The 39-year-old Emelianenko said in an interview that after Friday’s bout he would become a free agent and planned to join the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championships).
“Yes, this is a possibility. I have always wanted to fight as part of the UFC, but right now we are looking at the deal to make sure it meets the interests of our two organizations [MMA and UFC]” Emelianenko said in an interview with mmafighting.com.
"Right now, I'm much closer compared to when I just came back to MMA… Yes, we did receive an offer. But there are some finer points that we wanted to discuss," he added.
Fyodor Emelianenko has been out of the ring since he retired in 2012, but now he feels fit to fight Maldonado.
"I feel like I am back. A fighter is measured by the last fight. I'm looking forward to illustrate I am back in my usual form."
Fyodor Emelianenko has won numerous championships and accolades in multiple sports, most notably in MMA Pride Fighting Championships (heavyweight champion 2003-2007), FIAS World Combat Sambo Championship (Heavyweight Champion 2002, 2005, 2007), and Russian Judo Federation National Championship (Bronze medal 1998, 1999).
Vitaly Minakov, a four-time Sports Sambo world champion, Kirill Sidelnikov, a four-time Combat Sambo national champion, five-time Combat Sambo champion Rasul Mirzayev and other acclaimed martial artists will also be taking part in this major sports extravaganza to be watched by millions of TV viewers around the globe.
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