Fedor Emelianenko ends retirement, will fight on New Year's Eve in Japan
Fedor Emelianenko will make his return to MMA in a fight on New Year's Eve in Tokyo, Japan, write MMA Junkie's Brent Brookhouse and Matt Erickson.
The announcement was made during Bellator 142, broadcast on Spike TV, by former PRIDE president Nobuyuki Sakakibara.
Emelianenko's fight will be part of Sakakibara's new promotion's first event.
It's a broadcast deal between Sakakibara and Spike. Bellator gets its name attached to it. No say in Fedor's opponent, who is TBD.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) September 20, 2015
Fedor, 38, retired in 2012 with a 34-4 record.
Spike TV president Kevin Kay released the following statement:
We are thrilled to join forces with Nobuyuki Sakakibara and our partner, Bellator President Scott Coker, to give MMA fans a big reason to celebrate this New Year’s Eve: Fedor fighting for free on Spike,
The Fedor fight will take place in a ring.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) September 20, 2015