In the history of mixed martial arts, especially the UFC, there have been many fighters who have demonstrated exemplary skill and technique. The extent of strength, endurance and physical power of these people illustrates how diverse the sport is. However, among many experienced fighters, only a few names are mentioned when it comes to the "Greatest of All Time".
Below are the names of five fighters who have been considered among the best in the world of mixed martial arts for many years. These fighters displayed technique, skill and impressive statistics that cemented them as the greatest representatives of MMA, but the ranking also took into account their overall impact on the sport.
No. 1 Fedor Emelianenko
Fedor Emelianenko is a fighter who is considered a true MMA legend. The best athletes in the world respect him, and fans never tire of admiring “The Last Emperor.”
Technique: Unlike many fighters who use a variety of punches and kicks, Emelianenko always acted quite simply, focusing his attention on heavy punches. However, what made Fedora a genius fighter was her ability to perfectly adapt to any situation and think strategically. An experienced sambist and judoka, he performed throws and takedowns at the most opportune moments. Emelianenko was one of the fighters who unleashed everything in his arsenal on his opponents, demonstrating mixed martial arts at its brightest.
Career overview: being 182 centimeters tall, legendary Russian fighter won 36 fights with 5 defeats and has a 10-year winning streak behind him, an achievement that not everyone can boast of. In addition, in 2010, Emelianenko was named the fighter of the decade, defeating the best representatives of his era. " The last Emperor" has not only achieved numerous awards such as: Pride champion, four-time world champion and nine-time Russian champion in combat sambo, but is also recognized by fighters and fans as one of the "Greatest of All Time".
#2 Anderson Silva
Anderson Silva is popular among fans and fighters alike for his varied style and ability to dodge punches just like the great Muhammad Ali once did. Born and flying the Brazilian flag, Silva has a reach of 197 cm, with a height of 188.
Technique: Known primarily for his stand-up style, Silva used various elements Taekwondo, Brazilian Muay Thai and boxing to avoid opponents' blows and hit them so hard that they remained shocked even after the fight was over. One of the reasons for the effectiveness of the legendary "Spider" was the inability of opponents to unravel the secrets of his style. This made Silva completely unpredictable.
Career overview: Having in track record With 34 wins and 8 losses, Silva brought flamboyance and personality to the cage, showing today's fighters what a real show is all about. Of “The Spider’s” 34 victories, more than half came by knockout, which indicates that Anderson has a good punch. In addition, Silva is a fighter who has held the title for 2,457 days, making 10 consecutive successful defenses. Personally, UFC President Dana White calls Anderson Silva one of the greatest mixed martial arts fighters in history.
No. 3 Georges St. Pierre
Quebec native Georges St-Pierre is considered one of the best tactical fighters of all time. The Canadian earned the nickname "Rush" due to his ability to give himself completely to a fight and maintain an inexhaustible supply of energy throughout the fight. St-Pierre may not have put on a great show in the cage, but he certainly has earned a ton of respect for his strategic and tactical approach to business.
Technique: What made Georges St-Pierre truly great was his versatility. The ability to change tactics depending on the opponent made him dangerous for any fighter. Whether it was trading punches, grappling or wrestling, Georges was good in each of these aspects. The ability to read his opponent and apply the necessary technical elements made the Canadian fighter deadly.
Career overview: Georges St-Pierre's record includes 25 victories and 2 defeats. The Canadian became the UFC champion at a fairly young age and for a long time was considered the best fighter in the welterweight category. "Rush" retired in 2013 with the second-longest streak of successful title defenses. Last year, St-Pierre returned and became the middleweight champion, thus adding another achievement to his credentials. Due to health problems, “Rush” was forced to resign as champion and retire from the sport again. With his skill and incredible achievements, Georges St-Pierre ignited an entire generation of Canadian fighters who now compete in the world's leading promotions.
No. 4. Jon Jones
Standing 193 centimeters tall, Jon Jones is an American fighter. modern era, who churned out victories one after another.
Technique: Jones showed tremendous athleticism and courage, knocking out his opponents with unconventional and unpredictable punches. His all-round abilities and ability to win on the ground have often been compared to those of Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre. From powerful knees to lightning-fast backfists, Jon Jones showed constant improvement in his striking technique from fight to fight. Jones' creative ability to move unconventionally around opponents while throwing devastating punches has made Jones one of the contenders for the title of greatest MMA fighter of all time.
