Fedor Emelianenko was taken aback from the warm reception he received at Bellator 198.
In the main event of Bellator 198, Emelianenko took on Frank Mir. The winner earned a spot in the semi-finals of the Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix. Emelianenko earned the knockout victory in 48 seconds. It’s “The Last Emperor’s” first win in the United States since Nov. 2009.
Emelianenko will now take on Chael Sonnen. A win over Sonnen means Emelianenko will advance to the finals. Perhaps nabbing his first Bellator victory was the boost that Emelianenko needed at this stage of his career.
Following his Bellator 198 victory, Emelianenko admitted that the reception he received inside the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois was surprising (via MMAJunkie.com):
“We’ll see if it’s God’s will actually to give me the joy and happiness of the victory, but I really understand that’s not only me, but there are a lot of people who support me, who cheer for me, who pray for me, as well. It’s not only Russian people. These are Greeks. These are Serbians. These are people in America, as well. I was really surprised how warm, loved and welcomed I was here, so that’s why I’m really happy and why I’d like to thank all my fans and everybody who’s for me.”
Emelianenko has built a legacy that earned him the support of fans all over the world. He dominated as the Pride FC heavyweight champion, defeating former UFC and Pride FC title holders in his reign. Quick finishes over Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski under the defunct Affliction banner also helped Emelianenko.
While he has seen better days, the fact is that Emelianenko is still an attraction. With “The Last Emperor” turning 42 in September, fans want to see Emelianenko as much as they can before he calls it a career.
Are you surprised by Fedor Emelianenko’s reception in 2018?
