fighting. Maybe he could’ve got that shot against (Ryan) Bader in that sense, right? He wanted to fight Tim Johnson if he won, but he lost. I think in his mind, he had this fight in his mind.

“He went home and thought about it. We gave him all the names and it was really up to him. To me, he deserves to be able to choose who he wants to be able to fight in his last couple of fights. He’s going to retire after he fights this fight and then he’s got one more and he’s going to retire. To me, he’s the greatest heavyweight of all time. He’s accomplished so much (and) done so much for the sport.”

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While Johnson doesn’t have the all-time status of an Alistair Overeem or Josh Barnett, the Bellator president thinks he’s a very game opponent. With a win over Johnson, Emelianenko could slide himself into position to rematch heavyweight champion Ryan Bader, or whoever holds the title at that time.

“I give him a lot of credit,” Coker said. “Tim Johnson is no joke. He beat Cheick Kongo. He knocked out Tyrell Fortune. (He went) five round with (Valentin) Moldavsky, who is a tough, tough guy. Now, he’s got to go fight Fedor. Fedor didn’t pick the easiest opponent. He could’ve picked somebody much easier – guys that are on losing streaks – or had a legit fight.

“I would’ve loved it because you get to see names, but Fedor wants to fight somebody in that top (tier). I think he still wants to fight for the belt and fight Bader again. That’s really what his goal is. We haven’t had that conversation. I just said, ‘OK, you want to fight Tim Johnson? We’ll have you fight Tim Johnson.’ Then, we’ll take it from there.”

Emelianenko, 44, has not competed since a quick December 2019 win over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson via punches. He’s 3-1 in his most recent four outings, with the lone loss coming by a 35-second knockout against Bader.

Meanwhile, Johnson competed against Moldavsky for the interim heavyweight title at Bellator 261 in June. The defeat snapped a three-fight winning streak for the former UFC fighter.

Bellator Moscow will take place at VTB Arena. The main card airs on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.

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Tim Johnson defends spot as Fedor Emelianenko’s Bellator Moscow opponent: ‘He picked me’

Tim Johnson responded to criticism of him being Fedor Emelianenko’s opponent in his potential retirement bout at Bellator Moscow.

[autotag]Tim Johnson[/autotag] was as surprised as everyone else when he found out he would be [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag]’s opponent at Bellator Moscow.

Johnson (15-7 MMA, 3-3 BMMA), who is coming off an interim title-fight loss to Emelianenko’s (39-6 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) pupil Valentin Moldavsky at Bellator 261 in June, has seen the negative reaction to the announcement he will be fighting the legendary former PRIDE heavyweight champion on Oct. 23 in Russia, but wants everyone to realize he’s at not fault.

Although it was certainly a fight he was hoping to be considered for, Johnson didn’t think he would actually be the man sharing the cage with Emelianenko. He was pleased to get the news, but the MMA community wasn’t quite as happy, as backlash poured in online from fans and media.

The expectation was Emelianenko would face another legend of the fight game. A Fabricio Werdum rematch was discussed, as was pairings with the likes of Alistair Overeem, Josh Barnett or Junior Dos Santos. The fight ended up going to Johnson, and he wants to remind the world that it was Emelianenko who made the majority of the call alongside the Bellator brass.

“I honestly didn’t even think I was going to be in the neighborhood of getting it initially,” Johnson told MMA Junkie on Monday. “I heard the same names everyone else did. … Since the announcement there’s been a lot of people – it’s been not received with open arms, I guess you could say. Well, here it is: Fedor watched me fight for 25 minutes up close and personal (against Moldavsky), the same list everyone was talking about Fedor has in front of him. He had a say in the matchmaking.

“It’s either one of two routes: He picked me because he thinks he can knock me out right away. I don’t want to think that way. I think he picked me because Fedor’s a warrior. He has a warrior mentality. … I’ll bring the fight to him. He’s not going to get a guy who is going in there to just have a name to fight Fedor. He knows he’s going to have a fight.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNdEw_G93eA

Regardless of the outside noise, Johnson is grateful and excited to get the opportunity to fight Emelianenko, who many consider to be the greatest heavyweight in MMA history. He knows what this type of fight can mean to his career, and Johnson said he’s already battling himself mentally.

On one hand, Johnson hates the fact he could send Emelianenko into retirement on his home soil, and in potentially devastating fashion. On the other hand, he knows what this win could mean for his resume.

“It’s tough to wrap your head around,” Johnson said. “It’s almost a mental block of, ‘Man, should I go 100 percent? If I beat him everyone is going to be mad at me because they want him to go out with a W.’ But that’s a very quiet voice. I want to go slay the dragon and be known as the last guy to beat him.”

