Fedor Emelianenko issues statement after KO loss to Ryan Bader
Fedor Emelianenko had the chance to make history on Saturday night, as he battled Ryan Bader in a bid to become the Bellator heavyweight champion in the Bellator 214 main event. Unfortunately for the 42-year-old Russian MMA legend, however, things did not go as planned in this fight. Instead, he was knocked out in less than a minute.
Speaking on Instagram late on Sunday, Fedor Emelianenko updated on his health in the wake of this loss.
“After the fight, I feel good, the dissection over the eye is not deep, yesterday I had several stitches,” the Russian wrote on Instagram. “I think it will heal in a couple of weeks. I want to say thanks to everyone who helped me get ready, who came to the fight, and who got up early to watch the match. Thank you all for your support and your prayers. All the will of God.”
For Fedor Emelianenko, this loss to Ryan Bader was preceded by a pair of first-round knockout victories, which propelled him through the quarterfinals and semifinals of the Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix. The first saw him flatten former UFC heavyweight title challenger Frank Mir, and the second saw him maul three-time UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen. These victories, in turn, were preceded by a knockout loss to Matt Mitrione. He’s now 38–6 overall — still a very impressive record in heavyweight MMA.
What do you think the future holds for Fedor Emelianenko after Bellator 214?
This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 1/27/2019.
Topics:
Bellator Fedor Emelianenko Ryan Bader
