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Thursday, Jan 11, 2018

Scott Coker Believes Bellator’s HW Tourney is “Perfect” For Fedor Emelianenko

Fedor Emelianenko

By FCF Staff

Although Bellator’s heavyweight tourney will feature several of the promotion’s top fighters, including the man who stopped Fedor Emelianenko last July, Matt Mitrione, Scott Coker believes the competition is “perfect” for the legendary Russian.

Emelianenko is expected to fight Frank Mir in the opening round of the tournament, on a date to be determined in April. The heavyweight grand prix will also include other notable fighters like “Rampage” Jackson, Chael Sonnen, “King Mo” Lawal, Ryan Bader, Roy Nelson, and Mitirone.

Recently Coker spoke with Yahoo Sports’ Kevin Iole. While discussing Emelianenko’s involvement in the tourney, the Bellator President said this (quote via MMA Fighting):

“When you talk about heavyweights, like with Mitrione, they both punch each other in the face, knock each other down, Mitrione got up a little faster . . . and then he finished Fedor,” said Coker. “But it could easily went the other way. Yes, guys that are fighting into their thirties should not be fighting 21 year old kids like he was doing in the past but this is the perfect tournament for him.

“He wanted to come in. He said to me – through Jerry, the translator – I know that this is the fourth quarter for me and I want to compete, and I would love to be Bellator’s heavyweight world champion. When Fedor asks you that, what are you gonna do? Are you gonna say no? You have to say yes so we did and we gave him that respect and he’s gonna have an equal shot just like everybody else.”

Prior to facing Mitrione, the 41 year-old Emelianenko had won five in a row.

posted by FCF Staff @ 10:35 am
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