The return of Fedor Emelianenko is upon us. “The Last Emperor” appeared during the Bellator 142: Dynamite broadcast and the announcement was made that he will step into competition for the first time in over three years when he reunites with the leaders of PRIDE FC for a New Year’s Eve event. Emelianenko has long been considered one of the greatest fighters to ever compete in this sport. However, there are both pros and cons to this major development.
Fedor doesn’t need any type of introduction to mixed martial arts fans. A professional since 2000, he dominated the sport in a way that very few other fighters could claim. During his run atop the heavyweight division, he crushed such opposition as Mark Hunt, Andrei Arlovski, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Tim Sylvia, and many others. Even though his time on top mostly occurred before he stepped into the North American MMA scene, his credentials speak volumes in a sport with a dearth of stars. This is why one might question his decision not to work with the UFC.
Bellator MMA is partnering with Nobuyuki Sakakibara, former president of PRIDE, to put on an event in Japan to ring in 2016. No opponent has been named at this point in time, but it is clear that he will fight in the main event. From a competition standpoint, heavyweight MMA has never been the greatest division within the sport. The UFC itself is having a hard time developing any heavyweights that can capture the fans’ attention. That means that it will be very difficult for this promotion to find a viable opponent for Emelianenko. However, this won’t stop people from tuning in. His name draws ratings numbers, page clicks, and interest at any moment.
It’s that exact attention-grabbing ability that makes one wonder why the UFC didn’t do all it could to sign him to a deal. Emelianenko adds immediate value to the promotion’s heavyweight division. Although Fabricio Werdum is slated to defend against Cain Velasquez at some point in early 2016, no one would fault the organization for scrapping that fight and creating a rematch between Werdum and Emelianenko instead. Looking down the UFC Top 15 rankings at heavyweight, it is difficult to find the name of a fighter that Emelianenko could not defeat, even at 38 years of age. Giving Fedor an immediate title shot might ruffle the feathers of some MMA purists, but there wouldn’t have been any other way to go if he had made the decision that fans really wanted.
At the same time, Emelianenko stood to benefit from signing with the UFC as well. If he performed on the biggest stage available in the sport, he would have an immediate impact and draw the greatest number of viewers to that event. Coupled with the Zuffa promotional machine behind him, Fedor’s mystique would grow to massive levels. This type of marketing would create opportunities outside of the sport that an athlete in his position would benefit from. Even though Emelianenko has long been the type of fighter that avoids the spotlight, it’s clear that his return to the sport would garner more attention if he had signed with the UFC instead of pursuing his current partnership.
Fans are undoubtedly excited to see Fedor Emelianenko return to the cage. In a little more than three short months, one of the all-time greats will compete for the first time in more than three years. As that date approaches, it will be interesting to learn why he made this choice, as opposed to signing with the UFC. The benefits were clearly there, but this is a very calculated move in an interesting time within this sport. From now until New Year’s Eve, a great many eyes will be focused on Fedor.
