By Paul Sims
http://www.octaringsports.blogspot.com
Ten years back right after his first defeat, Fedor Emelianenko, many considered the Greatest MMA fighter of all Time, drastically conquered and besieged the sport with his compelling feature every facet of his game. Minus the lateral movement, the last Emperor possessed how it takes to be a legend.
Ten years back, the last emperor was unstoppable of relinquishing all top contenders in the Heavyweight division Pride circa days; that there were no men I could ever mull over standing toe to toe against him other than Nogueira, that you may find absurd as he (Nogueira) was even being defeated in a dominating fashion. Same year of their second fight, Fedor was on the verge of losing a probable KO against the immense Randleman through a dangerous head first superflex or superslam, yet later on manage to escape with a kimura submission.
2005 while everyone admiring the gifted skills of the Legend Cro cop, Fedor was overpowering him as if you witness a kid that was being thrown by his huge Brother every corner of the room. The fatal Mirko head kick was entirely useless in the event.
You might have been wondering the size disparity or something. Well how about a 7 foot monster Hong Man Choi that only required a round of his Fedor experience before fallen into an armbar trap. How about the guy who owned a Boxing pure skill Arlovski, which despite the quickness advantage on the tip of their exchanges, got knocked on the canvass out cold. Or the gigantic primed Rogers whom managed to dominate Fedor on the ground that his face was inundated with blood, still conceded because of the feared Fedor’s haymaker.
Those when I thought of him being indestructible, a machine, or even the God of MMA until...
2010 when Fabricio Werdum, a BJJ specialist that was just defeated by two top notches Heavyweight mammoths Dos Santos and Overeem easily; broken and tear hearts all Fedor fan apart. It was a well intended plan tactic that lured the last emperor to fall into the hands of the mischievous Jiu Jitsu expert that eventually easily tangled him tight into the triangle choke. Post fight he was quoted of saying “The one who doesn't fall never stands up”.
That defeat was not that convincing one for me and I even consider it as a fluke just like his first L or yet with no different with Brock’s first one with Mir.
Strikeforce had bigger plans for him, instead of pitting him against Werdum for the rematch, they slated a fight against a once thought stationary tall guy Bigfoot Silva. When the fight commenced, both had their moments as they stood each other exchanging blows. However, when the bigger guy took advantage with his size being able to drop Fedor on the ground and controlled the ground game by executing the side control smoothly before sitting on a full mount control, everyone started to realize how ruthless we were when we underestimated the power of a 7 footer draped with his black JJ belt.
Fedor wasn’t being KOed albeit being badly beaten and if it wasn’t for the doctor stoppage, truly he could still be able to bounce back.
Apparently, as the turnout for those consecutive fights, the management thought of him fighting in the lower class. Hence, it was decided to give another legendary but risky fighter named Dan Henderson. Same built size, striking power, and ground game with only one exception. Fedor used to fight Heavyweight fighters with the likes of the towering Silva, Choi, Nogueria and a potential bout with Overeem, while Hendo fights a fighter with a capacity limited into Light Heavyweight. Accordingly, it made Hendo into a huge underdog. But that was only the perception of the fans that frequently drop disbelief into the revelation of the game.
For the third time around, Fedor Emelianenko had gone crushed and this time it was in a KO surprised. It wasn’t me if the turnout could be accepted abruptly without scrutinizing the details first. Initially, the stoppage seemed to be overly premature and watching both replays after the fight made me much firm in my supposition.
Herb Dean, the most active MMA referee now days deserves all the respect more than any middleman inside the octagon made me think twice of believing that call was an untimely one. Thus, for the tenth rerun made my opinion on the contrary. It was a clear shot that made Fedor lost his consciousness for a bit which made Herb stopping the fight, but Fedor started to turn a sudden twist when the fight was called a halt. That made it so confusing, but then it was so clear that the retrained occurred when he was lost with the haymaker.
This time there were no excuses and no alibis but acceptance. Fedor’s days are over and he was being drop by a guy that will turn 41 few months more. I accept the defeat more than acknowledging his fighting skill declination, although his action speaks clearer than my words.
Nonetheless, there will be no one that could ever persuade me of replacing him as the greatest badass fighter that ever strike, submit and choke inside the MMA den.
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