Vadim Nemkov plans to vacate his light heavyweight title and move up to the heavyweight division now that Fedor Emelianenko has officially retired from Bellator.
The 31-year-old first claimed Bellator’s light heavyweight title when he knocked out Ryan Bader in 2020, and since then he’s successfully defended his belt four times. His third title defense against Corey Anderson at Bellator 277 did end in a No Contest due to an accidental clash of heads, but their rematch later that year saw the Russian secure a unanimous decision victory.
Speaking to MMA Junkie this week through an interpreter, Nemkov revealed that he’s struggled to make light heavyweight over his last few fights and intends to move up a division.
“I spoke to Fedor when everything was happening the last couple of fights. We decided I’m moving up to heavyweight,” Nemkov said. “I’m getting older and every fight is getting harder for me to cut weight.”
Vadim Nemkov Intends To Vacate Bellator’s Light Heavyweight Title
Bader previously held Bellator’s heavyweight and light heavyweight titles before being knocked out by the Russian in 2020, but considering everything he’s already accomplished in his current weight class Nemkov plans to focus exclusively on competing at heavyweight.
“It’s a new challenge for me. I’ve done everything I can at light heavyweight. Now, it’s a new challenge to go up in weight and get another title. At 205, I don’t see anything new for me. It’s going to be rematches with the fighters I already fought. I’d keep going back to the fighters I already met…Probably, I will vacate (the title). Yeah, I will vacate the belt and move to the heavyweight division.”
Nemkov could find himself immediately slotted into a heavyweight title fight thanks to his dominance in Bellator’s light heavyweight division, but he’ll have to wait until after Bader defends his belt against Linton Vassell as part of the recently announced Bellator 300 card in October.
“Darth” is coming off a first-round knockout over Emelianenko at Bellator 290, and although “The Last Emperor” has indicated that was the final bout of his MMA career, he recently suggested that he’d like to try his hand at boxing and take on Mike Tyson.
I wish we could see him in the UFC. His gas tank is great now and now he looks unbeatable.
He would rape Jiri in a rematch
Jiri would make him quit again. He broke Vadim.
Dude is barely 6 feet tall. He will do good at HW, but only because the HW division sucks in Bellator.