Fedor Emelianenko signs on for ‘retirement tour’ in Bellator

Heavyweight legend Fedor Emelianenko has signed a new multi-fight contract with Bellator MMA, per Bellator boss Scott Coker. According to Coker, this new contract will see Emelianenko embark on a “retirement tour,” taking on foes of a similar vintage in the final bouts of his career.

“It’s a multi-fight deal, multi-year [deal] and this is going to be his retirement tour,” Coker told the media after Bellator 222 (via MMA Mania). “I think we’d like to take him to a lot of countries and cities that maybe haven’t seen him in a long time or have never seen him. It’s going to be fun when we roll this thing out.

One matchup that comes to mind for Fedor Emelianenko in this final lap of his career is a long desired showdown with Josh Barnett, who recently signed on with Bellator.

Coker says this matchup is definitely an option, as is a fight between Emelianenko and former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

“That’s definitely one of the names we’ve approached with Fedor,” Coker said of Barnett. “He’s fine with it. That would be a timing issue. I’m not sure if that’s going to be the very first fight but I think we have a great roster that he can fight.

“I think [Quinton] “Rampage” Jackson versus Fedor, I think of Josh Barnett, there’s a couple other fighters out there that just come to my mind.”

Who do you want to see Fedor Emelianenko fight in the final bouts of his MMA career?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 6/16/2019.