The former Pride heavyweight champion announced his retirement three years ago after compiling 34 wins and only 4 losses during his decorated MMA career. The 38-year-old Russian, also known as the Last Emperor among fans, had fought the best of the best and is widely considered as the greatest fighter to ever compete in MMA.
After his retirement, Fedor became the president of the Russian MMA Union, working hard to promote MMA in Russia.
"Now I feel that it's time to get back into the ring," Fedor explained about his decision to return in his typical emotionless manner.
Fedor added that he maintained his physical form during his retirement.
"I managed to heal my old injuries. The last three years I kept my physical form, however it isn't enough yet to fight in the ring. That's why recently I started intensive training," Fedor said.
Emelianenko became popular during the mid-2000s, when he compiled the unprecedented winning streak of 27 wins, going undefeated for 10 years. Although Fedor was a relatively small heavyweight, he was notorious for his power, speed and technique. The Last Emperor also had the unique ability to transition his fights from his feet to the ground which gave him a big advantage over other MMA fighters.