Career overview: Jon Jones' record is 22 wins, one loss and one no contest. Jones has defeated countless legendary UFC champions such as Rashad Evans, Lyoto Machida, Quinton Jackson and others. In addition to being considered the top pound-for-pound fighter during his reign, "Bones" became the youngest UFC champion, taking on the gold belt at the age of 23. The American fighter made eight successful title defenses, after which he began to have problems outside the Octagon. Last July, Jones made a phenomenal comeback, defeating reigning champion Daniel Cormier by technical knockout, however, it later turned out that his doping test gave a positive result and the fight was eventually declared invalid. On this moment Proceedings are underway and the great champion faces a four-year disqualification. Many famous publicists call Jon Jones the best light heavyweight fighter in the world.
No. 5. Royce Gracie
Royce Gracie is considered the founding father of MMA. The legendary Brazilian fighter was born into a family that virtually brought jiu-jitsu to the world of mixed martial arts. More than anyone else, Gracie remains one of the greatest fighters of all time due to his contributions to MMA. Royce not only proposed a simplified fighting technique, but essentially made this sport what it is now. Not only did Gracie popularize Brazilian jiu-jitsu, he also opened the eyes of fighters around the world that victory could be won not only with fists, but with grappling and wrestling on the canvas. Many fans consider Royce Gracie to be the most influential figure in MMA history.
Technique: Gracie was a fighter who was impossible to resist once you were in his grasp. While most fighters used only striking techniques, Royce's grappling skills were so unsurpassed that even the most experienced and powerful striker was forced to give up in an instant. No matter who he fought, be it a master of karate, taekwondo or boxing, Gracie won as soon as he managed to take his opponent to the canvas. And it’s not that many fighters at that time were not familiar with Brazilian jiu-jitsu, one of the reasons for its success was the ability to skillfully maneuver against his opponent, regardless of the position in which he was. His strength was patience, and whether it was a submission through side control or a transition to guard from the clinch, Gracie knew exactly what to do.
Career overview: With a height of 185 centimeters, during his career Royce Gracie won 15 victories, suffered two defeats and finished three fights in a draw. What's more impressive, however, is that since joining the UFC, he's won the first three of the organization's four tournaments, with 11 wins and one draw. UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie is the first tournament champion in the promotion's history and has won most of his victories by submission. Gracie was also the fighter who had the longest fights in both the UFC and Pride, which speaks to his incredible endurance.
There are certainly plenty of fighters who deserve a spot on this list, but the aforementioned MMA figures are the most talked about among MMA fans and professionals alike. Since each fighter fought in different weight classes and for different periods of time, it is impossible to award any one of them the title of "Greatest MMA Fighter of All Time." After all, their example of dominating the world of mixed martial arts inspired and motivated many young guys who are still storming the top of MMA to this day.
2018-11-03T13:41:33+03:00
10 best MMA fighters in the world. Why is Cormier better than Khabib?
What is a p4p rating?
To put it simply, pound for pound ratings are perceived as rating fighters from different weight classes, who are compared as if they all weighed the same and were considered potential opponents. When comparing, current achievements, potential, subjective impression and anything else are taken into account - right down to charisma and integrity of the image. We studied the ratings of the top 10 fighters in the world from the sites Sherdog, Tapology, Fightmatrix, ESPN, MMAweekly and UFC (since the five previous ratings included only UFC fighters) and compiled a summary top ten.
10. Henry Cejudo (USA)
31 year; over 56.7 kg; 13 wins, 2 losses
What did you do: freestyle wrestling
Short: the first Olympic champion to become UFC champion. Cejudo had two attempts - against one of the most dominant UFC champions, Demetrious Johnson, and on the second, Cejudo defeated Johnson, who had previously defended the title 11 times.
