Bigfoot Silva: If Fedor signs with the UFC, I don’t see any problems with a rematch

On February 12, 2011, Fedor Emelianenko stepped into the Strikeforce cage for the third time and first since his shocking loss to Fabricio Werdum…

By: Karim Zidan | 8 years ago
Bigfoot Silva: If Fedor signs with the UFC, I don’t see any problems with a rematch
Bloody Elbow 2.0 | Anton Tabuena

On February 12, 2011, Fedor Emelianenko stepped into the Strikeforce cage for the third time and first since his shocking loss to Fabricio Werdum eight months prior. Up against another Brazilian in Antonio Silva, Fedor was once again faced with the characteristic task of toppling a fighter far bigger than himself.

Sadly, however, he would instead find himself battered and bruised throughout the duration of the fight, so much so that the doctor brought an end to the proceedings following the end of the second round. The ‘Last Emperor’s’ face had taken on a bluish hue from the bruising and he could no longer see out of his right eye.

Now, over four years later, the legendary Russian heavyweight announced his return to MMA, which sparked a feverish reaction from fans and pundits alike, as well as heavyweight fighters looking to etch their names in history. Even Bigfoot offered some positive words on Fedor shortly following the announcement.

“This is great news,” Silva told Sportbox.ru. “I never hid the fact that I am a big fan of your legendary fighter. Fedor is certainly a great athlete and a person worthy of respect. His return is a great moment, as he is a real legend.”

Interestingly enough, Silva, who is 1-3 (1) over his past five fights, also revealed that he would be open to a rematch against Fedor if the Russian offers his services to the UFC.

“If Fedor would sign a contract with the UFC, I do not see any problems [with a rematch].”

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About the author
Karim Zidan
Karim Zidan

Karim Zidan is a investigative reporter and feature writer focusing on the intersection of sports and politics. He has written for BloodyElbow since 2014 and has served as an associate editor since 2016. He also writes for The New York Times and The Guardian. Karim has been invited to speak about his work at numerous universities, including Princeton, and was a panelist at the South by Southwest (SXSW) film festival and the Oslo Freedom Forum. He also participated in the United Nations counter-terrorism conference in 2021. His reporting on Ramzan Kadyrov’s involvement in MMA, much of which was done for Bloody Elbow, has led to numerous award nominations, and was the basis of an award-winning HBO Real Sports documentary.

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