FedorĀ EmelianenkoĀ is returning toĀ MMA, and his first order of business is to defeat the man who knocked him from his throne five years ago.
The former Pride heavyweight championās decade-long undefeated run was a phenomenon unlike anything else in MMA history. I can remember gathering around the television with family and friends to watchĀ EmelianenkoĀ make the long trek to the Pride ring.
There was always a mystical aura surrounding him. In the ring, he was the Russian nightmare. He was judge, jury and executioner.
But that all ended at a Strikeforce event on June 26, 2010.
EmelianenkoĀ stepped into the cage withĀ Fabricio Werdum, a heavyweight contender at the time. Back then, the Brazilian submission specialistĀ didn't possess the well-rounded skills he has now.
Coming into the fight, it was obviousĀ Emelianenkoās best chance for victory was to keep the fight standing. But years of competing against some of the bestĀ grapplersĀ in the world can create recklessness. After dropping Werdum with a flurry of strikes,Ā EmelianenkoĀ pounced on his opponent without any regard for submissions, desperately looking to end the fight.
And then the unthinkable happened. Werdum isolated an arm and transitioned into a triangleĀ armbar, which initiated the tap in the first round.Ā EmelianenkoĀ went on to lose his next two fights in Strikeforce before finishing his career with three wins in M-1.
But the retirementĀ wouldnāt last.