Bellator

Fedor Emelianenko won’t rule out a potential return despite approaching the age of 50.

Emelianenko hasn’t competed in a pro MMA bout since Feb. 2023 when he suffered a first-round knockout loss to Ryan Bader in a failed bid to capture the Bellator Heavyweight Championship. While the general consensus is that Emelianenko’s exit was overdue, he might consider a comeback if the stars align.

“The Last Emperor” will turn 50 on Sept. 28, but he told Mike Bohn of MMAJunkie that he will keep his options open if a worthwhile deal comes along.

“I keep training,” Emelianenko said. “I keep training with my team. I’m coaching my team, so I keep training. Competition-wise, if it’s going to be a good offer, and it makes sense, why not (return)? I can compete still.”

Emelianenko also isn’t opposed to dabbling in the sweet science if a promoter is interested in booking him.

“We worked on boxing, so boxing is interesting,” Emelianenko said.

Emelianenko joked about possibly having the lost dream match with Randy Couture, who turned 63 this past June. During his time away from prizefighting, Emelinanenko has served as a mentor to reigning PFL heavyweight titleholder Vadim Nemkov. On Nov. 14, Nemkov is scheduled to defend his gold against Sergey Bilostenniy in Dubai.

“The Last Emperor” was recently seen during the launch event for Scott Coker’s Ki MMA promotion. The company’s inaugural event is scheduled to take place at some point in Q1 2027. Coker brought in a slew of names he’s worked with over the years, including Nate Diaz and Cris Cyborg for the launch party. At this time, there’s no word on what the initial roster will look like for Coker’s promotion.

What do you make of Fedor Emelianenko potentially having another bout as he approaches 50? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM