It’s been more than three years since we last saw Fedor Emelianenko compete inside the cage. The Russian legend effectively retired from the sport for the second time following his 2nd loss to Ryan Bader at Bellator 290 on February 4, 2023. After spending a significant amount of time away from competition, ‘The Last Emperor’ is now willing to come out of retirement, but there’s a catch.

The former PRIDE FC heavyweight champion spoke to the media at Scott Coker’s new promotion, Ki MMA. There, Fedor stated that he could consider competing once again if he receives a lucrative offer.

“I keep training,” Emelianenko said. “I keep training with my team. I’m coaching my team, so I keep training. Competition-wise, if it’s going to be a good offer, and it makes sense, why not? I can compete still.”

Though Fedor stepped away from active competition years ago, he has remained heavily involved in combat sports. He has been mentoring PFL heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov, who is set to defend his gold in Dubai on November 14. So, it’s not hard to imagine that the Luhansk native still gives his teammates a hard time during sparring sessions, even after being away from active competition.

Perhaps for that reason, the 40-7 veteran feels he still has a couple of scraps left in him, even though he will turn 50 on September 28. This time, however, Fedor wants to make his comeback in a different setting. He wants to compete in a boxing match.

“We worked on boxing, so boxing is interesting,” Fedor added.

Fedor Emelianenko stepping into a boxing ring would definitely grab the attention of fans who have rooted for him since his dominant days in PRIDE. But his interest in participating in a boxing match isn’t new. Back in August 2023, Fedor was tempted to break his retirement by proposing a fight against Mike Tyson. In fact, the former PRIDE heavyweight champion reportedly wanted the fight to take place on the undercard of Fury vs. Ngannou in October 2023. 

However, the crossover superfight never materialized due to a lack of promotional interest in making the clash happen. But that doesn’t mean Fedor has run out of options.

As he eyes an imminent comeback, the Russian legend is now hoping to clash with a UFC Hall of Famer, which could make for a dream matchup for MMA fans. 

Fedor Emelianenko wants to fight UFC legend Randy Couture  

Fedor Emelianenko could fight an unknown opponent in his potential return, and it would still be a spectacle, thanks to the Russian’s immense star power. But if he ends up facing 61-year-old Randy Couture, it would be nothing short of a blockbuster event.

During the media scrum, reporters asked Fedor which fight would entice him and whether he would be open to facing someone like Brock Lesnar. In response, the MMA veteran said a fight against Couture would make the most sense for him.

“I believe Randy would be much more interesting [than Lesnar] as a fighter,” Fedor added. “I’m ready if he’s ready.” 

Unlike Fedor, his desired opponent, Randy Couture, retired from the sport a long time ago. The UFC inducted ‘The Natural’ into its Hall of Fame in 2006, the same year he initially announced his first retirement. However, Couture continued fighting and finally decided to hang up his gloves for good after losing to Lyoto Machida in 2011. Since then, he hasn’t competed. 

However, Couture tried hard to secure a fight against Fedor Emelianenko during their active days, even if it meant getting entangled in a lawsuit with the UFC. In 2007, the former UFC champion attempted to get a fight with the Russian legend by trying to get out of his active contract. But the promotion ended up suing Couture for attempting to fight elsewhere while he was still exclusively contracted to them. Couture disclosed he spent around $500k in legal fees. 

Also, ‘The Natural’ reportedly faced some resistance from Fedor’s management, which further derailed the bout. Still, if the two legends were to meet in a competitive setting right now, the matchup would undoubtedly remain intriguing.

Both legends are currently well past their prime. However, Fedor competed much more recently and is also more than a decade younger than Couture. So, the Russian could arguably have a significant edge in a potential clash. Now, it remains to be seen whether Scott Coker’s new promotion or another platform becomes interested in making the dream fight.