Alexander Emelianenko’s career has become more of a cautionary tale than a legacy at this point. Once one of the most promising young heavyweights to come out of Pride FC, rumored problems with a blood borne illness and well documented problems with alcohol, police officers, and travel visas put an end to his international MMA career. Now fighting largely in the Russian regional circuit he’s had mixed results, including a short lived retirement in 2012 following a loss to Jeff Monson.
Since returning from retirement Emelianenko put together a two fight unbeaten streak against the always beaten Bob Sapp and the (not much) more respectable Jose Rodrigo Guelke. Emelianenko attempted to give a little more heft to his post retirement resume with a bout against promising up and comer (and currently undefeated heavyweight) Dmitriy “Wicked Machine” Sosnovskiy. Emelianenko weighed in 11 pounds over the heavyweight limit ahead of their bout on Friday, but luckily for him Sosnovskiy elected to take the fight anyway. Well, perhaps lucky isn’t the right word…
The Team Oplot fighter moves to 8-0 with his victory over Emelianenko. It’s the first “name” win of his career (and frankly the first fighter that isn’t a can), but at only 24 years of age I wouldn’t be surprised if another handful of wins put him in to the always heavyweight hungry UFC.
Also of note on this card was the UFC released Benjamin Brinsa, who picked up his second straight loss (after being cut from the UFC without a fight for suspected neo-nazi ties). Brinsa faced young prospect Eduard Vartanyan who should enter the collective radar with this win.
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