All-time heavyweight great Fedor Emelianenko wants to avenge his loss to Ryan Bader before hanging up his gloves.
That’s according to Bellator President Scott Coker, who told reporters Emelianenko has lobbied to make Bader his final opponent with the Paramount Global-owned fight promotion.
“I’ll tell you that’s a fight Fedor really wants,” Coker said after Bellator 283 this past Friday. “We’ve had that conversation.
“This is his last fight on his contract. He told me he wants to retire, and I haven’t talked to Bader about it. But it’s something, that, you know, it’s hard to say no to Fedor – let’s put it that way. We’ll definitely consider it, but it’s definitely not inked or something that’s imminent. But definitely, we’ll have that conversation.”
Emelianenko, a former PRIDE champ who’s widely considered the best heavyweight of all time, began his “retirement tour” this past year with a knockout of Tim Johnson at Bellator 269 in Moscow. It was his second straight win since a knockout loss to Bader dashed his hopes of winning the promotion’s title and heavyweight grand prix.
Coker has said Russia could host Emelianenko’s final fight, but he said plans have not been finalized as of yet.
In January, Bader told MMA Junkie he is open to a rematch with Emelianenko before taking on the ex-champ’s protege, Valentin Moldavsky, at Bellator 273.
“I can see how he wouldn’t want to go out like that and want a rematch,” Bader said. “I’m open to it, but I haven’t really thought about it too much.”
Bader ended up defeating Moldavsky via unanimous decision and then went on to defend the heavyweight belt again with a decision over Cheick Kongo in May. Afterward, he called for a rematch with Linton Vassell, whom he beat in 2017 as a light heavyweight.
He should be demanding to fight Big Foot, then fight Meat head.
Ltr
Derp
Initially Coker was talking about doing a huge Fedor retirement fight in Moscow in May. So that plan is out the window but Coker is terrible at creating any sort of buzz in the media when promoting future Bellator fights. Media asks about Fighter A and B and Coker goes… well we have not talked to B about about but we might talk later.
I’m sure Coker does a lot of great things for that promotion but being the face and the mouthpiece…he does not exactly get people talking about things he says regarding upcoming fights.
Coker should send him off
Bader will beat him again. Let Fedor go out with a W against someone else
Frank Mir wants another fight
Please let Fedor retire champ.
Hes earned the right to whatever retirement fight he wants, thats was a rough way for him to end the Grand Prix
i agree. bader is a tough matchup for fedor. fuck i was rooting for him to win their last fight so bad then leave his gloves in the cage.
love fedor, but he is way too old for this shit
Fedor could probably roll out of bed hungover with the flu and beat Mir.
It was always bad matchup.
Remember when Scott coker was let out of exile and we all thought bellator was saved from that ruskie and the UFC was fucked.
