June 26th, 2010. A day that will have a place in the history of mixed martial arts forever. It may not resonate with fans who weren’t privy to his dominance in the PRIDE era, but it was an unforgettable time for fans who watched Fedor trounce any and all comers throughout his eleven-year career. Invincible. No longer. But has the aura of invincibility worn off for fans?
It’s been a topic of discussion among media members in the lead-up to Saturday night’s Strikeforce card. Yahoo!’s Kevin Iole and Steve Cofield spearheaded the conversation with a discussion about the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix this week, and the question arose as to what moment produced this feeling that Fedor was no longer an insurmountable mountain to climb. Strangely, Iole focused on the Brett Rogers’ bout as the turning point, stating that Rogers’ fearless attitude and mild success against Fedor helped Werdum realize that the task at hand wasn’t impossible.
As Luke Thomas pointed out, the amount of weight that Fedor gave up to Rogers is a more realistic assessment of why things went they way they did that night, but the broader argument here is that Rogers didn’t expose the chink in Fedor’s armor on that November night back in 2009. On the contrary, Fedor showed the newer fans exactly what they’ve been missing all these years.
One of the major advantages on the list of Fedor’s strengths is the fact that he is one of the most resilient fighters in the sport. Kevin Randleman, Mark Hunt, Kazuyuki Fujita. All names that may not strike fear in the hearts of fighters today, but names that are important to the legacy of Fedor Emelianenko. Why? Fedor’s invincibility was also tested in those battles, and he persevered through the adversity.
Why is the Brett Rogers’ fight suddenly a focal point to this discussion? It shouldn’t be. Fans forget that Rogers, while pounding Fedor’s chin from top control for a short time period in the first round, lost the first round. He was abruptly stopped in the second round by a Russian ICBM known as Fedor’s right hand. Is Rogers’ performance supposed to replace what we already know? Fedor is human. We’ve seen him in precarious positions in the past, but to say that Rogers diminished his aura is baffling.
The analogy that Mike Tyson’s defeat at the hands of Evander Holyfield could be comparable to Fedor’s loss to Fabricio Werdum is fitting however. Once Tyson fell to Holyfield, there was a certain amount of mystery and fear that faded away from Tyson’s aura. He was no longer this invincible and indestructible menace. For Fedor, the same could be true.
But I can’t buy into argument. Heavyweights may be ascending over the top of the bell curve, but they have yet to reach the outlying dot that represents Fedor Emelianenko. Size is certainly a concern for the Russian’s continued dominance in the division, and I have no doubt in my mind that Fedor will suffer another defeat at this late stage in his career. I’m not convinced, however, that the increased skills of those around him will make Fedor look like his failing PRIDE counterparts.
Fedor was ahead of his time five years ago, and in my opinion — he still possesses a skill-set that is one of the most well-rounded in his weight class. The mystery and intrigue around the man certainly helps breed a sense that he is invincible, but I think the entire experience of watching him work is the true intimidation factor.
Has the invincibility aura worn off for fans? I don’t care. In my mind, Fedor has the opportunity of a lifetime on Saturday night. Heath Herring might be able to best describe the feeling of surprise when Fedor asserts himself as the dominant alpha male in the jungle. Antonio Silva may be the victim of a reassertion. Invincible? Nobody is invincible. The lack of an aura may take some of the fearful thoughts out of his opponents’ minds, but Fedor still has the skills and intelligence to persevere through the tougher adversity he faces in this tournament.