CBS: Fedor Emelianenko is the Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan of MMA
Copyright Alexander Taran. Copyright Strikeforce.
CBS Senior Executive Vice President Kelly Kahl compared Fighters.com Heavyweight Champion “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (30-1) to Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods Tuesday on a media conference call promoting Emelianenko’s matchup versus fifth-ranked “Grim” Brett Rogers (10-0) at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates 33 miles northwest of Chicago November 7.
“Exactly! That’s what we want to convey,” Kahl repsonded to the comparison of Emelianenko to bona fide world sport legends Jordan and Woods.
Kahl also said he’s “excited to have CBS return to mixed martial arts in a big way” with their partnership with Strikeforce and M-1 Global. Kahl has no regrets about promoting street-fighter-turned-pro-fighter “Kimbo Slice” Kevin Ferguson (3-1) during CBS’s partnership with now-defunct EliteXC which brought MMA to primtime American television and Kahl believes that MMA fighters have received more mainstream media attention as a result.
However, Kahl was also hesitant about the future of MMA on CBS. “We are looking at this one show at a time,” Kahl said, and wouldn’t rule out a future partnership with the UFC.
It’s safe to assume there’s a lingering bad taste left from the EliteXC debacle and both CBS and Strikeforce are relying on Emelianenko and Rogers to put on a show that will lock in a long-term deal, or at least a more definitive future.
A confident Frank Shamrock (23-10-2), CBS’s on-air MMA analyst, said, “It’s going to be magic!” He declined to make a prediction. “I’m done with predictions,” he said.
In analysis, Shamrock noted that although Fedor “doesn’t show many weaknesses,” the key to beating him is “in the feints and forcing him to make mistakes in his punching game.” Shamrock explained that Rogers is in California now training and has been training top heavyweight wrestlers like eighth-ranked “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (20-5). Shamrock speculated that Rogers’s ground game will focus on escapes and using sheer power to get the fight back to the standing game.
CBS broadcaster Mauro Ranallo chimed in too, saying that although there are high expectations for this bout, pressure wouldn’t play a role in Emelianenko’s preparation and performance. “I don’t know if he feels pressure. He is so even-keeled. I don’t know if he knows what pressure is.” But, Ranallo insists Rogers has more than a puncher’s chance. “Brett Rogers has the power to defeat Fedor and needs to pursue Fedor and show patient aggression.”
One thing for is that this fight card has the ability to knock down doors for MMA and gain access to mainstream public attention. CBS is excited to take another stab at attempting to bring the most exciting combat sport to primetime. Strikforce is happy to have a high level partnership. At least for now…
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Fighters.com November Heavyweight Rankings – M-1 Global/Strikeforce Surge Ahead as UFC Heavyweights Wither
Posted: November 29, 2009Comments: 3 -
CBS Continues Fedor Emelianenko Media Push, Brett Rogers to Appear on Carson Daly
Posted: November 5, 2009Comments: 0
That also includes Lyoto Machida ,BJ Penn, Anderson Silva ,Sakuraba
Well, BJ, Silva and GSP are the most dominant fighters in their respective weight divisions. But they are not the Muhammad Ali of MMA. Better comparison for them would be Sugar Ray Leonard or Roy Jones, two dominant champions at lower divisions. Fedor, as a heavyweight champion, is the face of MMA. He will be remembered as the GOAT. No need for a P4P ranking.
Lyoto is a great fighter and definitely in the “current” P4P rankings. But he is relatively a new comer to the sport, having fought top competition only in recent years with the UFC. Rich Franklin and Stephen Bonnar fights are not top class fights, although very good fights.
Sakuraba definitely belongs in the GOAT ranking because of his influence but nevertheless FAR from achieving Fedor’s level. I was a Saku fan but even back then I knew Saku wasn’t the strongest fighter and japanese had great deal of influence in marketing him.
Saku is in similar category as Randy, Royce, and Coleman. Legends of the sport but NOT the #1 fighter. Let’s look at Saku’s big fights. He did not dominate Royce or Belfort. He fought Rampage when Rampage sucked. He beat Randleman. He lost brutally to Wandy 3 times and to Arona once. The fight with Arona came after his heydays so should be disregarded. But Saku got destroyed by Silva and Silva, like Randy and Royce is a legend but not GOAT.
GOAT ranking
1) Fedor
2) BJ Penn, GSP, and A.Silva
4) Randy, Royce, Saku, Liddell, Silva, Nog, CroCop, Hughes
Lyoto, Shogun and other young guns have a long way to go.
