According to reports by MiddleEasy.com , Fedor Emelianenko will look to join Greco-Roman great Alexander Karelin in Russian politics.

According to a translated M-1 press release:

The regional political council of the party "United Russia" approved the list of candidates for internal party elections—the primaries. In the list of 58 candidates. No less than 10,000 United Russia vote will determine the best, and who will receive the first place in the party list in the upcoming October elections in the Belgorod Regional Duma.

The list of early voting have 24 newcomers who have never participated in elections to the legislature. One of the achievements was the inclusion in the list not only members of United Russia, but also simply to party supporters and even non-party candidates. This is for example the managing director Combine KMA Ruda Vladimir Tom and CEO JBK-1 Yuri Selivanov. They are not only members of the party, but also by working in obldume fourth convocation, not included in the United Russia Duma faction.

Among the most notable candidates, in addition to the deputies (Anatolia Zelikow, Victor Filatov, Vadim Cage, Valeria Skruga, Ivan Kulabuhova, Vladimir Kulikovsky)—a famous athlete, Fedor Emelianenko , the new director of Belarusian State Technological University Sergey Glagolev (by the way, non-partisan), director of the Institute of Public and municipal government BSU Alexander Mamatov.

The piece goes on to state Fedor will immanently announce his retirement from MMA, following the final two fights contracted with Strikeforce.

If this is true, then it's official folks, Fedor Emelienenko will never step into an Octagon. Fabricio Werdum and Alistair Overeem will be the final goes for "The Last Emperor" in his storied career.

Regardless of what you're about to flood the comment box with, lets keep in mind nobody has a more impressive list of victims, featuring names like: Renato Sobral, Ricardo Arona, Semmy Schilt, Heath Herring, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (x2), Mark Coleman (x2), Mirko Filipovic, Tim Sylvia, Andrei Arlovski, and Brett Rogers.

He was a flag-barer for the sport. A shining example of the type of talent that would populate the heavyweight division in the future.

Beyond his unappealing look and his high pitched voice was an absolute, stone-cold assassin with well-rounded skills in an age that couldn't fathom such a thing. He came from a Sambo background, which had never found significant success in the sport before him, and I feel will likely never produce a talent of his caliber again.

That's how I'll remember Fedor Emelienenko.

Recently, Robert Gardner ranked the top-50 fighters of all-time, and Fedor was head-and-shoulders above the rest. I couldn't agree more.

While the weak-minded will grasp for buzz words like, "fear," the truth is Fedor has racked up a lot of wear and a laundry list of hand injuries caused by his unorthodox, but highly effective, punching style.

He's made a lot of money, and wants to start a new phase in his life.

Perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself, however, he could change his mind, this could be just a rumor, or contract posturing. But, if these are the two last fights in his career—I will savor them.

I hope you do too.