F. Emelianenko (pictured) remained undefeated as a professional for a decade. Photo: Disclosure
Last week, Fedor Emelianenko, considered one of the greatest fighters in the history of MMA, had great difficulty defeating Fabio Maldonado, an athlete in the lower category who was recently fired from the UFC due to lack of results. For many, the course of the fight showed that Fedor would hardly be in a position to face the top heavyweights in Ultimate, but the organization's president, Dana White, was still open to signing him.
See too
In the main fight of the Fight Nights 50 event, in Saint Petersburg, Russia, Emelianenko fought a tough battle with Maldonado. In the first round, the Brazilian came very close to getting the knockout, and in the following two rounds, the actions featured good moments on both sides. In the judges' decision, Fedor won, which generated several protests.
A luta de Fedor foi transmitida ao vivo para os Estados Unidos pela plataforma online UFC Fight Pass. Diante de seus resultados de audiência, White exaltou a popularidade do russo. “Vamos ver. Nós estamos negociando [com ele] por muitos, muitos, muitos anos. Mas vou te dizer: a luta dele no Fight Pass repercutiu muito. As pessoas ainda querem ver o Fedor”, disse, em conversa com o podcast “UFC Unfiltered”.
However, even without confirming or denying the chances of signing him, White highlighted the great resistance presented by the Russian. “They [the judges] would let him die before stopping that fight. But it was a testament to how tough and mentally strong Fedor is. He was knocked out, he was knocked out. When he got up, his legs were wobbly, but even so he continued receiving bombs from Maldonado and resisted until the end. Fedor has a chin and is a tough guy,” he praised.
Comments