Russia’s Emelianenko overweighs US opponent Sonnen ahead of MMA

Russia’s legendary mixed martial arts (MMA) heavyweight fighter Fedor Emelianenko outweighed his opponent Chael Sonnen of the United States ahead of their bout in New York on Saturday, MMAfighting.com reported on Friday.

Russia’s Emelianenko is scheduled to face off US fighter Chael Sonnen (30 wins; 15 losses; 1 draw) in New York, the United States, on the night of October 13.

Stepping on the scales on Friday, Russia’s 42-year-old Emelianenko weighed 107 kilograms (236 pounds). His 41-year-old opponent from the United States, Sonnen, registered the weight of 102.9 kilograms (227 pounds). Both fighters were announced eligible for tomorrow’s bout having passed the required mark of under 122 kilograms (269 pounds).

Emelianenko boasts an impressive career record of 37 wins (28 KOs) and 5 losses and is dubbed in the world of MMA as ‘The Last Emperor.’

Emelianenko took his numerous fans worldwide by surprise in July 2015 by announcing his return to professional sports after an almost three-year hiatus. During his retirement period, Emelianenko held the post of the Russian MMA Union’s president and had also served from November 2012 as an advisor to then-Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko.

After his comeback in 2015, Emelianenko held four bouts to date, defeating India’s Jaideep Singh, then taking another victory over Brazil’s Fabio Maldonado. Last June he lost by TKO to US fighter Matt Mitrione and this April he defeated US heavyweight Frank Mir with a KO win in the first round.

Born on September 28, 1976 in the town of Rubezhnoye (located currently on the territory of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People’s Republic in Ukraine’s southeast), Emelianenko fought to champions titles throughout his career.

He is the 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 medalist (1998, 1999).

In 2009, the respected US sports magazine, Sports Illustrated, named him "the top MMA fighter of the decade.".