LOS ANGELES — Many people feel like Fedor Emelianenko is the greatest MMA fighter who ever lived, pointing to his 10-year undefeated streak as an example of his excellence.
Alistair Overeem does not prescribe to that theory — and he took it one step further. At a UFC 203 media lunch Monday, Overeem said he believes that Emelianenko is not even the best heavyweight of all time.
"He's a friend of mine," Overeem said. "I like him as a person. I never had anything negative with him, even when we were supposed to fight and he declined. But at the time that he could test himself — and he had several occasions — he turned down the UFC. And the UFC is where the competition is at. He declined to do that."
Overeem is on the short list of greatest heavyweights in MMA history and has a chance to add to his legacy if he can beat UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic in the UFC 203 main event Sept. 10 in Cleveland. Overeem does not know who the best in the weight class of all time is; he just doesn't think it was Emelianenko.
Emelianenko had a great run in Pride, going up against the likes of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Mirko Cro Cop, Overeem said, but it was downhill from there. Overeem said Emelianenko turned down fights with him in Strikeforce twice and then ended up losing three in a row.
Emelianenko returned to fighting on New Year's Eve with Rizin after three years away, defeating unsung kickboxer Jaideep Singh. He then won a contested decision against former UFC light heavyweight Fabio Maldonado in June for Eurasia Fight Nights (EFN). Many believe that fight should have been a draw, a Maldonado victory or even a Maldonado TKO in the first round when Emelianenko was in trouble.
The World MMA Association overturned the result to a draw, but the Russian MMA Union, which just so happens to be run in part by Emelianenko itself, has refused to change it.
"I think he messed it up with Strikeforce and he totally messed it up in coming back," Overeem said. "He fought Maldonado, Maldonado is a light heavyweight. Fedor is a heavyweight. And he actually lost that fight, right?"
There was talk that Fabricio Werdum could be perhaps the best heavyweight of all time after he defeated Cain Velasquez to win the UFC title last year. Werdum has wins over the likes of Emelianenko, Nogueira and Mark Hunt. Werdum has also beaten Overeem, though Overeem won their last matchup in 2011 in Strikeforce.
Overeem, 36, is far less impressed with Werdum and he does not think "Vai Cavalo," who dropped the UFC belt to Miocic at UFC 198 in May, should be thought of among the elite heavyweights of all time.
"I'm not a big fan of his fighting," Overeem said. "I respect his accomplishments, because he's very tricky and is a clever guy, but I'm just not blown away by his performances. When you look at Fedor, I am way more blown away by his performances. And also somebody like Big Nog, who also had a great run in Pride."
Emelianenko, 39, is currently a free agent and has not signed with any organization following his one fight in EFN. Emelianenko and the UFC have had discussions once again about him coming over. If he did, Overeem said he'd have no interest in fighting him.
"I'm not gonna hunt for somebody who is down," Overeem said. "Why would I want to beat him? When you look at my résumé, when you look at my career, it's always been about challenging myself to the max."