Tag: Fedor Emelianenko

Scott Coker thinks big for Fedor Emelianenko’s final fights

At this point, Scott Coker believes it’s best to wait for the pandemic to end before Fedor Emelianenko returns, rather than have him fight in a bubble.

There’s been a notable omission from Bellator’s lineups since the company got back up and running: [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag].

The legendary former longtime PRIDE heavyweight champion turned 44 in September. Before the worldwide coronavirus pandemic hit, Bellator president Scott Coker had talked about a “farewell tour” for Emelianenko, who has two fights left on his contract, before he calls it a day.

And while the company has successfully resumed operations in a bubble environment, we have yet to see the return of “The Last Emperor,” in part, because this isn’t how Coker wants to see the legendary fighter go out.

“I really wanted Fedor to fight his retirement fight not in front of just he officials and have the staff and be on a closed environment in a bubble,” Coker recently told MMA Junkie. “I really want Fedor to finish his career in front of 30,000 people in Moscow, to be honest, Bellator MMA’s first fight in Russia. Do a fight in Moscow. For him, the prodigal son has returned, Fedor is the greatest fighter of all-time and he’s now coming home to retire and put his gloves up and hang it up to retire.”

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Vaccines are coming online around much of the developed world, lending hope the pandemic will soon be behind us and life will resume back at something resembling normalcy. So at this point, Coker believes it’s best to hold off and give Fedor the type of sendoff he deserves — preferably at home in Russia for the company’s debut event in the nation.

“I’m hoping that the vaccine will start fixing the situation and we can start bringing in crowds,” Coker said. “But to me, I feel we’ve waited so long for Fedor to fight hoping that the pandemic would thin out and now that it’s getting close and I can see light at the end of the tunnel for the pandemic to go away, I really want to wait and to do these fights in a proper stadium, especially the one we do in Moscow. I want to do something very big for him, beause, to me it’s like he’s the king, and the king is returning from the battlefield.”

Such a show would be not just a farewell to Emelianenko, but a showcase for the Russian talent Bellator has amassed.

Not only would he fight, but all the guys that we have, like (light heavyweight champion Vadim) Nemkov and like (Anatoly) Tokov and all those great fighters from Moscow that are fighting for Bellator, they will also fight on the card and we’ll do maybe a Russia vs. the world match there and you’ll see some fighters from Europe. We’ll have a great event. 

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MMA Junkie Radio #3096 with guest Cynthia Calvillo, plus Conor-Poirier, more (noon ET)

Check out the latest edition of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze.”

Thursday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here and will be live on SportsCastr beginning at noon ET (9 a.m. PT).

On Episode 3,096, [autotag]Cynthia Calvillo[/autotag], who is preparing for her upcoming fight with Lauren Murphy, is the special guest. The guys also talk a pair of huge potential rematches: [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] and [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag]. Also, [autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag] is on the docket.

Stream or download this and all episodes of MMA Junkie Radio over at OmnyStudio. You can also catch it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and more. A new episode of the podcast is released every Monday and Thursday.

Brock Lesnar vs. Fedor Emelianenko? Consider Bellator’s Scott Coker interested

Could the superfight which never happened between Fedor Emelianenko and Brock Lesnar finally go down? If it’s up to Scott Coker, it will.

It’s the fight an entire generation of MMA considers The One That Got Away: [autotag]Brock Lesnar[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag].

Right around the time Lesnar (5-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) was both the UFC heavyweight champion and MMA’s biggest draw, Emelianenko (39-6 MMA, 3-2 BMMA), the longtime PRIDE heavyweight titleholder, was turning his attention to fighting in North America.

And the potential bout between the two was considered in many corners the ultimate heavyweight superfight, one which could potentially move the UFC out of their arena comfort zone and into a stadium.

Alas, it never happened, as the UFC and Emelianenko didn’t come to terms. Emelianenko went on to fight in the United States for Affliction and then Strikeforce before retiring, then returning with Bellator. Lesnar had his run in the UFC, then went back to the WWE, where he’s remained a big star.