9. Stipe Miocic (USA)
36 years; over 93 kg; 18 wins, 3 losses
What did you do: baseball, wrestling, boxing
Short: about everyone who comes next, by default you can write “he hits well, fights well.” Miocic gave the impression of a big, strong, smiling man who worked as a fireman, until it turned out that nature gave him such data with which he could beat perhaps the best kickboxer, grappler and boxer in the UFC in two years. Miocic became the most successful heavyweight in the history of the promotion, defending the title three times and losing only to Daniel Cormier. You will meet him on the first line.
8. Georges St. Pierre (Canada)
37 years; up to 77.1 and up to 83.9 kg; 26 wins, 2 losses
What did you do: karate, wrestling
Short: obviously the most controversial position in the ranking. Georges St-Pierre returned to the UFC last November after a 47-month hiatus and promptly beat middleweight champion Michael Bisping. Given that St-Pierre's previous career has been outstanding - a welterweight championship and 9 title defenses - he could well be in the top 10, but at the moment St-Pierre is not saying anything about continuing his MMA career and, It’s possible that it will go away completely. It is important that he is not in three of the six rankings studied, but MMAWeekly, for example, puts the Canadian in second place, and if you consider him as an active fighter, this is very easy to accept.
7. Robert Whitaker (Australia)
27 years; up to 83.9 kg; 20 wins, 4 losses
What did you do: karate
Short: Whitaker remains one of the UFC's most enigmatic champions, but also one of the youngest men on the list of the best fighters on the planet. Probably one balances the other. He has an aggressive striking technique, an excellent ability to endure in the cage and carry out long fights, but so far his frequency of appearances is rather alarming: two fights each in 2015 and 2016, one each in 2017 and (most likely) 2018 .
5-6. Demetrius Johnson (USA)
32 years; up to 56.7 kg; 27 wins, 3 losses
What did you do: wrestling, pankration
Short: Johnson defended his title 11 times UFC champion, and none of the champions has more defenses. Unfortunately, the flyweight division brought the fighter to the flyweight spotlight, and even two confrontations with Olympic champion Cejudo and a crush computer games did not make Johnson more popular. He is now on the UFC's doorstep as part of a trade deal with One FC.
5-6. TJ Dillashaw (USA)
32 years; up to 61.2 kg; 16 wins, 3 losses
What did you do: struggle
Short: Usually, when talking about top fighters, they cite some amazing winning streaks, but Dillashaw was the one who broke such a streak. He once beat Renan Barao, who came into the fight against Dillashaw on a 32-fight win streak. Bookmakers multiplied their bet on Dillashaw by 10 if he won.
Over the past two years, TJ has focused on facing off against his former teammate. beautiful tattoos Cody Garbrandt, and won both times. Dillashaw also sparred with boxer Lomachenko, and he communicates well with Sergey Kovalev.
4. Tyron Woodley (USA)
36 years; up to 77.1 kg; 19 wins, 3 losses
What did you do: struggle
Short: Woodley won the title by confidently knocking out the reigning champion, but after that he began to upset him. His next three fights ended in judges' decisions. Just when it looked like the UFC could solve the problem with the help of a new champion, undefeated Liverpudlian big man Darren Till, Woodley confidently dealt with him, submitting Till in the second round. Woodley's mom personally reassured the young challenger after his defeat.
3. Khabib Nurmagomedov (Russia)
30 years; up to 70.3 kg; 27 wins, 0 losses
What did you do: wrestling, combat sambo
Mentioned but not included
The UFC's rankings include Conor McGregor, and this can be interpreted as a political decision: if you have a fighter who brings maximum amount fighting money, it’s strange not to advertise it with your own resource.
MMAweekly.com is the only site that offered two girls to consider: Chris Justino and Rose Namajunas.
Tony Ferguson was also mentioned - his fight with Khabib has already failed four times, but we would be ready to wait for a fifth attempt.
About Khabib
It is difficult to assess Khabib’s third place; in the last two fights he was initially considered the obvious favorite, and this, on the one hand, is an indicator of class, on the other hand, it will generate distrust in his achievements. His competitors in this ranking more often won battles when bookmakers doubted their choice.
But if you imagine Khabib weighing 100 kg, you can break your head about their fight with Daniel Cormier: with an equal fight, Khabib’s endurance would be traded for Daniel’s ability to knock out, and then you can start arguing. At the same time, Cormier’s candidacy does not raise any questions among any of the publications: he is first in six out of six cases.