Johnson knows it would be foolish to bring anything but his best into the cage at Bellator Moscow. Even at 44, he said Emelianenko still packs the speed and power to turn it into a very bad night for him.

Because of that, Johnson said he needs to take this fight 100 percent serious, and he will do exactly that.

“This is a status fight,” Johnson said. “Fedor, it’s his last fight – or possible his last fight – I don’t know if it’s confirmed to be his last one. But to be attached to him on his last fight, or maybe his last fight, any heavyweight would take this. I don’t care who it is.

“He’s going to put every ounce of will and everything he has in in his power to win this fight. This is going to be Fedor of 10 years ago. Not Fedor of the last year or two years. He’s going to be retro Fedor. That’s the fight I’m preparing for.”

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Fedor Emelianenko sweepstakes over: Tim Johnson targeted as opponent for Bellator Moscow

“The Last Emperor” has an opponent for his October return.

The [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag] sweepstakes is over.

After weeks of speculation as to who will be one of the final career opponents for “The Last Emporer,” a frontrunner emerged. Bellator is finalizing a three-round main event for Emelianenko (39-6 MMA, 3-2 BMMA), which will see him battle former UFC fighter [autotag]Tim Johnson[/autotag] (15-7 MMA, 3-3 BMMA).

Bellator Moscow takes place Oct. 23 at VTB Arena in Moscow. The main card airs on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.

A person with knowledge of the situation informed MMA Junkie of the booking Thursday but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. TASS was first to report the fight.

Emelianenko, 44, has not competed since December 2019 when he defeated Quinton Jackson at Bellator 237 via first-round TKO. Although he’s competed just four times since 2017, Emelianenko is 3-1 over that stretch. Prior to a knockout loss to Ryan Bader, “The Last Emporer” advanced through two rounds of the Bellator heavyweight grand prix with finishes over Chael Sonnen and Frank Mir.

Since the June 25 announcement of his return, which was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous fighters took to social media and interviews to lobby for the matchup. Past opponents Fabricio Werdum and Matt Mitrione both threw their names in the hat, while Bellator heavyweights Josh Barnett and Jake Hager also expressed interested. Additionally, promotion president Scott Coker mentioned free agents Alistair Overeem and Junior Dos Santos as possibilities.

Ultimately, the promotion has zoned in on Johnson, who most recently competed at Bellator 261 in June when he was lost a close unanimous decision to Emelianenko underling Valentin Moldavsky in a five-round interim heavyweight title fight. The defeat snapped a three-fight winning streak for the 36-year-old American.

The Oct. 23 bout is expected to be the second-to-last fight of Emelianenko’s career, as he has two fights left on his Bellator contract. The final fight is expected to take place in the United States or Japan, though the situation is still fluid.

With the addition, the Bellator Moscow lineup includes:

  • Fedor Emelianenko vs. Tim Johnson
  • Tyrell Fortune vs. Vitaly Minakov
  • Usman Nurmagomedov vs. TBA

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Today in MMA history: Affliction hosts star-studded ‘Banned’ event

Take a look back at the inaugural event of Affliction hosted 13 years ago today.

Thirteen years ago today, one of the best heavyweight fight cards in MMA went down in the U.S., but it wasn’t part of the UFC.

Back on July 19, 2008, Affliction hosted its inaugural event – Affliction: Banned, which took place at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. This card featured a high-profile, heavyweight matchup in the main event with the legendary [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag] taking on former UFC champion [autotag]Tim Sylvia[/autotag]. Additionally,[autotag] Andrei Arlovski[/autotag] fought [autotag]Ben Rothwell[/autotag] and[autotag] Josh Barnett[/autotag] took on Pedro Rizzo.

The star-studded event even featured [autotag]Vitor Belfort[/autotag], [autotag]Antonio Rogerio Nogueira[/autotag], and [autotag]Gary Goodridge[/autotag] the preliminary card. That’s how stacked Affliction: Banned was.

And to counter-program the card, the UFC put its middleweight champion, Anderson Silva, to fight on a UFC Fight Night event after headlining five consecutive pay-per-view cards. Silva moved up a weight class to take on tough veteran James Irvin at UFC Fight Night 14, which aired on Spike TV.  That would be Silva’s only Fight Night performance in a decade, as he would fight again on a non-UFC pay-per-view in 2016 against Michael Bisping at UFC Fight Night 84.

Take a look back at the stacked Affliction: Banned in the video above.

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After Bellator 262 win, Diana Avsaragova sets sights on Fedor card in Moscow: ‘It would be an honor’

Diana Avsaragova entered Bellator 262 the same way she exited: undefeated.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – [autotag]Diana Avsaragova[/autotag] entered Bellator 262 the same way she exited: undefeated.

