Former PRIDE FC heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko will continue his protracted retirement tour for Bellator MMA when “The Last Emperor” makes his in-cage return at some point in October, though a city and opponent have yet to be revealed.
That’s according to Ariel Helwani.
The promotion is expected to make a “special announcement” during a media conference call on Friday morning. Emelianenko will be on the line, along with Bellator MMA President Scott Coker and referee-turned-analyst “Big” John McCarthy, for some reason.
The 44 year-old Emelianenko (39-6, 1 NC) has not competed since his technical knockout victory over fellow PRIDE FC export Quinton Jackson in late 2019. The win pushed “The Last Emperor” to 8-2 over his last 10 across a span of nearly 10 years.
Perhaps we’ll learn more about Emelianenko’s opponent on tomorrow’s call, though it’s likely Coker and Co. just want to get the conversation started before more details become available at a later date.
Stay tuned.