And the fight fans from MMA’s ’00s heyday wanted never came to fruition … or will it?

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Word broke Monday that Lesnar is now a free agent, his WWE contract up. That could potentially mean he’d take another MMA fight if the price was right. Emelianenko remains under contract to Bellator. And a promoter who has shown no hesitation to matchup MMA’s senior set when the fight is right is Bellator president Scott Coker.

Which makes his comments to ESPN’s Ariel Helwani about the two 43-year-olds rather interesting:

Asked Bellator President Scott Coker if he has interest in Brock Lesnar, and he replied: “Yes, if he’s truly available. Fedor vs. Brock is interesting. It’s the fight that never happened!”

There are plenty of obstacles in the way of such a fight, including the basic fact Lesnar has not indicated an interest in returning to MMA. But a fight many gave up on years ago now at least has a glimmer of a chance.

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Fedor Emelianenko announces the passing of longtime coach and mentor Vladimir Voronov

Fedor Emelianenko has revealed the news of the death of his longtime coach, Vladimir Voronov.

Russian heavyweight icon [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag] faces the prospect of completing his MMA journey without the company of the man who guided him through his career.

Emelianenko (39-6 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) revealed via social media that his longtime coach Vladimir Voronov has passed away aged 55.

With Voronov by his side, “The Last Emperor” developed into the most feared heavyweight in MMA as Emelianenko embarked on a near-decade-long undefeated run that ran from December 2000 to June 2010 and spanned his remarkable tenure with Japanese promotion PRIDE FC.

View this post on Instagram

Умер мой тренер Владимир Михайлович Воронов. ⠀ С самого детства Владимир Михайлович был частью семьи, требовательным наставником. Он всегда был рядом в тяжёлые и счастливые моменты моей жизни. ⠀ Владимир Михайлович был не только тренером, но и отцом для многих спортсменов. Он вырастил чемпионов, сильных духом, верил в молодых ребят и помогал найти им свою дорогу в жизни. ⠀ Прошу ваших молитв о новопреставленном Владимире. Мои самые искренние соболезнования родным и близким Владимира Михайловича.

A post shared by Федор Емельяненко (@fedoremelianenkoofficial) on

Posting to Instagram, Emelianenko said (via translation), “My coach Vladimir Mikhailovich Voronov has died. From childhood, Vladimir Mikhailovich was part of the family, a demanding mentor. He was always there in difficult and happy moments of my life.

“Vladimir Mikhailovich was not only a coach, but also a father to many athletes. He raised champions, strong in spirit, believed in young guys and helped them find their way in life. I ask for your prayers for the newly departed Vladimir. My most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Vladimir Mikhailovich.”

Emelianenko recently held talks with Bellator president Scott Coker about the final fights of his career, but now it remains to be seen whether the loss of his coach will motivate him to continue in Voronov’s honor, or bring the curtain down on his career earlier than anticipated.

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Scott Coker optimistic he can give Fedor Emelianenko a fitting career send-off: ‘We’ll do it right’

Bellator president Scott Coker revealed discussions are ongoing regarding how to book Russian heavyweight icon Fedor Emelianenko’s final career bouts.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Bellator president Scott Coker has successfully brought Bellator back on stream after the COVID-19 shutdown, and now his attention is turning to getting his big stars booked in big fights.

One such fighter is Russian heavyweight icon [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag], whose “retirement tour” was put on hold when the coronavirus pandemic caused the global shutdown of international travel and sporting events as the world battled to control the spread of the virus.

Now that things are starting to open up and travel restrictions are beginning to ease, Coker and Emelianenko (39-6 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) are in active discussions over how, and when, to book “The Last Emperor’s” final fights.

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Coker had previously revealed to MMA Junkie that he would sit down with Emelianenko during fight week ahead of Bellator 244 and, circling back to the topic during the post-fight press conference, he told reporters, including MMA Junkie, that discussions are going well between the two parties.