Though her three-round split decision victory Friday was over 14 minutes longer than the brutal knockout performance she put on in her promotional debut this past April, Avsaragova (4-0 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) viewed the win as a great educational experience for a young fighter.

“I really wanted to get some (in-cage experience) tonight,” Asvaragova told MMA Junkie at a post-fight news conference. ” I’m glad I went to three rounds. … Of course, everybody likes finishes. I need more in-cage time, as I said before. I do really need that experience.”

Though she was interested in talking about her performance, Avsaragova brought up the topic of her next fight on her own accord. The 22-year-old flyweight fighter made sure to call her shot of where and when she wants to fight next. Oct. 23 is circled on her calendar.

“To be honest, I don’t want to call anyone out,” Avsaragova said. “I don’t have any names on my mind but I do want to ask Bellator to give me a spot at the first Russian event that they’re going to in October. It would be such an honor for me to represent Russia back home. That’s what I’m going to ask for.”

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Atop Bellator’s debut card in Moscow is Russian legend and all-time mixed martial arts great [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag], who has two fights remaining on his promotional deal. Like many young Russian fighters, Avsaragova grew up inspired by “The Last Emperor.”

“As a kid, I watched all of his fights like every other Russian prospect MMA fighter,” Avsaragova said. “It would be a real honor for me to fight on the same card (as him).”

Bellator 262 took place Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena. The main card aired on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.

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Twitter Mailbag: Is UFC on ESPN 26 a do-or-die for Jeremy Stephens?

Is UFC on ESPN 26 do-or-die for Jeremy Stephens? MMA Junkie’s Nolan King answers that and more.

Questions on your mind about recent happenings in the UFC or sport of MMA in general? MMA Junkie’s Twitter Mailbag is here – and this week, @mma_kings answers:

  • What are the most underrated UFC on ESPN 26 and Bellator 262 matchups?
  • Is UFC on ESPN 26 a do-or-die situation for [autotag]Jeremy Stephens[/autotag]?
  • Could we see [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag] in a Bellator vs. PFL cross-promotion?

Watch the video above for answers to those questions.

To ask a question of your own, follow @MMAjunkie on Twitter and let us know.

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Fabricio Werdum wants Fedor Emelianenko rematch in Russia: ‘Fedor was never the GOAT’

Fabricio Werdum is pushing hard to win the Fedor Emelianenko sweepstakes.

[autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag] is pushing hard to win the [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag] sweepstakes.

Bellator recently announced Emelianenko (39-6 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) is set to compete in MMA for the first time since 2019 when he headlines the promotion’s debut in Russia on Oct. 23. An opponent has not been named, but company president Scott Coker said there are multiple candidates in the running.

Werdum (24-9-1), who beat Emelianenko in a stunning upset in 2010, wants to be that guy, and he made it known on social media. The Brazilian not only said he’d be happy to travel to Moscow, but he also took a shot at Emelianenko’s status as the greatest heavyweight of all-time (via Twitter):

IF fedor The 🐐 do you need revenge from me HEY I’m ready to go to Russia

Fedor was never the goat because I killed the 🐐 @ScottCoker let’s go

Werdum, 43, is not currently under Bellator contract. In fact, he’s signed with the PFL. But as MMA Junkie’s John Morgan recently reported, the organization would be willing to allow Werdum the opportunity to fight Emelianenko, if offered.

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The potential rematch would give Emelianenko the chance to redeem the first true loss of his career. After putting together a 28-fight unbeaten streak, Emelianenko suffered a 69-second submission loss to Werdum under the now-defunct Strikeforce banner.

A rematch between Emelianenko, who is coming off a first-round TKO of Quinton Jackson at Bellator 237 in December 2019, and Werdum has been discussed in the more than decade since the first fight, but the stars have never aligned.

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Video: Who should Fedor Emelianenko fight in his Bellator return?

Our “Spinning Back Clique” discusses who Fedor Emelianenko should face when he returns to action later this year.

[autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag] is set to make his return to the cage.

Bellator announced last weekend that the legendary heavyweight will compete for the first time in nearly two years. While the announcement included a date and location for the fight, an opponent has not yet been determined.

Should it be someone he’s already faced? Would he be interested in getting one back on the likes of Fabricio Werdum, Matt Mitrione, or Antonio Silva?

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“The Last Emperor” has a lot of intriguing options, but which is the best choice?

That’s where we come in. Our “Spinning Back Clique” panel of “Gorgeous” George Garcia, Nolan King, and Matthew Wells weigh in on potential opponents along with host John Morgan.

You can watch the discussion above or check out the full episode below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kAJueTK9ws

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