Hey if ur going to do this ranking how are u going to call urself a fan of the sport and leave out Frank Shamrock yea he has been not “up to par” in his last few fights but come on u have to wait till he fights again and give it up for his ‘fights in the cage or ring” from his matches with the gracies an those pancrase battles with bas rutten there still on youtube if u missed them come on he is an will be the prototype of the mixed martial artist!
I think that both Shamrock and Ranallo forgot that the baddest man on the planet,is the man who masters MMA in the broadest sens of the word.Fedor is a wrestler,but a puncher also… a sambo master and the quiquest fighter in M1 and Pride..so I propose to get a look on his fightography,it helps you to write another article more credible.
I really think the true MMA greats must include the following
Lyoto Machida ,BJ Penn, Anderson Silva ,Sakuraba
The reasons for my list are as follows:-
Machida is a rare one.One of the few unbeaten MMA fighters out there.The Shogun fight was difficult but he still fought hard.For me the mark of a true MMA fighter is one that has ventured and fought above his weight.Machida did that a few times in his pre-ufc career and has openly talked about fighting heavy weights.To me this is the mark of a true MMA fighter.this brings me to BJ Penn
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BJ Penn may not have won all his fights but he definitely has proved himself as a true MMA great.If you look at his losses they all came against champions.
His first fight against Pulver Fight Metric deems him to have been the more effective
He fought a light heavy weight in Machida and lost on a decision
Most of his losses have come not just against fighters above his weight but CHAMPIONS in a division above his weight
HUGHES
ST PIERRE
At his natural weight class he is peerless.
And he even once took on a champion above his weight and choked him out.
Anderson Silva is also here because he has dominated his natural weight class and defeated fighters above his weight class .His stand-up is the best in MMA right now and he is no slouch on the ground either.
Sakuraba is in there again because he has demonstrated real ability outside his natural weight example against Randleman.In fact that was one of the fights that got me into MMA
No one can deny Saku a place in the MMA hall of fame.
MMA neither golf nor hoops.As they say a fight is a fight.Anything can happen.Greatness in the fight game to me cannot be determined by a win loss record. It is determined by the kinds of challenges you’ve put yourself forth for.
That was why I was a bit reluctant to add GSP.For great as he is in his division has not shown the willingness to test his mettle against fighters of higher weights.
Fedor is definitely up there with these names and sois Big Nog.
Frank Shamrock and Bas Rutten also deserve a mention.
No. Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan routinely tested themselves against the best in the world. Fedor resembles the Harlem Globetrotters more than he does either of those two.
The UFC is only popular in America and most of its fighters only fight fellow Americans (North and South). Have a look at the fighters Fedor has fought and where those fighters came from, they are basically the top fighters from America, from Asia, from Europe and from Africa. Now compare this to Silva and Brock, most of their fights are Americans. Anderson Silva’s 3 of 4 losses came from Japanese fighters. There are far better fighters in other organizations outside of America, too bad the UFC shields its fighters from outside competition.
There is ONLY one fighter that has proven his worth in about 30 fights, that has only been stopped by one doctor.
There is only ONE fighter that has beaten:
[b][u]5 different UFC champions[/u][/b]
Coleman
Randleman
Sylvia
Nog
Arlovski
[b]4 kick boxing champions[/b]
Schilt
Hunt
Goodridge
HMC
[b]7 different MMA champions[/b]
Coleman
Randleman
Sylvia
Nog
Goodridge
Mirko
Arlovski
[b]2 silver olympic medalist[/b]
Lindland
Ogawa
[b]1 ADCC open weight champion[/b]
Arona
Won the combat sambo gold in Russia on 2-21-09, defeating 3 players in 1 minute.
[b]There is only 1 fighter that has gone 30+ fights that has[/b]
- Never knocked down by any type of strike.
- Never lost a decision.
- Never been sub’d
- Never been knocked out
[b]Only one fighter that has ever won 5 different mma championships. [/b]
- Wamma HW belt
- Pride HW belt
- Pride Grand Prix tournament
- Rings king of kings tournament
- Rings world class tournament
[b]All while finishing 76% of his opponents. [/b]
A current 25 fight win streak
With 22 victories in the first round
5 victories in the first minute
12 victories in the first 2 minutes
[b][i]Lowest strikes absorbed per minute, percentage out of any fighter with at least 10 fights at .59[/i][/b]
No other fighter in all MMA has any where near the list of accomplishments.
Mind you Fedor did this while being injured 2 times due to injuries he sustained to his hand during a fight. And while top fighters backed out of fights. One of which back out on multiple occasions.
