5 Defining Moments: Fedor Emelianenko

No discussion regarding mixed martial arts royalty takes place without mentioning Fedor Emelianenko, the ferocity with which he fights matched only by the class with which he carries himself outside the cage.

The onetime Pride Fighting Championships heavyweight titleholder was for years one of the most dominant figures in the sport, as he put together a 27-0 record with one no contest in 28 appearances from April 6, 2001 to Nov. 7, 2009. Though Emelianenko still has never set foot inside the Ultimate Fighting Championship, he owns wins over six former UFC champions: Mark Coleman (twice), Kevin Randleman, Andrei Arlovski, Tim Sylvia, Frank Mir and Quinton Jackson. Active well into his 40s, “The Last Emperor” has experienced his fair share of past-his-prime adversity but continues to cast an enormous shadow over the division he once ruled.

In a career overflowing with defining moments, here are five that stand out:

1. Rise of an Empire

Emelianenko was not a household name in MMA circles before March 16, 2003. He was a 26-year-old heavyweight with a stellar record and two Pride Fighting Championship appearances under his belt. When Emelianenko climbed into the ring to challenge Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira for his heavyweight crown at Pride 25, those in the know labeled him an underdog. Nogueira was thought to be unbeatable by some, as he mixed an unwavering fighting spirit with superb conditioning, world-class submission skills and rugged durability. The Brazilian had not tasted defeat in nearly three years and had recently posted submission wins over the monstrous Bob Sapp, the 6-foot-11 Semmy Schilt and two-time Olympian Dan Henderson in one four-month span. Moreover, Nogueira had never been dominated in defeat, having suffered his only setback in a split verdict to Henderson in February 2000. Emelianenko wiped out his aura of invincibility by establishing one of his own. Over the course of their 20-minute encounter, the stoic Russian brutalized Nogueira with ground-and-pound, short-circuiting his potent submission game and stunning more than 19,000 fans inside Japan’s Yokohama Arena. By the end of it, the torch had been passed and a new era had dawned.

2. Clash of the Titans

It was the fight for which observers had hungered for years: Emelianenko vs. Mirko Filipovic. They finally locked horns at Pride Final Conflict on Aug. 28, 2005 in Saitama, Japan. With his Pride heavyweight title on the line, Emelianenko in the first round absorbed several jarring body kicks but stifled the Croatian with punches and clinches, circling away from his back leg when operating at a distance. “Cro Cop” staggered his rival with a straight left and followed with punches, only to be taken down. Emelianenko successfully navigated his guard, often posturing to his feet to drop punches before dodging upkicks to dive back on top. Though he was bleeding from a broken nose and from a cut to his scalp, “The Last Emperor” had spent the first 10 minutes establishing his superiority. By the start of Round 2, Filipovic was a diminished force. He was still dangerous, but his movements had slowed and become noticeably labored. Emelianenko capitalized. The Russian grew more aggressive and brazen, digging to Filipovic’s body with damaging punches and even firing off a head kick—the very maneuver “Cro Cop” rode to fame and fortune through knockouts of Aleksander Emelianenko, Igor Vovchanchyn, Wanderlei Silva and several others. Later in the frame, Emelianenko again took it to the ground, pinning Filipovic to his back after a trip takedown. His patented ground-and-pound followed, and “Cro Cop” was powerless against it. Whatever hope Filipovic had left evaporated inside the first minute of Round 3, where Emelianenko scrambled back into top position and resumed his attack. “Cro Cop” forced two referee restarts and connected with a pair of vicious body kicks, but he could not keep the Russian champion at bay. Emelianenko sucked him back into the clinch, executed another takedown and spent the final 20 seconds punishing Filipovic from inside the guard. Upon the sounding of the final bell, Emelianenko helped “Cro Cop” to his feet, embraced him for a moment and returned to his corner. There, he draped himself in the red, white and blue colors of the Russian flag and awaited the verdict. The ringside judges awarded him a unanimous decision, to the surprise of no one. Emelianenko remained stoic and silent through it all, giving no inkling that he had just recorded one of the most significant victories in MMA history.

3. Giant Killer

Size never mattered to Emelianenko—a lesson the 6-foot-8, 265-pound Sylvia learned firsthand in the Affliction “Banned” headliner on July 19, 2008 in Anaheim, California. A two-time Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight titleholder, Sylvia greeted the Russian with a respectful touch of gloves before being slaughtered in front of 14,832 awestruck fans at the Honda Center. Emelianenko shook off an attempted clinch with an uppercut and unleashed a seven-punch burst that had the Pat Miletich protégé ducking for cover on all fours. Sylvia tried in vain to scramble out of danger, only to wander deeper into the trap that was being set. Emelianenko flurried with punches and hammerfists, transitioned to the back and secured his position with both legs. He then snaked his arms in place, cinched the choke and forced the tapout, the blade of his forearm biting down on Sylvia’s throat. When Emelianenko disengaged, “The Maine-iac” could only shake his head in disbelief, as he cast a blank stare toward the heavens for answers he would never get. It was the fourth of Emelianenko’s five career sub-minute finishes.

4. Surface-to-Air Missile Strike

Emelianenko was as frightening as ever at Affliction “Day of Reckoning” on Jan. 24, 2009, a seemingly invincible heavyweight who tore many of his contemporaries to shreds. With the demise of Pride Fighting Championships and with the Ultimate Fighting Championship failing to reach an agreement with the Russian’s management team, he was left to compete in second-tier organizations like Bodog Fight, M-1 Global and Affliction. Arlovski stood across from “The Last Emperor” at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, a crowd of 13,255 in attendance. He kept Emelianenko at bay for some three minutes, peppering him with punches and kicks. Eventually, Arlovski backed the former Pride champion to the corner with a textbook push kick. What happened next will live forever in the memories of those who witnessed it. An overzealous Arlovski decided to attempt an ill-advised flying knee. However, the Belarusian tried the maneuver from too far out and telegraphed it; and when Arlovski lowered his arms to leap, Emelianenko unloaded with a perfect overhand right just as his counterpart went airborne. The punch immediately separated “The Pit Bull” from he senses, as Arlovski nosedived into the canvas. Emelianenko walked away, his latest victim kissing the canvas into the first round.

5. Mortal After All

When 11,757 fans poured into the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, on June 26, 2010, few—if any—realized they were about to witness history. Fabricio Werdum met the great Emelianenko as part of a Strikeforce-M-1 Global collaboration and, in the span of 69 seconds, turned the MMA world inside out. “Vai Cavalo” retreated to his back when faced with a volley of Emelianenko power punches and invited the Russian into his guard. “The Last Emperor” obliged and soon found himself entangled in a triangle choke. For several tense moments, Werdum transitioned between the triangle and armbar before consolidating the two into a shocking finish. Emelianenko tapped a little more than a minute into Round 1, the former Pride heavyweight titleholder suffering the first undisputed defeat of his remarkable career.