Former UFC middleweight title challenger Chael Sonnen discussed the return of heavyweight legend Fedor Emelianenko and where he stands in terms of his legacy.
Chael Sonnen has some interesting thoughts on the return Russian heavyweight legend, Fedor Emelianenko.
The former UFC fighter criticized Fedor, not for his return to MMA, but for his allegedly shady record during his Pride FC run, as well as his mediocre run in North America.
"Fedor is terrible," Sonnen told Submission Radio. "And Fedor is a very nice guy. I had the pleasure to meet him twice. The first time, I was in line with him at a Starbucks in a hotel in Los Angeles, and he just blended in. He was just a chubby bald guy, with a nerdy sweater, waiting for his latte like everybody else. And I thought, what a nice guy.
"The reality on Fedor is, if you're not fighting in a commissioned fight, you're not fighting in a real fight. It has to be a sanctioned commission fight. This comes right back what we were talking about with Holly and her quadrillion boxing championships. If there's no sanctioning and there's no credibility and architecture, it doesn't count. So everything he did in Japan with a referee wearing an earpiece gets thrown out."
"You've got to come to the States where there's an official weigh-in, where there's a regulatory body, and where there's clearer defined rules, with clearer defined judging. He did that. He did that six times and he went 3-3. That's not exactly an impressive record for a guy that we all keep having to hear is 'the best of all time'. Now God bless him, I love a guy that can come back, but I can tell you first hand, you don't get better not doing something."
Fedor recently revealed that he would announce his signing within the next week. Many expect him to finally compete in the UFC Octagon to complete his incomparable legacy. Sonnen, however, doesn't have much faith in Fedor's chances.
"Fedor got destroyed by guys who are now getting destroyed. Fedor got destroyed by Bigfoot Silva, who by my last count has fought - I believe Frank Mir knocked him out in 18 seconds, I suppose I'd have to re-watch that - but the point is that it's ridiculous. I think it will sell once. I know that I'll tune in, I know that the UFC is going to greatly overpay for him, and good for Fedor, man. I think he did everything right, and he is a nice guy. You know, this isn't my goal to come out and bash a guy, but look, if a guy's terrible a guy's terrible. He's 3-3 in the States, that means he's 3-3."
LINK: 411MANIA | Chael Sonnen Says Fedor Won’t Be Able To Compete In The UFC
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