Bellator announced at a special press conference Friday morning that heavyweight legend Fedor Emelianenko will be returning to the cage on October 23 in their debut event in Moscow.
Legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko will return to action for the first time since 2019 when he headlines Bellator’s inaugural event in Moscow on October 23. No opponent has been determined yet, although Bellator President Scott Coker said that they had received many offers. Emelianenko also expressed that it would be possible he fights again after the October event.
🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨
Bellator MMA President @ScottCoker has announced the promotion’s first-ever event in Moscow, Russia on Saturday, October 23rd headlined by the legendary Fedor Emelianenko 🇷🇺 pic.twitter.com/wm8OgcFNk7— BellatorMMA (@BellatorMMA) June 25, 2021
Emelianenko has not fought since December 2019 where he stopped Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in the first round. Prior to that, he fell short against reigning heavyweight champion Ryan Bader in the finals of the Heavyweight Grand Prix. “The Last Emperor” is best known for his run in PRIDE where he went on a 27 fight win-streak that earned him recognition as one of the best fighters in the world and frequently puts him in conversations as the greatest of all-time.
Bellator has spent the entirety of the year at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut where they have operated in their “Fight Sphere” amidst the coronavirus pandemic. As restrictions have begun to lift worldwide, the promotion is starting to travel once again to put on events with their first departure from Connecticut coming this July with an event in Los Angeles.
The company has expanded over the years to become an international promotion, holding events in Israel, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and more. In particular, Bellator has developed a strong presence in Europe with their European series and catering to fans overseas by holding events on their time when they travel.
