Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is reaching deep into its archives to bring fight fans a stellar trilogy bout between Fedor Emelianenko and former Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. After UFC purchased PRIDE FC back in 2007, the promotion became the owner of all of the Japan-based fight promotion’s video collection, which included countless historic matches that still resonate today.
Among them was the third and final fight between “The Last Emperor” — the former longtime PRIDE Heavyweight king — and “Bog Nog,” the first and only man to ever hold the 265-pound title for both PRIDE and UFC. And it’s a real treat for fight fans, as rarely do you see UFC promote or post anything attached with Fedor, a man the promotion could never lure into the Octagon.
The two big men initially threw down at PRIDE 25 back in 2003, with Emelianenko taking home a unanimous decision win, as well as the promotion’s Heavyweight strap. A year later, they went to battle once again at Pride Final Conflict 2004. That fight, however, was ruled a No Contest (NC) due to an accidental headbutt “Big Nog” delivered on Fedor, causing a severe cut on the Russian’s right eye. Four months later, the trilogy fight was booked for Pride Shockwave 2004.
And was resulted was a clear-cut, one-sided beat down courtesy of “The Last Emperor,” who used his sambo to rag-doll the Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace early on. Though Nogueira did have a few shining moments, judges didn’t have a hard time scoring the bout in favor of Emelianenko.
Fedor would go on to win 10 more bouts under the PRIDE, BodogFight, Affliction and and Strikeforce banners before suffering three straight defeats. “The Last Emperor” is currently on Bellator MMA’s roster, while “Big Nog” has since retired from MMA and currently serves for a UFC Ambassador in Brazil.