The fight between Cormier and Derrick Lewis will be the central event of UFC 230. It will take place on November 3 in New York (in the morning of November 4, Moscow time). You can watch the live broadcast of UFC 230 on the Match TV channel. The broadcast starts at 5:00 am (Moscow time) on November 4.
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Next year will be the twenty-fifth anniversary of the first tournament in UFC history. This is a very important anniversary, and you need to prepare for it in advance in order to have time to sum up all the results, remember with longing the past times and look into the future with hope. To begin with, I suggest you remember the names of the twenty-five main UFC fighters over the past twenty-five years of the company’s existence from 1993 to 2016, we will divide the entire history into five “five-year plans”. One year - one representative. It will not always be the brightest year of a particular fighter, and it will not always be that particular fighter who will be the best in a particular year. Important restore historical process formation of sports in persons. This is what we will do.
1993 - Royce Gracie
Few people remember now, but then, 25 years ago, the first tournament of The Ultimate Fighting Championship was held by the Gracie family and businessman Art Davey with one goal: to promote Brazilian jiu-jitsu, whose schools were then opening in the United States. This required a hero who by example would show the full power of his martial art. Royce Gracie became such a hero.
At his first UFC tournament, he simply did not have a chance to lose: before entering the cage, his opponents had no idea what they would have to face. Feints, attacks from below, using one's own clothes - no one was prepared to defend against the tricks of jujitsu.
Winning the tournament is not Royce's main achievement. The Brazilian showed the beauty of MMA to the American public, thanks to him a one-time PR campaign turned into a promotion, and jiu-jitsu became the most popular grappling base for mixed style fighters. If it weren't for the Gracie clan, the UFC wouldn't exist. If not for Royce, the first tournament could have been the last for the company.
The Brazilian continued to win and became a champion twice more, although each time it was more difficult. Mixed martial arts developed at a tremendous pace and, with the advent of the twenty-first century, left Royce behind. On the day Gracie suffered a devastating loss to Matt Hughes, he could rightfully say: “ our sport has grown, and this is my main historical merit".
1994 - Ken Shamrock
If every Batman has his own Joker, then every Gracie has his own Shamrock. To become great, you need to beat other greats, so Royce needed Ken, and Royce needed Ken. Two of the biggest MMA stars of the '90s met at the inaugural Ultimate Fighting Championship, and the Brazilian emerged victorious. The defeat gave Shamrock an incentive to develop: he learned to defend himself against jiu-jitsu techniques and became the first all-rounder of his time, equally dangerous both on the stand and on the ground.
Ken was thirsty for revenge and was supposed to fight Royce at UFC 3, but the Brazilian withdrew due to an injury received in the quarterfinals. They will meet a few months later at UFC 5, and Shamrock will give the Brazilian such blows that he will lose the desire to fight for five whole years. For almost forty minutes the American fighter was in a dominant position, striking with his head and hands. Gracie worked his opponent's back with his heel, but visually this did not bother Shamrock much. Due to imperfections in the rules, the result of the fight was declared a draw, although the state of the opponents after the gong indicated Ken's victory.
Shamrock has been called "the most dangerous person in the world" and at some point this nickname corresponded to reality: in the world of fighting he became the number one figure. Ken ended the era of Gracie dominance, proved that MMA is not limited to just jiu-jitsu, and demonstrated an example of professional preparation for fights.
And although, like his main rival, Shamrock remained a fighter exclusively of the 90s, the audience remembers and loves him to this day.
1995 - Dan Severn
Dan was the first true heavyweight to win a UFC tournament. With his wrestling skills and sheer size, Savern simply blew away his opponents in the Octagon. Whether it was the two-ton Tank Abbott or the Russian sambo master Taktarov, Dan simply threw his opponent to the floor and beat him with his huge arms and legs, and then forced him to submit.
Savern won two tournaments: UFC 5 and Ultimate Ultimate - Tournament of Champions. And then he forced Ken Shamrock to wash himself with his own blood, got caught twisting his neck in a fight with Mark Coleman and went off into the sunset to travel around regional promotions, performing 7-8 times a year for the next fifteen years.
