| Desription ......... This Russian heavyweight has achieved an astonishing record, largely due to powerful striking abilities, takedown defense, and a will of iron. Emelianenko, the son of a steelworker father and a schoolteacher mother, gained strength training while serving in the Russian Army as a firefighter. In 1997, Emelianenko earned the title “Master Of Sports” in Judo and Sambo, and as a member of the Russian National Team, earned a bronze medal in the Russian Judo championship. Though he graduated from a professional Russian trade school with honors in 1994, Emelianenko said he started in mixed martial arts at the age of 25 to make some money.
Emelianenko’s style includes striking with his arms and legs, a technique he improved upon while studying under coach Alexander Vasilievich Michkov. The hard-training “Last Emperor” runs about 9 miles a day, and works at grappling, boxing and kickboxing. Emeliankenko’s training partners have included Roman Zentsov, and his brother Alex Emelianenko, now a successful mixed martial arts fighter in his own right. Fedor started out training under Volk Han and Andrey Kopylov of the Russian RINGS team, but after a falling out has switched to the Red Devil Sport Club in St. Petersberg under Vadim Finklestein, now Fedor’s manager. Also, Fedor trains in Holland’s VOS gym, under Yogan Vos and Lucien Carbin.
MMA megastar Chuck Liddell has predicted that Fedor Emelianenko will fight in the UFC, and indeed, Fedor has been negotiating with the franchise since 2007, but these plans have been put on hold since he signed a two year, six fight deal with M-1 Global in 2007. So far, Fedor has set the MMA world on fire as a fighter in RINGS, PRIDE, BodogFIGHT, and will participate in future DREAM and HDNet fights. Emelianenko has been called the “Best Heavyweight Fighter In The World” by a host of media outlets, including ESPN, The Wrestling Observer, The Houston Chronicle, and The Fight Network. |