Former UFC champion Fabricio Werdum confident Fedor Emelianenko rematch is announced soon

Werdum, whose UFC deal expired this summer season right after a acquire towards Alexander Gustafsson on “UFC Fight Island,” has prolonged spoken of his motivation to rematch “The Last Emperor.”

The rematch would arrive a lot more than ten decades taken out from their initial conference, in which the Brazilian fighter handed Emelianenko the initial authentic defeat of his career in what was his thirty fourth qualified struggle.

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At any time given that then, the two heavyweight rivals have been inextricably linked, but with Werdum fighting all but one particular of his fights in the UFC given that their initial conference, and with Dana White getting not able to strike a deal with Fedor, it appeared as if the risk of a sequel to their initial struggle was dead in the water.

Not so. With Werdum now a no cost agent, he says that his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, has been in communication with Bellator, who have a struggle deal with Emelianenko, about scheduling a rematch between two of the best heavyweight fighters in the sport’s record.

“[The talks] genuinely are advanced. Ali went there final 7 days, experienced the converse, and now it is a make any difference of Fedor accepting,” Werdum advised Canal Encarnada. 

“And he claimed the other day in an interview that he needed to do this rematch as effectively. Given that I have a massive respect for Fedor, I’d undoubtedly give him a rematch — not only for that, but also the financial aspect, the promotion, the complete record we experienced.”

Their initial struggle, which transpired in the Strikeforce promotion, saw significant underdog Werdum post Emelianenko just over a moment into the initial round in a effectiveness that was regarded as at the time to be among the the most important upsets in mixed martial arts record. 

Fedor would go on to drop his up coming two fights towards Antonio Silva and Dan Henderson, but has shed just two times a lot more in the 10 fights which have adopted given that that trio of defeats. 

Werdum, meanwhile, parlayed his acquire into a UFC deal, and he went on to post Cain Velasquez to declare the UFC’s heavyweight title. 

“In my view, I nonetheless feel Fedor is the biggest of all time, you have to respect the man,” Werdum claimed of his rival.

“He’s done a ton of factors for ten decades, he defeat the best, so I feel it would be a struggle that all people would like to see in Bellator, a superfight, a key occasion. I feel it would sell a ton.

“If Fedor accepts, if he genuinely needs to struggle me one particular a lot more time for this rematch… And, with all thanks respect, I firmly believe that I will post him once more. I have no question. It’s not me getting cocky, it is the truth. Which is what I envision. It will be challenging, of program. Folks feel the other struggle was simple, but how about the one particular just before?

“Preventing Fedor, the expectation, no person believing in me, all people towards me and chanting ‘The Emperor’ in the arena. It was challenging, of program, mainly because of almost everything that surrounded it.”

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With Fedor and Werdum now aged 44 and 43 respectively, the clock is ticking for both guys in their occupations – but when it is all claimed and done, Werdum says that both he and Emelianenko will be capable to glance again on their occupations – and their rivalry – with delight.

“When Fedor retires, I retire, we have a tequila alongside one another and it is over, you know?” he claimed. “I never know if it could take place.“