Issue 156
July 2017
What is it like to actually compete against MMA’s greatest ever heavyweight? FO spoke to four of his victims to find out…
Chris Haseman
Before he became the all-conquering heavyweight king, Fedor earned his stripes in Japan’s Rings organization. He took the 2001 Absolute Class Tournament crown by defeating ‘The Hammer’
“I knew very little about him. I felt like that fight was Fedor’s entry point, his pro card so to speak. I was the key to the next level, but I actually thought I was going to win that fight. I didn’t have any hesitation at all going in.
“Fedor was like a Mack truck with no off switch. His dexterity and his punching was something else. He was very explosive. He puts everything into every punch he throws, he launches himself, and he had that strength that meant he could throw an under-hook and put someone on their back with just half a rotation. He does it so easily. I remember everything.
“Even if you can match him kilo for kilo or pound for pound, the guy would probably out-power most. When I fought him, we’re talking about probably a 15-kilo difference in his favor. I was really up against it, but even if we had weighed the same, the difference in power and strength would have remained.
“It’s almost like Fedor doesn’t think about what you’re doing – he only thinks about himself and what he’s going to do. It’s not like he ever sits there and watches what you’re doing or weighs up what he will do next. As soon as the fight starts, he’s going to work and take the initiative. There is no time to pause, or think, or breathe. He’s on you. He doesn’t bother trying to work out what you’re going to do. He’s just on that front foot and going after you. That’s why I always compare him to a big truck. It’s accelerating and coming right at you. It seems to be at one speed the whole time.
“I fought Matt Hughes, Evan Tanner, even Mark Kerr in Abu Dhabi. Kerr was on everything bar roller-skates, but Fedor was in a different league to all those guys. It was his dexterity that was most impressive. Fedor’s key is being a little off-tempo. His punches come from every angle. Sometimes when you fight the most practised and technical fighter, you can read what they’re going to do. With Fedor, though, that was never the case. He had a style and a rhythm all of his own. The punches would come in sets, but no two sets were ever the same. There was no chance to second guess him or get to grips with his tempo. He sets his own pace and rhythm. It’s not like any other.
“People say he doesn’t look intimidating, but I don’t know whether that’s true. Sometimes I see people who try to not look concerned and you can tell they’re trying hard to come across that way. But, with Fedor, that’s just him. He puts the fear of the unknown on you. I’d rather someone tried to stare me down. That allows me to get a read on them. You look at the guys who are supposedly scary and intimidating, the ones who get in people’s faces, and you know most of the time it’s just for show. Fedor is quite comfortable being himself – and that’s scarier than almost anything.
“I care about Fedor. I selfishly wanted him to retire. I didn’t want him to tarnish his legacy. In 2009 and 2010 Fedor was the best heavyweight on Earth and probably the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. He was even regarded by some as the toughest man to ever walk the planet. I wanted him to keep that because I’d fought him. I was able to say, ‘Yeah, I fought that guy.’ I just hope he’s (coming back) for the right reasons.
“He is the greatest heavyweight of all-time, no doubt. You’ve got to love the way the guy fights. There have been other good heavyweights, don’t get me wrong, but nobody has excited like Fedor. Nobody has fought with that same dynamic power.”
Matt Lindland
Size didn’t matter for the 185lb Olympic wrestling Silver medalist. He traveled to St Petersburg to challenge Fedor at Bodog Fight: Clash of the Nations, but tapped to an armbar at 2:58 of round one
“There was no question about it. Challenge accepted. Let’s go. I never backed away from a challenge, especially when your job is being a prize fighter. If somebody offers you a big enough prize, you take the fight. I certainly was trying to prove something. I was going out there to beat him.
“I landed a very good punch right from the get go and my strategy was working. I got him into the clinch. I was going to take him to the ground, in my control. There was a lot of rope grabbing. There was elbow grabbing. There were a variety of styles of illegal rope grabbing. Ultimately, he released the ropes, hit that reverse and throw, and put me to the floor.
“He had a really freaking tight ankle lock. That was the part I remember. I was thinking that it really hurt, but I knew it wasn’t going to break and it’s not going to tear anything: I was just going to fight it. My leg was black and blue from that the next day. We scrambled around some more and he hit that armbar the way a guy would typically hit a kneebar. He was on his hips and he extended and went to one hip, he popped his hips forward and finished the armbar. It was a really nice technique.
“He’s a great fighter. As far as his aura went, I felt like he was a contemporary. I competed against him. I didn’t want to get caught up in that, for sure. Most of my career, I fought really good fighters. Actually, I fought really good fighters my whole career. I was a little bit past my prime fighting guys like Robbie Lawler and Vitor Belfort, so it wasn’t a stretch for me to go fight the best in the world.”
Mark Coleman
The former UFC heavyweight champion and Pride 2000 openweight grand prix winner took on Emelianenko twice. Though he came out hard both times, he was caught in an armbar on each occasion
“I first fought Fedor in the Pride Grand Prix. I wasn’t prepared to fight him. There were a lot of times when I wasn’t prepared to fight. When I was prepared, I was a dangerous person, so I wish I had been prepared for the guy. I think I could have got him. Who knows?
“In our second fight, I had my chances against him. I took him down. I had his back. The next thing you know, we were back on our feet and his punches came from everywhere. They came from all different directions. He got me fair and square. He got me good.
“I was honored when he came out and said that he dedicated and molded his game after watching me. That’s how he decided he was going to be a fighter. I consider Fedor a great friend. He is such a nice guy. I love the way he fought.
“He could hold his own against anybody. He was a ground-and-pound machine. If he got you on the ground he would smash you like the old-school days. He grounded and pounded everybody.
“He definitely had an aura. He was a 10-year, undefeated champion. His ability was incredible. Ten years without getting beat, the man had something going for him. He could do it all. Everybody wanted to talk about his looks or his physique. You don’t have to be chiseled and ripped to be a great athlete. It didn’t matter, the guy was super strong. He had the whole package. He could stand. He could ground-and- pound. He was so dedicated to the sport. He was so prepared every time he fought. He was just flat out great. He put in his time and made himself a superstar. In my opinion, he is the greatest of all time.”
Tim Sylvia
Another former UFC champion who attempted what no man had done before at Affliction: Banned. He only lasted 36 seconds with the baddest man on the planet…
“I truly thought I was going to beat him. I thought I had a chance to knock him out, and actually thought I could have submitted him. He got off before I did and I just had a bad performance. I wish we could do that fight all over again and I could have a good performance to see actually what would have happened. I actually don’t feel like I got beat. We could have gone five rounds and maybe he would have beat the ever-loving s**t out of me, you never know. It’s just a fight I’d have liked to have back and have the performance I was capable of.
“I had a great training camp. I got caught real quick. I trained for that position, I didn’t do what I was supposed to do. I got caught and he capitalized on it. All heavyweights hit hard but I was surprised by his speed. He was faster than I was expecting.
“All that set aside, I think Fedor is a great guy and we became friends. He’s a hell of an athlete. He’s very fast, he’s very strong, he hits hard as hell. It was an honor to get in the ring with him. I can honestly say he’s the best all-time heavyweight. Randy Couture was a great champion but he didn’t have that knockout power Fedor did or the speed. Randy was a grinder. Dan Severn was impressive, but wasn’t a finisher when it came to punches. Mark Coleman was the master of ground-and-pound – the same as Kevin Randleman – but Fedor is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters ever.”
