Heavyweight legend Fedor Emelianenko has put an end to his three fight losing streak by defeating Jeff Monson. Fedor earned a comfortable victory over Monson by unanimous decision at M-1 Global’s ‘Battle of the Legends’ in Moscow.
Often rated in polls as the greatest mixed martial artist of all-time, Fedor’s losses came as a shock to those who’d been ignoring the easy fights he’d taken since he left PRIDE in 2007. His years of complacency left him unprepared once he began to fight quality opponents again in Strikeforce, and he suffered a string of humbling defeats, beginning in the summer of 2010. First was a loss in round one to Fabricio Werdum by submission; then a brutal mugging at the hands of Antonio Silva; and finally his TKO by the normally middleweight/light heavyweight Dan Henderson.
The loss to Henderson occurred shortly after the acquisition of Strikeforce by the UFC, and following a running feud of many years, UFC president Dana White took great pleasure in releasing Fedor from his contract.
While the best of Fedor is long gone, he still has the ability to draw a crowd. He’ll always be able to beat a certain standard of opponent, and he remains one of the most intimidating fighters in MMA with his love-handles and moobs.
By Peter Simpson
Twitter: @weasel_delight