“It went great,” he explained. “He understands that we’re going to probably fight toward the end of this year, beginning of next year. He would like to fight in front of a crowd, to be honest. So we’re going to see how things go with the COVID situation.

“The plan was always not to fight him here in the United States, to be honest. Although he did say he’d love Chicago, and then New York and then L.A. But he said he would like to fight in Europe and he would like to fight in his hometown, so we’re exploring all the options.

“As you guys know, it’s a difficult situation to travel right now, but I think in time we’ll be able to put it together, and we’ll do it right.”

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Fabricio Werdum eyes Fedor Emelianenko rematch, ONE FC title fight with ‘scared’ Brandon Vera

As Fabricio Werdum navigates the free agent market, the former UFC heavyweight champion has a few targets in mind.

As [autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag] navigates the free agent market, the former UFC heavyweight champion has a few targets in mind.

Werdum (24-9-1) said he’s open to hearing all offers but sees a few primary options on the table: Either a move to Bellator for a rematch with Russian legend [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag] (39-6), or perhaps a switch to ONE FC and a showdown with current heavyweight champ [autotag]Brandon Vera[/autotag] (16-8). Werdum said he’s just waiting on his manager, Ali Abdelaziz to let him know which route they will take.

“Next step in my career, I want to make like superfights,” Werdum told MMA Junkie. “Maybe a Fedor fight. Maybe I go to ONE FC. I have a lot of options. Bellator. Ali talked with the guys, the organizations, and I’m just waiting because, you know, I’m young. My mind is young. This is very important. I’m 43 years old, but I’m not feeling that. I just want to fight again and again and again.

“It’s so hard when I say, ‘stop fighting.’ Everybody says that. I’m going to stop. I’m going to retire. But it’s so hard for us to stop the fight because this is my life. I love fighting. For sure, the money is very important, too – the money for sure, 100 percent. But now I just fight because I like this. This is my life. I want to fight again. I’m ready.”

Werdum, of course, defeated Emelianenko in a historic 2010 clash, ending the former PRIDE champion’s incredible 10-year unbeaten run. Werdum likes the idea of revisiting the contest while Emelianenko is on his “farewell tour” into retirement.

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“The history is very important, too,” Werdum said. “Fedor, I think everybody wants to see this fight. Maybe Russia, maybe USA, I don’t know, but I think this is a good deal for the organization, and I respect him a lot.

“I respect Fedor. I never said nothing about him. Zero. Nothing. For sure, I saw two days ago, he said something about the rematch, and I love this. Maybe. Why not the rematch? I don’t know if he’ll retire after that, but I’ll keep going for sure like two years more.”

Werdum said he considers current Bellator boss Scott Coker a “good friend” and would enjoy working with him again. However, the idea of potentially going to ONE FC and challenging for a belt is appealing, as well, Werdum said – and there is history there, as well, with “Vai Cavalo” defeating Vera in a 2008 bout under the UFC banner.

“Brandon Vera is my son, man,” Werdum said. “I beat him. He is my son. He is scared, for sure. When I go to ONE FC, I’ll take his belt. Maybe not even fight – just give me the belt, please.

“I love belts. This is a beautiful belt. I’m just waiting for Ali to say something, but I’m ready.”

Werdum, 43, says wherever he ends up, he’d like it to be for the remainder of his career, which he thinks will be about two years. But during that stretch, he wants to fight frequently.

And though he saw action just one month ago, Werdum said he’s anxious to get back into the cage before the end of the year.

“Just sign, and October, November, I’m ready,” Werdum said. “I just fought one month ago. Monday I start again training, and I keep going. That’s it. I want to keep fighting.”

To hear more from Werdum, check out the video above.

