Bellator MMA has been to many different countries over the years, but one country they haven’t been to yet is Russia.
Scott Coker would like to hold a Bellator event in Russia and he would like to do so with Fedor Emelianenko on the card.
“Fighting in Russia is definitely something we’d like to have happen,” he told RT Sport. “We think Fedor will be a great fighter, obviously because of his history, to launch us in the territory. But I think Fedor will fight a couple of times before we go to Russia. We’re working on a fight hopefully to have him fighting in Japan before the end of the year and that’s what we’re working on. It’s not signed yet, by any means, it’s not done yet. I’ll see Fedor in Milan in two weeks and we’ll have a discussion, but we’re getting close.”
Emelianenko has had a stellar run in Bellator, winning two of four in the promotion, with those wins coming over Frank Mir and Chael Sonnen.
Coker also says that when Emelianenko fights in Russia, it could serve as his retirement bout.
“I think the plan was to have Fedor fight two times, and then go to Russia,” he said. “And I think this will probably be his final match. This’ll be the retirement fight. So, if people want to see Fedor, the greatest fighter in the history of MMA, especially the greatest heavyweight of all time, they’ve got to come to the fight and see him live. But we’re talking years away, probably. Or a year away, or two years away, who knows? But we’re definitely working on his first fight, which will be done here soon.”
The only other major North American MMA promotion to run in Russia in the UFC, which will hold their third event in the country next month.
