The legendary heavyweight GOAT turned back time ever so briefly at Bellator 198 on Saturday night in Chicago — and fellow pros from Bellator, the UFC and beyond took notice!
Chicago bore witness to four straight submissions on the main card of Bellator 198, an unprecedented run given the names involved: Danis, Gracie, Lovato Jr., and Sanchez. Yet the action wasn’t done there. Bellator 198’s main event saw the return of former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir. Opposite him in the Bellator MMA cage in Chicago was ‘The Last Emperor’ Fedor Emelianenko. If ever there was a legend vs. legend battle, it was this — but did either man have much left in the tank?
In the end, the Russian legend prove he could turn back the clock at least one last time. After an early scare, Emelianenko caught Mir with a short right uppercut. That sent Frank Mir tumbling forward to the canvas. Fedor pounced, landing a number of strikes on the downed ex-champ until the ref moved in to wave it off. It was over within a round.
The win sets up Fedor in a semi-final bout against Chael Sonnen, which should be entertaining for the build up alone. In the meantime, check out what the pros had to say immediately after Fedor Emelianenko’s big win!
Let's go!! @thefrankmir
— James Vick (@JamesVickMMA) April 29, 2018
Watching Fedor vs Mir!!
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) April 29, 2018
Heavyweights #bellator198
— Linton Vassell (@LDV_TheSwarm) April 29, 2018
Mir looks so pompous in this photo. #Bellaltor198 pic.twitter.com/msNSLU5H13
— Angela Hill (@AngieOverkill) April 29, 2018
IIIIIIITTTTTTTSSSSS TIIIIIME! #mir and #fedor is now! @BellatorMMA
— Sam Alvey (@smilensam) April 29, 2018
Frank Mir is just 38?
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) April 29, 2018
And just like that Fedor is back #bellator
— Jared Gordon (@JFlashGordonMMA) April 29, 2018
@ChaelSonnen gets the match up he wanted https://t.co/m5Qm9g5C8c
— Ben Askren (@Benaskren) April 29, 2018
Fedor. Oh boy. #bellator
— Jon Fitch 🐻🦍🐲 (@jonfitchdotnet) April 29, 2018
HOLY FUCK #FEDOR @BellatorMMA
— Robin Black (@robinblackmma) April 29, 2018
That was cool. #Bellator198
— Angela Hill (@AngieOverkill) April 29, 2018
Great to see Fedor back with a good win! @BellatorMMA
— Douglas Lima (@PhenomLima) April 29, 2018
😢
— James Vick (@JamesVickMMA) April 29, 2018
Y’all slept on the goat.. Fedor!!!
— Katlyn Chookagian (@blondefighter) April 29, 2018
I'm just going to pretend it's not 2018 right now. #Bellator198
— Mike Jackson, Esq. (@TheTruthJackson) April 29, 2018
I wanna grow old like Fedor. 41 years old and still knocking people out! #bellator198
— Patricky Freire (@PatrickyPitbull) April 29, 2018
Fuckin Fedor!! 💥 💥 huge ko victory! Dude is a Legend! Ultimate dad bod badass! 🙌🏽
— BRYAN BARBERENA (@bryan_barberena) April 29, 2018
I’m ok with Rory and I being co main to this fight. @BellatorMMA @ChaelSonnen https://t.co/qQfve00Zyx
— Ben Askren (@Benaskren) April 29, 2018
Surprised Rosanne is still translating after her tv show reboot. #Bellator198 pic.twitter.com/tBWrnPANrb
— Angela Hill (@AngieOverkill) April 29, 2018
