Alistair Overeem (image via UFC/YouTube)

By FCF Staff

Recently Bellator announced that Fedor Emelianenko is going to fight Timothy Johnson next. But, according to Alistair Overeem, his team pushed for that opportunity and were turned down.

Not only that, according to Overeem, Emelianenko’s camp has declined to fight him three times now.

Emelianenko is booked to fight Johnson at Bellator 269 on October 23. When the fight was announced, it caught many off guard, since the expectation was Fedor would be matched up with a fellow legend for the fight. Bellator President, Scott Coker, however, reported Emelianenko chose Johnson since he’s a top-ranked contender.

More recently, Overeem appeared on The MMA Hour. During the segment, the decorated heavyweight claimed that not only did his team try securing a fight with Fedor this year, but they’ve also done so before (quotes via MMA Junkie).

“We tried to make a little bit that Fedor fight, and that was kind of radio silence on that end,” Overeem said.” “But that would be something I was interested in.”

“…We tried to make that fight 2010, when he fought Werdum and I fought Brett Rogers – declined. After he lost to Werdum, we tried to make that fight. He declined, and now he has declined. So that’s three declines, so I think, with all due respect, but there is no interest from that side to fight me, and I cannot blame Fedor. Listen, I’m getting a little bit older, myself. A little bit, not too much. He’s a little older than me, I think he’s 45 or 46, so I understand. But I have done everything I can do to make that fight happen – 10 years ago, but also now.”

Emelianenko (39-6), who turns 45 next month, hasn’t fought since December, 2019, when he stopped “Rampage” Jackson.

The 41-year-old Overeem, meanwhile, is set to return to the kickboxing ring and will challenge GLORY champ, Rico Verhoeven, October 23rd.