HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. -- The best fighter in the history of mixed martial arts did it again on Saturday night, as Russia's Fedor Emelianenko beat Minnesota's Brett Rogers by second-round technical knockout in the main event of the M-1 Global/Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers show.
Rogers connected with Fedor early and made him bleed from the nose, and he more than acquitted himself in the fight, getting control of Fedor on the ground and looking better against Fedor than any opponent has in the last few years.
But there's only one Fedor, and in the second round of his Strikeforce debut, he showed why he's the greatest ever, leveling Rogers with a brutal right hand and then a couple more punches on the ground before referee Big John McCarthy stepped in to save Rogers.
The official time of the stoppage was 1:48 of the second round.
"I felt really good," the plain-spoken Fedor said through his translator after the fight. "The main thing is not to be nervous, to take some time in the first round, and then look for a weak place and use it."
Fedor Emelianenko makes his way to the cage at his Strikeforce debut on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009 in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.
Esther Lin, Strikeforce
Brett Rogers makes his way to the cage at the Strikeforce event on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009 in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.
Esther Lin, Strikeforce
Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rogers grapple on the cage at the Strikeforce event on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009 in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.
Esther Lin, Strikeforce
Fedor Emelianenko punches Brett Rogers in the head at the Strikeforce event on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009 in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.
Esther Lin, Strikeforce
Fedor Emelianenko of Russia, right, fights Brett Rogers in the second round of the Heavyweight Main Event Strike Force Mixed Martial Arts match at The Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Il. Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009.
Paul Beaty, AP
Fedor Emelianenko of Russia, top, fights Brett Rogers in the second round of the Heavyweight Main Event StrikeForce Mixed Martial Arts match at The Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill. Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009. Emelianenko stopped Brett Rogers in the second round in a Strikeforce M-1 Global heavyweight bout.
Paul Beaty, AP
Fedor Emelianenko of Russia, right, fights Brett Rogers in the second round of the Heavyweight Main Event Strike Force Mixed Martial Arts match at The Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Il. Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009.
Paul Beaty, AP
Fedor Emelianenko attempts a submission against Brett Rogers at the Strikeforce event on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009 in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.
Esther Lin, Strikeforce
Fedor Emelianenko connects with a punch against Brett Rogers at the Strikeforce event on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009 in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.
Esther Lin, Strikeforce
Fedor Emelianenko winds up for another punch against Brett Rogers at the Strikeforce event on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009 in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.
Esther Lin, Strikeforce
Fedor said after the fight that although Rogers opened up a cut on his nose and once got on top of him and landed several hard punches, it didn't affect him at all during the fight.
"Nothing serious," Fedor said. "It happens in mixed martial arts. I was waiting for that strike but I missed it somehow. ... There were no dangerous situations during the fight. ... Brett is a very serious, very strong opponent, but the first round came out the way we thought about it and the whole fight came out the way we thought about it."
Rogers said after the fight that he felt terrible about losing a fight he thought he had a chance of winning, but that he hopes he'll get a chance to step into the cage with Fedor again some day.
"I hate it," Rogers said. "I'm coming back stronger. ... If he wants to rematch me, I would gladly take that rematch. ... The difference is I'll come out a whole lot more aggressive."
Fabricio Werdum, who defeated Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva in another fight on Saturday night's card, said afterward that he thinks he deserves to get Fedor next.
"I think it's my time to fight against Fedor," Werdum said. "I believe in my techniques and if I could get him on the ground anything could happen."
Even though it was an American taking on a Russian here in suburban Chciago, the crowd was overwhelmingly behind Fedor, who has earned the respect of MMA fans around the world for being, simply, the best.
Get the week's must see MMA stories, hand-picked for your inbox.
Show more info?
We’ve developed a unique newsletter that delivers the top MMA stories of the week, that you don't want to miss, delivered directly to your email inbox. The MMA Main Event newsletter is curated by an SB Nation MMA editor who follows sports the way you do: as a fan.
You can unsubscribe at anytime, and we'll never use your address for evil. Not interested? Make this bar go away forever. You can always sign up later.
0 comments