Dan Savern is an example of a person who, while performing in a cage, did not become an MMA fighter, but remained a fighter - a follower of his style. Having refused to develop, he lost to all serious opponents who kept up with the times. Even so, Savern's performances were some of the highlights of the early UFC.
1996 - Mark Coleman
The American fighter nicknamed “The Hammer” is known in our country thanks to two fights with Fedor Emelianenko, but Coleman’s historical role is not limited to defeats to the Pride icon. Mark is considered the father of style" ground and pound": He is the first who learned not only to take opponents to the ground, but also to effectively score them there. Look at the overhand shots of Shamrock and Savern and compare them with what Coleman did.
He demonstrated to the world one of the most effective fighting styles and laid the foundations for techniques that are still used today. Mark Coleman can be called the first modern MMA fighter: he did not combine a career in the UFC with performances in professional wrestling, like Shamrock; did not use sports popularity to promote his film career, like Taktarov; did not hone any one martial art to perfection, like Gracie or Severn. "Hammer" became the first professional MMA fighter and brought the attitude towards this sport to a new level.
Colman won two tournaments and was the first to win the UFC heavyweight championship belt, forcing Dan Severn to surrender. He later became a Pride FC legend and the winner of the 2000 Grand Prix, breaking the streak thirty two fights of Igor Vovchanchyn without defeat. But perhaps his main merit will forever be changing the way fighters think.
1997 - Randy Couture
Oh, and here we are at the main person on our list. The only three-time UFC heavyweight champion, the only four-time UFC champion, the first UFC champion in two weight categories, the oldest winner UFC title and simply one of the most significant fighters in the history of the company.
His career remains the most eventful in MMA history to this day. Already in the second fight - the first title, in the third - a victory over Vitor Belfort, in the fourth - the UFC champion belt. From 2000 to 2008, he spent almost all of his fights for the title. He ended his career at the age of 47 with a fight against Lyoto Machida.
In addition to his sporting successes, Couture also became one of the main popularizers of the sport, thanks to whose performances the UFC survived the most difficult period of its history.
And the journey of the legend began in 1997.
Worthy of mention for the same period:
Oleg Taktarov - the main Russian in UFC history. He was the first to demonstrate sambo techniques in the cage, the first MMA fighter to build a successful career in cinema.
Don Fry- a huge mustachioed piece of muscle and charisma. This is how a real fighter should look.
David "Tank" Abbott- one of the most colorful fighters of the era, bench press record holder and the first person in the UFC to start wearing the gloves we are familiar with.
The UFC's first five-year plan is, of course, a realm of a very special atmosphere. Fights with bare hands almost no rules, a tournament system, a variety of styles from boxing to Jeet Kune Do. Mixed martial arts was just emerging as a sport, and watching their development is incredibly interesting. In the next five years, a crisis will occur in the UFC: the best fighters will leave for Japan, a campaign to ban MMA will begin in the USA, because of which the company will be on the verge of ruin and will be forced to change. We'll talk about the people thanks to whom the promotion survived at the turn of the century.
Fighting without rules is a combat sport that allows the use of a wide variety of techniques and techniques from various. This sport received the greatest recognition in Russia, Japan, Holland, the USA, and Brazil.
Who is stronger: Jackie Chan or Bruce Lee?
Fighting without rules is more often called MMA - Mixed Martial Arts. IN Lately fans of classic boxing are somewhat bored. In this sport, the strongest fighter in the world is a native of Ukraine, Vitali Klitschko. Together with his brother Vladimir, they have held the leading position in the heavyweight division for many years. In MMA, on the contrary, new stars are constantly appearing. Thus, the ratings for broadcasts of ultimate fights in the United States are already significantly ahead of the ratings for broadcasts of classic boxing. Moreover, the audience is interested not only in who is the strongest fighter in the world, but also in what type of martial arts will “win” this time.