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Fedor Emelianenko interested in Fabricio Werdum rematch; Scott Coker to ‘go make it happen’

Fedor Emelianenko gives an update of his fighting future in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Although some international fighters are struggling to get travel clearance into the United States, [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag] is on the ground at Mohegan Sun Arena this week.

Emelianenko (39-6 MMA, 3-2 BMMA), the legendary former PRIDE heavyweight champion, made the trip from Russia to the United States to corner his teammates competing at Bellator 244, including headliner Vadim Nemkov, who challenges Ryan Bader for light heavyweight gold.

Throughout the pandemic, Emelianenko has been training, he told MMA Junkie after Thursday’s ceremonial weigh-ins.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Emelianenko said. “Everything is fine. I’ve never stopped training. I’m constantly training, waiting for the next fight.”

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bellator and president Scott Coker had begun planning a “retirement tour” for the 43-year-old, with potential stops in the United States, Russia, and Japan. However, like many other of the promotion’s plans, the unforeseen outbreak threw a wrench into the plan.

It might not be exactly the retirement tour that was imagined before the pandemic, but Emelianenko is up against the clock and is weighing his options. Emelianenko indicated he’s potentially open to fighting now, even in the midst of the pandemic – and even if there are no fans in the arena.

“I don’t necessarily feel a sense of urgency (to compete), but I also don’t want to wait too long either,” Emelianenko said. “If there are no people in the audience then the TV audience is that much larger. It doesn’t take away from the fight. Eyeballs are still watching.”

On Thursday, Emelianenko and Coker will sit down in Connecticut to discuss business.

“I have a meeting with Scott to discuss what the future holds as far as fighting,” Emelianenko said. “Obviously, (the pandemic) is unfortunate. Tomorrow, there will be a fight without fans, but these are the times we’re living in.”

As for potential opponents, Emelianenko expressed interest in free agent [autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag]. Only six men have defeated Emelianenko – and Werdum (24-9-1) is one of them.

After his most recent UFC fight that finished off his promotional contract, Werdum voiced his desire to rematch Emelianenko after his shocking upset of “The Last Emperor” under the now-defunct Strikeforce banner in June 2010.

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Emelianenko expressed a mutual interest in running that fight back.

“For myself, yes, I would like to fight him,” Emelianenko said. “Whether that’s a fight fans are interested in seeing or Bellator is interested in putting on, I don’t know that.”

After Emelianenko spoke to MMA Junkie, Coker also contributed his thoughts on the situation in a separate interview. He said the retirement tour is still going to happen. It’s just a matter of where or when. The promotion has looked at the United States, Europe, Moscow, and co-promotion with RIZIN in Japan.

“(The plans) haven’t changed,” Coker said. “It’s just now we have a little beat now because of the COVID situation. We’re going to see how it goes because Europe has started to open up where you can actually have some fans. The numbers are way down and they kind of have it under control a little bit better than we do.

“… But listen, Fedor has to fight in front of fans. I think that’s why you don’t see a lot of the MMA stars fighting now because they need the fans there to support it. Fedor is the same way. He’s the greatest heavyweight of all time. For me, it would be a shame for him to fight in an arena where there’s nobody there to watch his last few fights. We’re going to play it by ear. This is actually the first time I’ve seen Fedor.”

As for a matchup with Werdum, Coker said it’s really up to Emelianenko. If Emelianenko really wants the fight, the Bellator president said he’ll do his part to help make it happen. A decade ago, Werdum and Coker worked together during their respective stints in Strikeforce.

“I love Fabricio and it’s something really that’s Fedor’s decision,” Coker said. “One of the things I’m going to talk to Fedor tonight is, ‘Is this an important fight for you?’ Whatever he says, then we’ll go make it happen. If it’s an important fight to him, then we’ll probably put it together. If not, it doesn’t mean we won’t still pursue Fabricio.

“The fight with him and Fedor would be something that if it was an important revenge-type scenario for Fedor in his mind, and something that still eats at him every day, then it would be something we’d be interested in.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT_mLfR21lc