Ryan Bader: 'Fedor Has a Country on His Back, but He's Coming into My Country'

Ryan Bader: ‘Fedor Has a Country on His Back, but He’s Coming into My Country’

January 26, 2019

“Fedor Emelianenko is MMA. Fedor has a mystique about him.”

Those words came from the mouth of Ryan Bader, current Bellator light heavyweight champion. So it’s clear that he has a deep respect for the man that he will step into the cage with on Saturday night in California.

There’s no denying Fedor is one of the greatest fighters of all time, but Bader believes that he is at a point in his career where he is ready to take the mantle from the great Russian fighter.

With a win over Fedor at Bellator 214 in the Heavyweight World Grand Prix final, Bader would become the promotion’s first simultaneous two-division champion. With a win over Fedor at Bellator 214, Bader would etch his name in the history books.

“I’m here in the finals against Fedor and I’m taking him out. There’s nobody that is gonna stop me from being a two-division champion.”