Many organizations have appeared that organize competitions and enter into contracts with athletes, as well as many versions of titles. Therefore, the very concept of “the strongest fighter without rules” is very subjective. Moreover, often the contract with the athlete prohibits him from participating in open championships
Features of MMA
In MMA, athletes can use any techniques, throws, grabs and use their arms, legs, elbows, and knees. But the battle does not at all look like a bloody scene from a feature film. Contrary to the name, no-holds-barred combat has its own rules, namely: you cannot hit in the groin, throat, spine and back of the head, and it is also forbidden to gouge out your eyes. It is not killers who compete with each other, but athletes. Death during a fight is a very rare phenomenon, most likely due to the negligence of sports doctors who released an athlete with health problems into the ring. In rare cases, a knockout, common for athletes and their fans, can lead to sudden death, for example, from a cerebral hemorrhage.
Male athletes are protected by a mouth guard, a groin bandage, and gloves specially designed for MMA that allow free movement of the fingers. The torso remains naked, and there are no shoes on the legs. It is permissible to bandage the shins with an elastic bandage. Women, in addition to the above, use protective bras.
The most powerful fighter in MMA history
And although it is difficult to objectively name the absolute MMA record holder, few would argue that the strongest fighter in the world is Anderson da Silva.
He was born in 1975 in Brazil. Silva is 188 cm tall and competes in the middle weight category. Before starting to fight in the ring of fights without rules, he came a long way and made a brilliant sports career. Silva has earned black and jiu-jitsu, and he is also great at Muay Thai. In sports circles he is known as the Spider. Anderson da Silva was lucky enough to sign a contract with the UFC MMA organization. As an MMA fighter, he suffered only 4 defeats and had 35 fights.
The most powerful fighter in the world is also a bit of a showman. The fights with his participation are always very spectacular, like scenes from a movie, and his victories are very impressive. Fans adore Silva for her unique style. Spider's fights always promise to be a great show.
Other prominent athletes
There are other stars in MMA. For example, the Dutch kickboxer Alistair Overeem has not left Olympus for 10 years. There are quite a few boxing representatives in MMA. One of them is Brazilian heavyweight Junior Dos Santos. Great athlete“heavyweight” Sergei Kharitonov, who competes for Russia, had 24 fights, of which he won 19.
The youngest winner of the UFC light heavyweight championship is a black fighter, American Jon Jones. It is famous for its magnificent combinations of Greco-Roman wrestling, Muay Thai and judo.
An MMA fight is a beautiful spectacle that demonstrates masculinity and strength, the beauty and grace of the human body, endurance and courage, as well as spectacular combinations of elements of various martial arts.
The relatively recent sport of MMA or mixed martial arts has already acquired its famous persons, who have gone down in history as the most irresistible. Over the 25 years of its existence, this sport has gained enormous fame and continues to develop rapidly. The question of who deserves the title “The Best Fighter in the World” periodically comes to the surface. There are more than enough contenders for this degree of distinction, but one can still single out one fighter who made the greatest contribution to MMA. This is exactly what we will talk about in our article today.
"The last Emperor"
Fedor Emelianenko is recognized as the most prominent personality in this sport. This is one of the most worthy and strong athletes in all weight categories. Between 2001 and 2009, he took part in 27 battles and during this time no one defeated him. Many experts confidently claim that the four-time world champion is truly the best fighter in the history of MMA.
Childhood and youth of the Russian “Terminator”
F. Emelianenko was born on September 28, 1976. 2 years after the birth of the future athlete, the family moved from Ukraine to Russia. For a long time, all family members lived in a communal apartment, and they had to be crammed into one room. Fedor had elder sister and two younger brothers.
At the age of ten, Emelianenko enrolled in the martial arts section. His mentor in judo and sambo was Vasily Gavrilov. Often the teenager attended training sessions accompanied by his brother, whom he had to keep an eye on. So, in the future, another famous professional athlete appeared in the Emelianenko family.
Russian “Terminator”
A year after successful training, Fedor received an offer to move to a sports class, which was created by a trainer-teacher highest category Vladimir Voronov. Entering the school did not stop me from continuing my training. After receiving an electrician's diploma, F. Emelianenko decided to take up professional sports. In 1995, he was drafted into the army, where he stubbornly continued to devote time to sports and was even able to increase his muscle mass by several tens of kilograms.
Performances before UFC
In 2009, the Russian “Terminator” won the Russian Sambo Championship, the total time to fight three opponents was 41 seconds.
