by Tyson Abaroa

Created on: April 15, 2009   Last Updated: April 16, 2009

Mr. Emelyanenko has left us all doubting. Many analysts and magazines have Fedor ranked as the top heavyweight in the world. Fortunately, statistics don't count in the fighting world. Fighting counts in the fighting world. Constantly, fighters that lose should have won, and fighters that should have won lose. I hate to turn this into a Pride Fighting versus UFC article but that will eventually be unavoidable when talking about Fedor.

First, all the MMA clichs easily apply to "The Last Emperor," Fedor Emelyanenko. The man has an elusive "sprawl and brawl." His "ground and pound" is second to none. These overused cliches in the sport were probably made to describe Fedor. He strikes with pin point accuracy and like a hammer. His submissions are tight fast. He blasted through Tim Sylvia in Affliction and showed that a UFC champion meant nothing to him.

Now, when Zuffa bought out Pride, their fighters had to start competing in the octagon. The big names were introduced, or re-introduced to the cage. Wanderlei Silva, Dan Henderson, Quinton Jackson, and Rodrigo Nogueira joined the UFC after the buyout. I hate to say it, they haven't been as stunning as everyone thought they were. Quinton Jackson was the only one to make a huge difference among the Pride crossovers with his knockout on Chuck Liddell, also a former pride fighter. Each fighter has done well, they are still talented athletes, but their Pride background seemed to be over hyped.

Back to Fedor, who didn't crossover. He has been mastering the Russian System, Sambo, since his youth. Sambo should be considered the world's first MMA. It was developed by the Russian military. Their classroom was making their soldiers fight prisoners to the death. Whatever the prisoners did that was effective, they added to their training. Wrestling, boxing, holds, submissions, kicks were mixed together to make Sambo. Learning Sambo as a child, and adding Jiu-Jitsu, and muay Thai, Western Boxing, etc. to his training as a professional has made him the best Champion in Pride and Russia. He dominates everyone he meets, that is indisputable. His record has a few losses and no contests, but his list of wins rolls on and on.

Fedor was the greatest in Pride. When his associates went to the UFC they started having people question the caliber of fighters from Pride. This doubt has many people questioning Fedor's legacy. I believe that Fedor would tear Frank Mir and Brock Lesnar apart. His victory would inspire more and more phrases. He would make them "wail and bail", he would "strangle and mangle", and he would leave them "choke or broke." It just needs to happen. Until he proves his greatness to the UFC, there will be a sliver of doubt.

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