Filed under: UFC, Strikeforce, Rankings, Heavyweights
From 2003 to 2009, Fedor Emelianenko was the No. 1 heavyweight in mixed martial arts. In 2010, he finally fell from the top spot.
In 2011, Fedor is only a marginal member of the Top 10.
On a two-fight losing streak, with neither of those fights even being competitive, Fedor has fallen a long, long way. That’s not surprising: Fedor is, after all, a man in his mid-30s. Athletes in all sports decline in their mid-30s, and MMA is no different. And Fedor trains in seclusion, which means that as the sport grows and other fighters get better, Fedor isn’t improving along with them.
So as we look at the Top 10 heavyweights in mixed martial arts, we’ll see Fedor in a place we’re not accustomed to seeing him.