After completing his service, Fedor became a master of sports of Russia in self-defense without weapons (sambo). After winning an international tournament in 1997, he received the title of Master of Sports in judo.
In 1999, Fedor became a member of the Russian sambo team, thereby helping the team get gold at the European Championships, which took place in Istanbul. F. Emelianenko’s participation in the national team was short-lived; the reason for his departure was the bias of the judging and the rule by which team members were selected. The last straw In order to leave, the athlete needed to earn money. The lack of funds pushed Fedor Emelianenko to participate in mixed martial arts, because by this time he already had a family, and there was little money allocated by sports organizations. However, leaving the national team did not prevent F. Emelianenko from continuing to participate in sambo competitions.
Since 2000, the athlete, under the guidance of honored coach Alexander Michkov, began intensively studying boxing techniques. Simultaneously with his performances in the UFC, Emelianenko became a member of the Russian Top Team mixed martial arts club, which was managed by Russian sports functionary Vladimir Pogodin. After 3 years, F. Emelianenko moved to the Red Devil Fighting Team club, the founder of which was Russian businessman Vadim Finkelstein.
Career takeoff
The first institution that offered cooperation to F. Emelianenko was the RINGS organization, founded by the Japanese wrestler Akira Maeda. Of the 12 fights in which he participated, he lost only once, and that was when the opponent used an illegal elbow strike. However, this did not prevent him from becoming the champion of this organization in 2001.
Having shown himself in Rings, Emelianenko became interested in many organizations, he was even invited to Pride. According to the athlete, the fights at Pride were the best of his entire career. First, F. Emelianenko defeated Sami Schilt.
2004 was extremely successful for Fedor, during which he always won victories over his rivals. Initially, he defeated M. Coleman, later K. Randleman, and by “putting down” A.R. Nogueira, Emelianenko again confirmed his title as Pride champion.
From the very beginning, the judges suspended the fight with Nogueir because both Fedor and Antonio broke their heads. The rivals met again only at the end of December.
Then the audience watched a series of not very successful fights, but Emelianenko showed himself to be a fighter who always achieves his goals. He was able to defeat Mark Hunt, who could well have won the Pride title. Almost at the beginning of the fight, F. Emelianenko broke his toe, but was able to not only finish the fight, but also win. This happened back in 2006. Since Pride went bankrupt very soon, the fighter became its champion forever.
Participation of F. Emelianenko in M-1 Global
Despite the fact that the majority of spectators and experts were of the opinion that the fighter, after Pride went bankrupt, would take part in the 8-sided American ring, otherwise called the “cage,” Fedor opted for “M- 1 Global". In addition, he became its co-owner.
The number of battles for F. Emelianenko decreased sharply, but in Russia they began to show more interest in him. A very bright fight in Fedor’s career took place with the representative of Korea - fighter Hong Man Choi.
There was a time when one of the strongest UFC fighters said on TV that Fedor Emelianenko was scared to fight with professional athletes. Thus, a fight between Emelianenko and T. Silvia was organized. When Fedor defeated him, he received the title of WAMMA champion. In 2009, the need arose to defend this title in the fight against the Belarusian fighter Andrei Orlovsky. This athlete had excellent technique, and from the very beginning there was a feeling that this fact was very depressing for Emelianenko. But, be that as it may, Fedor defeated the Belarusian too.
Fedor's fans have long assumed that he would sign a contract with Strikeforce. In accordance with it, the athlete had to take part in 3 “cage” fights. Emelianenko’s first fight took place with B. Rogers - here Fedor didn’t even have to strain. Well, unfortunately, he lost the 2nd and 3rd fights. His opponents in these fights were F. Werdum and A. Silva (nickname - Bigfoot).
The end of a difficult journey
Fedor, having suffered such defeats, began to talk about the fact that he probably needed to end his career. But as a result, his fans saw many more victories from him. In the fall of 2011, Emelianenko defeated Jeff Monson, who had good technique and was equal to Fedor in strength. V. Putin personally congratulated the fighter on this victory!
Fedor Emelianenko Awards
In 2012, Emelianenko met with Pedro Rizzo. He defeated him already in the 2nd minute of the 1st round, knocking out his opponent.
Fedor decided to end his career precisely after this fight, in which he also emerged victorious!