Fedor Emelianenko has issued a statement following his knockout loss at the hands of Ryan Bader.
Emelianenko went one-on-one with Bader in the finals of the Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix this past Saturday night (Jan. 26). Things didn’t go Emelianenko’s way as he was flattened in just 35 seconds. Bader is the first fighter to hold two titles simultaneously in Bellator history.
‘The Last Emperor’ Talks Bellator 214 Loss
Emelianenko took the time to address his fans following the loss. He said the following on his Instagram account (translation via Google’s language tools):
https://www.instagram.com/p/BtJYPZkB91s/?utm_source=ig_embed
“After the fight, I feel good, the [cut] over the eye is not deep, yesterday I had several stitches. I think it will heal in a couple of weeks. I want to say thanks to everyone who helped me get ready, who came to the fight, and who got up early to watch the match. Thank you all for your support and your prayers. All the will of God.”
Many are left to wonder if this is the end for “The Last Emperor.” Emelianenko had made it clear that he’s considering retirement before the fight with Bader took place. At the age of 42, Emelianenko was seeking at least one last moment at the top of the heavyweight mountain for a promotion. It wasn’t meant to be and Emelianenko may never get another opportunity.
Do you think we’ve seen the last of Fedor Emelianenko as a mixed martial arts fighter?