———————————————————-
[b]Men’s Judo Championships[/b]
Gold 1997 Russian Judo Championships +100
Bronze 1998 Russian Judo Championships
[b]Men’s Combat Sambo – World Championships[/b]
Gold 2002 Thessaloniki +100 kg
Gold 2002 Panama City open
Gold 2005 Prague +100 kg
Gold 2007 Prague +100 kg
Bronze 2008 St. Petersburg +100 kg
[b]Russian Sambo Championships[/b]
Bronze 1998 Russian Combat Sambo Championships +100 kg
Gold 2000 Russian Combat Sambo Championships +100 kg
Gold 2002 Russian Combat Sambo Championships +100 kg
Gold 2005 Russian Combat Sambo Championships +100 kg
Gold 2006 Russian Combat Sambo Championships +100 kg
Gold 2007 Russian Combat Sambo Championships +100 kg
Gold 2008 Russian Combat Sambo Championships +100 kg
Gold 2009 Russian Combat Sambo Championships +100 kg
Fedor is not the Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan of MMA. Hes not even ranked #1 pfp. Do I think there is a possibility that he is the goat?Yes, but he still hasnt fought all the best fighters out there. Dont get me he has probably one of the most solid resumes out there with CC, Nogeira, Arlovski but there is still much more legit competition out there. Tiger Woods and Michael beat everyone possible hence why we cant put Fedor at that level yet.
Monaro that is a very ignorant statement. To say that the UFC is sheltering its american fighters is ludicrous. Is that why they bought Pride and got so many great foreign fighters minus Fedor? If anything the UFC is only proving that the majority of the best fighters are from Brazil. Only 2 of the 5 champions are Americans. And be honest the majority of the best fighters are in the UFC and not only that they are now mostly non american. If you say that Dream or Strikeforce has better fighters then your dillusional or just totally anti ufc. And dont get me started on all the asian fighters. I have a ton of respect for how legendary Sakuraba is and dreams legit lightweight division. But every time the UFC brings one in they get exposed. Dont get me wrong guys like Aoki have amazing jiujitsu but he would get destroyed by a guy like BJ Penn.
On Fedor Emelianenko being the Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan of MMA is certainly a strong statement and may be difficult for some mma connossieurs to accept but I think that it has merits too. He’s been fighting in MMA for at least 5 years and has only 1 defeat in all his fights. He has shown great technical fighting skills, punching power, and a heart of a champion that i think is comparable enough to Jordan or Woods in terms of the high level of skills shown.
If you watch the aoki (a lightweight) exhibition match, you would see one of Fedor’s unique skill at his level, he is a heavyweight but moves like a lightweight, for me that is quite remarkable.
His submissions against coleman, randleman, et al have were all superb techniques at the highest level.
His great punches could knockout everybody else in the MMA once it hits.
And what is great about his fights is the sense of climax he bought into his fights where you see him on the verge of losing and suddenly – a punch from nowhere ends the fight, that would made you think of Fedor’s vulnerability that he can be beaten anytime by the likes of Arlovski, Rogers, Carwin, Frank Mir, or Fujita – that is the kind of turning the game around that legendary athletes like Jordan has, and that Fedor has too.
Now, he’s been around for quite some time and I agree that he has fought the ‘greatest’ of his times, only now that they were already past their primes or rather past their glory like Arlovski, Randleman, Coleman, Lindland, Sylvia, Noguiera BUT the point is these were all champions and have been considered the best in their glory days. Now, comes the name of Carwin, Lesnar, Velasquez or any names out there but these guys are newcomers on the game.
Considering the SPAN OF TIME for a great fighter to must have fought all the best fighter out there, Fedor has certainly fought the best fighters of his time and is now facing another chapter of his career by facing these newcomers in the MMA. Jordan’s greatness has nothing to do with beating all known players in the NBA one-on-one, it’s his individual records and athletic ability above his contemporaries that made him Michael Jordan and so is Fedor now in the MMA. On account of comparing Jordan in his prime to newcomers, what would be your first basis? it’s the statistics, the records. And Fedor has a lot to back it up.
And to think that Fedor is still fighting now at age of 33 (correct me if i’m wrong), he could have 3-5 years more of fighting. I am not really sure if you would accept Fedor as the Jordan or Woods of MMA if he beats Lesnar, Carwin, or Velasquez since a lot new more fighters would come to the MMA fold and again for you guys, you might say again, “he can’t be the best since he hasn’t fought this new ‘champ’ and so on…
What i’m really driving at is that i AGREE with the idea that Fedor is the Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan of MMA now. The question is can anybody named any fighter that could have this ‘title’ if we put aside Fedor on the list??