Fedor Emelianenko next’s fight is scheduled for December 31st, 2015, and with no opponent announced yet, UFC heavyweight Shawn Jordan is throwing his hat in the ring. Jordan’s contract with the UFC recently expired.
“I want to fight Fedor. He’s a legend in the sport and one of the best heavyweights ever. He’s one of the reasons I got into this sport,” said Shawn Jordan in an interview with Combat Press. “I started watching Fedor when I was still playing football. He had a calm demeanor. [He] was very controlled, but dominant at the same time. To be able to compete with that guy would be an honor and a great experience for me. After getting banged up in my last fight and not competing very well, I’d like to go and get a fight like this to get that bad taste out of my mouth.
“This isn’t just a competitive decision,” said Jordan. “It’s an avenue to make real money and get a paycheck, because it’s Fedor. Everything about this fight is beneficial for my career. I don’t know how long I’m going to be able to keep doing this. Fighting right now has to be worth it and a contract has to be worth being away from my daughters. I could come back and get an engineering job here in Baton Rouge and make a consistent living, so, yeah, it has to be worth it.
“On a personal and professional level, I have to look around and if I don’t find something that’s worth it, then so be it. But it’s nice to go around and look to see if I’m worth more to somebody. And if the UFC can match what somebody offers, that’s beneficial too.
“We’ll see how it plays out, but I really want the opportunity to fight Fedor.”
Fedor’s fight will be for former Pride President Nobuyuki Sakakibara’s new promotion, and the rumor is that Jaideep Singh (1-0 in MMA) will be signed as his opponent.
Related: Vadim Finkelchtein Talks Fedor Emelianenko No Longer Working With M-1 Global
