Ryan Bader makes heavyweight history defeating Fedor Emelianenko twice, shows immense respect post-TKO

Fedor Emelianenko stepped into the cage for one last outing at Bellator 290 on Saturday. After a stellar career spanning over two decades, 'The Last Emperor' made his final heavyweight title bid against Ryan Bader at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California.

Emelianenko looked to avenge his first-round TKO loss against 'Darth' dating back to their first encounter in 2019. The PRIDE veteran came forward with a leaping right hand that failed to find its mark while also leaving him open to counters.

'The Last Emperor' had to pay the price early for keeping his hands low as Bader cracked him with a flush left. 'Darth' continued to pressure Emelianenko, repeatedly connecting with his hooks that finally sent the 46-year-old to the canvas.

Emelianenko unleashed brutal ground and pound that went unanswered for over a minute before referee Herb Dean stepped in at 2:30 of the opening frame.

Watch the finish below:

Probably the most well-rounded fighter in the early days of the sport, Fedor Emelianenko seemed unbeatable until he suffered his first true loss against Fabricio Werdum in 2010.

'The Last Emperor' has since seen several ups and downs in his career which ended tonight whilst he was surrounded by fellow MMA legends. Ryan Bader was also immensely respectful towards Emelianenko, whom he hailed as a true legend.

---

Fedor Emelianenko reflects on the most memorable bout of his career

Fedor Emelianenko dominated PRIDE's heavyweight division for the better part of the 2000s. 'The Last Emperor' earned a shot at the title against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in 2003 despite being only two fights old in the promotion.

Emelianenko delivered an instant classic, displaying masterful grappling to earn a unanimous decision win against 'Minotauro' who was then considered the best heavyweight in the world. While 'The Last Emperor' went on to beat Nogueira again in a rematch, their first fight remains the highest point of his career.

Another outing that is as memorable for Emelianenko is his successful title defense against Mirko Cro Cop in 2005. The PRIDE veteran recently said on The MMA Hour:

“[My favorite] is the first fight with Antonio Nogueria. He was No. 1 at the time, he was the champion of PRIDE, he had the belt, and I had to activate my fighter I.Q. at 100 percent. It was very challenging on the ground, and all over. And thank God I was able to do it... It was very similar with Mirko Cro Cop, but just with standing.”

Catch Emelianenko's comments below: