Fedor Emelianenko

Fedor Vladimirovich^[8] Emelianenko, sometimes romanized as Fyodor Yemelyanenko (born September 28, 1976) is a Russian heavyweight mixed martial artist and the last person to hold the PRIDE heavyweight championship. He had been the reigning heavyweight champion in PRIDE since March 16, 2003. On July 19th 2008 in Anaheim California at Affliction Banned Fedor submitted Tim Sylvia in just 36 seconds to become the first ever W.A.M.M.A. World heavyweight champion.

Emelianenko has been considered the best heavyweight fighter in the world for the last five years by many major publications, including ESPN, the Orange County Register, The Fight Network, the Houston Chronicle, The Wrestling Observer, and Inside MMA.^[9][10] In addition to holding notable individual wins over K-1 Super heavyweight champion Semmy Schilt, former PRIDE and current UFC champion Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira (twice), Pride 2005 Open weight champion Mirko Filipovic, former UFC Heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia, and Mark Hunt, he has won numerous tournaments and accolades in multiple sports, most notably the PRIDE 2004 Grand Prix and the World Combat Sambo Championship on four occasions, as well as medaling in the Russian national judo championships. His sole loss, via doctor stoppage due to a cut via an illegal blow, is considered a mere technicality, which he decisively avenged.^[11]