MMA Legend Hospitalized Due to COVID

Published 01/21/2021, 11:26 PM EST

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Russian legend Fedor Emelianenko has been hospitalized after being diagnosed with Coronavirus. He is currently in Moscow receiving treatment. ‘The Last Emperor’ took to Instagram to thank the fans and doctors after receiving worldwide support.

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Emelianenko has been out of competition since 2019 after he knocked out Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson in a heavyweight clash at Bellator 237. In his prime, ‘The Last Emperor’ went on a 10-year unbeaten streak spanning over 27 fights from 2000 to 2010. The PFL star and former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum ended Emelianenko’s undefeated tenure.

The legendary Russian is expected to return to competition sooner rather than later. He still has one or two fights left in his MMA career before calling it a day. But, the recent COVID diagnosis will certainly postpone his plans of a return to fighting.

At 44, Emelianenko has very little time left in his illustrious career. However, he can still manage to hang in there, especially with other veteran fighters.

Fans consider Fedor Emelianenko the G.O.A.T

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When it comes to the Mount Rushmore of MMA, Emelianenko is undoubtedly up there. He has certainly made it to the pinnacle of legends in the sport’s history. The Russian has fought in several high-profile organizations like Bellator MMA, PRIDE FC, Strikeforce, M-1 Global, and more.

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Unfortunately, the fans never got to see him perform inside the famous UFC Octagon. Out of Emelianenko’s 39 career wins, 30 have come via stoppages. He has managed 15 wins by knockout and 15 by submission in his legendary career so far. His professional record stands at an astounding 39 wins to only 6 defeats.

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Emelianenko holds notable career wins over Mirko Filipovic, Kevin Randleman, Chael Sonnen, Frank Mir, Andrei Arlovski, and more. Fans will hope ‘The Last Emperor’ gets healthy again and returns to action at Bellator MMA sooner rather than later.

When it’s all said and done in his career, he will be a Hall of Famer for sure. Where does Fedor Emelianenko rank among your list of legends?

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Written by:

Apratim Banerjee

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Apratim Banerjee is an MMA author for EssentiallySports and has been writing professionally for almost a year. Before his current gig, Apratim worked as a UFC writer for Sportskeeda. A long-time MMA fan, Apratim has developed a critical eye for the sport that has helped him transfer his vast knowledge to his copies and give hardcore and casual readers a detailed insight into the fights and fighters.
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