Highlights! Fedor Ends ‘Rampage’ With One Punch, Then Retires At Bellator Japan

Photo by Valery Sharifulin\TASS via Getty Images

The great Fedor Emelianenko delivered the goods one final time last night (Sat., Dec. 28, 2019) at Bellator 237 live on Paramount Network and DAZN from inside Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, when he returned to compete in front of the Japanese crowd and ended up catching Quinton “Rampage” Jackson with a brutal one-punch knockout finish in the very first round of their main event.

Jackson, who came into this heavyweight fight bigger than ever, was hesitant to throw much of anything in this fight. Instead, Fedor was able to move in easily and land hard combinations to the body and head. “Rampage” would try to time a looping counter punch every once in a while but nothing ever landed.

Emelianenko followed his efforts up late into the first round when he launched a powerful right hand that caught Jackson on the side of the head and ended “Rampage’s” night early.

Check out the knockout finish above courtesy of Bellator MMA.

Following the fight, Emelianeko announced that this was his last trip to the cage, ending his career in Japan where it started nearly 20 years ago. The 43-year-old legend was expected to take his retirement tour into 2020, but this knockout win over “Rampage” may have been too sweet to pass up for a swan song.

“Unfortunately and regretfully I want to say perhaps my career stops here, on a win in Japan where my career started. I’m finishing my career here,” said Fedor in his post-fight interview (shown above courtesy of Bellator MMA).

Emelianenko, who finishes his professional MMA career with a 39-6 (1 NC) record, has retired from the sport before. There’s always a chance Bellator MMA president Scott Coker convinces “Last Emperor” to fight one more time, but this truly does feel like the last time fight fans will get to see Fedor Emelianenko throw down inside of the cage.

For complete Bellator 237 results and coverage click here.