Joe Rogan: Fedor Emelianenko Fighting Above His Weight Class Doesn’t Work

UFC commentator Joe Rogan shares his views on Fedor Emelianenko’s imminent return to competition. The Russian MMA legend is coming off two straight losses to Antonio Silva and Fabricio Werdum and Rogan thinks he needs to lose some weight before returning to elite competition in July. Now that Strikeforce is under the Zuffa banner, will Fedor have to take such opinions into account?

“I think at the highest levels of the game, you can’t be rolling around fat at 230 and fighting those guys. We saw that in the Bigfoot Silva fight. Bigfoot Silva, he walks around at 290 pounds. (Fedor) is an amazing athlete and he has put on some incredible fights over the years but, I think, once you get to the highest levels of the game, you can’t come in fat and you can’t be fighting way above your weight class.”

“There are guys at 185 that are bigger than him. Anthony Johnson is way bigger than Fedor, that’s reality. He has a bigger in his frame; he walks around heavier than him. Anthony Johnson weighs 230 and he’s not fat at 230, he’s a big swole up at 230.”

“I think Fedor is an amazing talent, an incredible athlete. I really admire his mind and his mindset when he goes to compete. It’s really fun to watch, that he’s so nonchalant with his big belly and he goes in there fucks people up. But the reality is that’s not going to work in the upper echelon in the sport, any more at least.”

HT: MMAWeekly.com