F. Emelianenko (pictured) remained undefeated as a professional for a decade. Photo: Disclosure
The announcement that Fedor Emelianenko will face Fábio Maldonado in a fight in Russia did not go down well in the MMA community. Russian fighter Alexey Oleinik, now a member of the UFC, was dissatisfied with the duel, which will pit the greatest heavyweight in history against an athlete from the lower category.
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In an interview with the website “Sports-Express”, Oleinik stated that Maldonado, recently fired from the UFC after going through a negative phase, does not have enough name to challenge Fedor. “This is the first time I have heard of Maldonado’s name. He is an unknown. Then I heard that he suffered three defeats in his last four fights. He was fired from the UFC for being out of shape”, he criticized.
Oleinik did not spare even his compatriot. For him, the Russian's choice for the Japanese organization Rizin instead of the UFC has reasons other than the financial aspect. “Emelianenko said he was ready for any opponent, including the UFC champion, Fabricio Werdum. He said he was open to any suggestions but was not satisfied with the terms. I talked to UFC bosses and they said that Fedor received an excellent offer. Any money Rizin offered, the UFC was willing to match for US$100,” he revealed.
The fight between Fedor and Maldonado should take place on June 17th, in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The duel will be the main attraction of the Fight Nights event.
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