Long before he entered the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, critics were dubious of Fedor Emelianenko's status as "the best heavyweight in the world". Following a loss to Fabricio Werdum, the majority of people believed that Fedor would simply walk through his first round opponent, Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva. Instead of a return to his familiar form, we got an emphatic thud as Fedor spent a round lying on his back taking shot after shot from a bigger, stronger opponent. After the doctor stopped the fight due to his eyelid shutting, Fedor essentially said the loss was again (like he did after his loss to Werdum) "God's Will"
After the debacle Saturday night, It has been reported by numerous MMA media outlets that the former Pride champ is contemplating retirement (the irony is that his fight with Silva received a record 1.1 million viewers for Strikeforce, who wanted to either see a) the redemption and return of Fedor to form or b) to see him lose, though nobody thought he'd be that outclassed). Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker and M-1 Global head Vladimir Finklestein were both quick to down play the comments, saying it was him getting caught up in emotion, though Finklestein was the first to say that the final decision would rest with "The Last Emperor"
So if he does indeed retire, what will his legacy be?
To find the answer, you have to look at the bigger picture here. Yes the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is the biggest organization in the sport of MMA and has been since their acquisition of Pride Fighting Championships in 2007...but to look at the big picture, you have to go back to those days of the aforementioned Pride.
At the time when Fedor was dominant in Pride, the top 3 heavyweights (arguably) were Randy Couture, Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski, holding a combined 5 title reigns and 12-7 record in title fights (of course this was during the UFC 'dark ages' where sanctioning was difficult) from the years 2001-2007. In contrast, the top 3 fighters in the Pride organization at that time were (arguably) Mirko "Cro Cop" Flipovic, former UFC heavyweight champion Antonio "Minotauro" Rogerio Noguiera, and Fedor. Those 3 combined for 3 title reigns (2 for Noguiera, one for Fedor) with a combined record of 18-3 in title fights (12 of those were defenses by Fedor). In terms of heavyweight divisions, Pride was much better (title contenders in the UFC's heavyweight division featured Wesley "Cabbage" Corerria, plus the UFC's best heavyweights like Josh Barnett and Mark Coleman were lured away to Pride because there was no sanctioning and heftier salaries).
So in the years 2001-2007, there was no heavyweight better than Fedor Emelianenko.
Then M-1 entered the picture.
In M-1, the head of the organization, Vladimir Finklestein, was able to secure a deal to promote with Affliction clothing subsidary "Affliction Entertainment" and Billionaire real estate holder Donald Trump, who founded the World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts (WAMMA) and were able to lure fighers like Sylvia and Arlovski away from the UFC with promises that Pride had similarly made (heftier salaries). Fedor was able to handle them both; the fight that most people wanted however, was Fedor vs Randy Couture. Sadly, that would never happen.
In the meantime, after UFC bought Pride, Dana White was able to sign former WWE superstar Brock Lesnar, acquire former Pride mainstays Noguiera and Cro Cop, and assemble a crop of fine talent (Frank Mir, who had come back from a car wreck, Shane Carwin, Junior Dos Santos and the current UFC heavyweight champ, Cain Velasquez).
So when the opportunity came to sign with the UFC, M-1 spurned them and signed with their biggest rival, Strikeforce. Many fans wondered why. Finklestein said it had to do with "difficult negotiations", but UFC president Dana White bluntly had said "no" to co promotion. Finklestein didn't think the deal was for him, and promptly left.
That was the beginning of the end. Unfortunately, as his fight with Brett Rogers was won, Fedor's deficiencies in that fight can no longer be ignored (his submission attempts were sloppy, his KO was more like a EA Sports Haymaker) and while the legions of Fedor fans were jubulant in his victory, the rust was starting to show. Then came the debacles against Werdum, and Bigfoot Silva.
Sadly, the problem is that most people will remember those 2 defeats more than they'll ever remember Fedor's 32 victories. If he indeed does decide to retire, it will be more disheartening than anything else. I'm sure that Fedor doesn't have the heart to fight through adversity; His complacency in being "the best" makes the scenario of defeat more difficult for him. The fact is that he looked old, and clearly outclassed by a big man with some skill. His legacy will be one that all MMA practicioners should strive to achieve, as 28 consecutive wins is no easy task and the majority of fighters he fought were bigger than him in sheer size (at 6'0" and 230, he was an undersized heavyweight). But his 2 defeats should remind that anything could happen in this sport, and that nobody can stay at the top forever.
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