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Saturday, Jun 18, 2016

Fabio Maldonado Has “Utmost Respect” For Fedor Emelianenko, But Says Legend “Didn’t Win That Fight”

Fabio Maldonado (photo via UFC)

By FCF Staff

The MMA world is still buzzing about the controversial, majority decision win Fedor Emelianenko earned at EFN 50 yesterday, and Fabio Maldonado understands why.

Maldonado battered and bloodied Emelianenko in the opening round, and at a couple of moments, many referees would have stopped the action. But, to the legend’s credit, he gutted it out and survived the opening frame. Emelianenko pressed forward for the rest of the fight, and got the better of several exchanges, but many scored the fight as 28-28, including one judge.

Following the controversial bout, Maldonado spoke with MMA Fighting.com, and the UFC vet had this to say:

“I have the utmost respect for Fedor, he’s the most humble fighter I’ve ever met in my life, and I’m happy that I fought here. But I think I won the fight, right?” Maldonado said. “I didn’t lose that third round. In the worst-case scenario, give him the third round and it’s a draw. He didn’t win that fight. Judges saw what nobody else did. He was better in the second round, but that was not a 10-8. And I have no doubt the first round was a 10-8.

“For the love of God, he almost fell several times. Everybody knows (the first round) was at least 10-8, or even a 10-7…”

Following EFN 50, which took place in St. Petersburg, Russia, Emelianenko said he plans to continue fighting. The Russian star ended his retirement last year, after hanging up the gloves in 2012.

posted by FCF Staff @ 11:03 am
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