Fedor Considering Move Down to Light Heavyweight?

[Troy]

I just read a rumour that Fedor may permanently move down to Light Heavyweight and may have already been offered a fight with Dan Henderson at 205.

This is the first I have heard of it and it sounds like a fantastic idea to me. He is a small heavyweight at around 230 pounds and so if he actually cut weight he could quite easily get down to 205. He wouldn't have to worry about being out-weighed by fifty pounds and he wouldn't be out-muscled like he was against Silva in his last fight. This could be a career saving move for him since at heavyweight he doesn't seem like he can handle it anymore.

Your thoughts on Fedor as a Light Heavyweight?

 

[Slim]

The move for Fedor could ultimately be a good thing. Plus it would being forth that super fight between Hendo and Fedor and that would be a very awesome fight.

But Fedor, I do believe could still hang in the heavyweights as he is still incredibly talented... but it's just that uphill battle with all the huge fighters that is making it difficult. Kind of like what Couture has to deal with in UFC since he is a undersized heavyweight.

But Fedor in the light heavyweight division would be awesome at least for the Hendo fight. Beyond that not sure what other fights I'd be looking forward to seeing him participate in over in Strikeforce. In UFC there would be some pretty nice matchups but ah well. He's not in UFC cause M-1 is stupid.

But... Fedor making the move = good for his career.

 

[Dademo]

You see this is the perfect time where a Cruiserweight division, like from 205-235 would be perfect come in. There's huge LHW's that would be small at HW's, and small HW's that would be big at LHW. Fedor is one of those people in the HW division, while people like Rampage and Forrest fit in vice versa.

I'd like to see him move to 205. I can see him making weight there and a fight with Hendo would be fun to watch. No more ice cream though!

 

[Deezy]

I don't think MMA needs another weight class tbh, the problem that Fedor and Couture had with these new HWs were that these HWs could actually fight. The days of Fedor subbing a seven foot soupcan named Hong Man Choi are over, and Bigfoot just proved that.

Him moving down to LHW is fine, he should do whatever feels right to him, he's earned that right. Still going to be considered one of the greatest of all time, even with this recent skid. Even the best start falling off at the end.

 

[Slim]

Yeah no matter what Fedor is going to go down as one of the best or the best fighter out there. But yeah... no need for another division. We don't need MMA to turn into boxing where they have a division for like every 5-10 pounds. Fedor should be able to hopefully drop down in weight without too much problem. Then he could go another couple years maybe. I do think Fedor could still hang with the bigger guys but... probably not as big as Bigfoot.

 

[Dademo]

I'm not saying we need it, but I was saying it for a case for whether Fedor couldn't make 205 or not, but I'm assuming he will.

 

[Deezy]

Fedor barely walks around at 220-230 lbs, he could make LHW easily, he just diodn't have to. 30 fight winning streak says, I should stay here until I can't handle it nymore, and thats what he did. He should be able to drop a weight class no problem, and venture out of Russia, get some different training partners and some new strength and conditioning programs, he could be successful at LHW.

Problem with Fedor is that he doesn't exactly enjoy fighting, it was just something he happened to be good at, and could make a good living at. It's a job to him and he doesn't have the passion for it like other fighters do. His passion is Sambo, and if there was money to be made doing that, he would be doing that instead.

 

[Chase]

Fedor to LHW would be something good too see and could be a spark of new life for Fedor as a fighter. I would like to see this move happen, but I do not think he should fight Henderson right away. Give him a few warm up fights.

 

[Dademo]

Gegard Mousasi would be an awesome first 205 fight imo. He'll probably get like a can like Mike Kyle though.

 

[Deezy]

Mousasi is under the M1 banner, seriously doubt he fights Fedor.

Would rather see a superfight against Hendo.

But, he will definitely get a can like Mike Kyle or Babalu.

 

[Dademo]

Mousasi is under the M1 banner, seriously doubt he fights Fedor.

Would rather see a superfight against Hendo.

But, he will definitely get a can like Mike Kyle or Babalu.

Totally forgot about that, but those other two suggestions could work.

 

[Troy]

When rumors began circulating that Fedor Emelianenko was considering a drop to light heavyweight to face Strikeforce 205-pound kingpin Dan Henderson, representatives from M-1 were quick to quash them.

“At this time it is all rumor with no truth. It’s not anything M-1 has considered at all,” M-1′s head of PR Eric Nicholls told MiddleEasy last month. “Should it be decided that Fedor would consider dropping to 205, M-1 would make an official announcement.”

Well, it looks like Nicholls was just pretending that things were business as usual at M-1 as Fedor has now admitted that he is considering dropping down a weight class.

In an interview with the Dutch website MixFight.NL, “The Last Emperor” says that Strikeforce has not made an offer of a light heavyweight bout, but that hasn’t stopped him from discussing the idea with his management.

“Yes, I have talked about [dropping to 205] with my manager, Vadim Finklestein,but as far as I know there has been no offer made by Strike Force for me to fight as a light heavyweight,” Emelianenko explained. “It was not the size or weight advantage that caused my loss [to Silva]. Its just a fight and anything can happen. The game plan did not work out the way I wanted it to, but the weight was definitely not the reason.”

The Russian fighter also talked about why he decided to continue fighting after he seemed ready to step away from the sport following his loss to Antonio Silva.

“For me it was a moment of disappointment when I lost the fight against Antonio Silva. It was not a moment of weakness, but at that particular time it was the way I felt,” he said. “Back in Russia I talked about it with my management and my spiritual father and my decision now is to continue fighting.”

When asked whom he would like to rematch if given the opportunity, Fedor was quick to reply.

“It Would be Antonio Silva and Fabricio Werdum.”

So it looks like Fedor wants to continue at heavyweight for sometime that is unless Strikeforce ask him to drop down. It is good that he still has the passion to fight at heavyweight but I still think that it would be good to see what he could do at LHW.

 

[Deezy]

I don't see it being so much a passion for being a HW, so much as a means to not cut weight. Fedor has been at his comfortable weight for most of his career and doesn't seem to like cutting weight. That being said, his views on the Bigfoot fight seem to be dillusional, it's absolutuely about the weight difference. It's not like when he was fighting the Zulu's and Hong Man Choi's of the world, these new HW's can actually fight.

 

[Dademo]

No doubt was it the size advantage. Like Deezy said though, Bigfoot is an actual full MMA fighter, unlike Hong-Man-Choi and Zuluzinho