Fedor Emelianenko

Fedor Vladimirovich Emelianenko (born 28 September 1976) is a Russian former professional mixed martial artist (MMA), sambist, judoka and politician. Emelianenko was the PRIDE Heavyweight Champion from 2003 to the organisation's closure in 2007, a four-time combat sambo world champion, a seven-time combat sambo national champion, and two-time Russian national judo bronze medalist, among other championships and accolades. He also competed in RINGS, Strikeforce, M-1 Global, Rizin, and Bellator MMA, and is regarded as the most prominent fighter never to compete in the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). Emelianenko is widely considered to be one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time, consistently ranked as the top heavyweight fighter from 2003 until 2010, and the best fighter of the 2000s. Emelianenko's career helped popularize the sport of MMA in his home country of Russia after gaining attention in Japan, South Korea, the United States, and worldwide.

Emelianenko began his MMA career on May 21, 2000, compiling four straight victories before a controversial loss in December 2000. Emelianenko was unbeaten in his first 28 fights up until June 2010, including wins over four former UFC champions, one future Strikeforce champion, two PRIDE champions, one former and two future K-1 champions, one Pancrase champion, and two Olympic medalists. He originally retired in June 2012 with a record of 34 wins and 4 losses before making his return in December 2015. Emelianenko retired for the second and final time on February 4, 2023, with a record of 40 wins, 7 losses, and 1 no contest, holding wins over seven (one interim) former UFC champions. Fight Matrix currently ranks him as by far the greatest heavyweight mixed martial artist of all time, and the third greatest fighter of all time pound for pound.

Emelianenko began his political career in 2010, being elected as a deputy of the Belgorod Regional Duma. He subsequently became president of the Russian MMA Union (later honorary president and chairman of the supervisory board), and a staff member of Russia's Council of Physical Fitness & Sports.

Emelianenko was born in 1976 in the city of Rubizhne, Luhansk Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union. In 1978, when he was two, his family moved within the Soviet Union to Stary Oskol, Belgorod of the Russian SFSR. His mother, Olga Fedorovna, was a teacher, and his father, Vladimir Alexandrovich, was a welder.

At age 11, Emelianenko began to practice sambo and judo under the tutelage of Vasily Ivanovich Gavrilov. A year later, he was admitted to sport classes taught by Vladimir Voronov, a coach who worked with him. According to Voronov, Emelianenko did not stand out from his peers initially but would achieve future success thanks to his own perseverance and hard work for many years. Voronov died in August 2020 due to complications caused by coronavirus.

Emelianenko finished high school in 1991 and graduated with honors from a professional trade school as an electrician in 1994. From 1995–97, he served in the Russian Army as a military firefighter and then as a member of the tank division near Nizhny Novgorod. His parents divorced during this time.

In 1997, Emelianenko received the certification of "Master of Sport" in judo and sambo. He also became part of the Russian national team and won an international judo tournament in Kursk the same year. Emelianenko's partial record in judo was 12 wins and 7 losses in 1999-2000. In 1999, he took third place at both the Moscow International Tournament and the Sofia Liberation A-Team tournament.

In 2000, due to a lack of money, Emelianenko left the Russian national team and began to compete professionally in mixed martial arts.