Those words graced a Showtime poll which was plastered on the screen at every opportunity during last night's broadcast, asking fans to weigh in on a topic that the man himself had left up to the infallible guidance of his metaphysical Creator. By the end of the night, 57% of the respondents answered with the affirmative, that his fight with Dan Henderson would be the last. I'm curious to see how those numbers would look like had Showtime asked its audience AFTER Henderson buried the Russian's face deep into the foundation of the Sears Centre.
Yet, Matt Bishop reported last night on the radio show that Emelianenko dropped his stoic, almost bored demeanor at the post-fight press conference. Instead, he appeared jovial, cracking smiles and laughing and generally not looking like a fighter who had just dropped his third straight fight.
The retirement question was asked of Fedor in every media appearance leading up to this fight, and his answer never deviated. He would leave it in the hands of God. Fedor Emelianenko, according to the man himsel, is not in control of his own destiny.
And I think that last point is true, but I question whether God is the ultimate arbiter.
Earlier this year, Antonio Silva battered the Russian with Donkey Kong hammer fists from mount, coloring his face a scarlet red and shutting his right eye entirely. When asked by Showtime's Gus Johnson about his future, Emelianenko hinted, strongly, at the possibility of retirement.
But M-1 Global and Vadim Finkelstein were quick to dispel that notion. After a few weeks back home in Mother Russia, Emelianenko's tune started to change as well. He admitted to "speaking too soon" and allowing the emotion of the moment to play a part in his thoughts that night.
Emelianenko showed up at the weigh-ins on Friday looking in better shape than we've seen since signing with Strikeforce (and at 223 pounds, he came in lighter than any fight I can remember in recent history). Yet, from the opening bell, his natural athletic gifts seemed to have left him. I agreed with the notion that Emelianenko's prime years had passed him by. I agreed that he started to slow down. I did not expect that degradation to play such a big part in his fight against Dan Henderson. Henderson's never been known as the biggest, fastest, or strongest guy, even at middleweight (though he's certainly strong and he is no snail), but it looked to me as if he matched, if not exceeded, Emelianenko in the physical department last night.
Despite that, Emelianenko's skills haven't deteriorated enough that he couldn't be a valuable player at either heavyweight or light heavyweight. Despite the recent influx of talent, the UFC's heavyweight division still has the depth of a kiddie pool.
All of these points lead back to M-1 Global. It's M-1 Global, not a metaphysical being, that is in their meal ticket's ear. The entire M-1 operation has been funded on the back of the pious man from Stary Oskol. Do they want to play ball with Zuffa? Will they shed their inflated sense of self-worth with their crown jewel's demand at an all-time low? Will they take their ball, go home, and prop their faded star against men with five-consecutive consonants in their name in the M-1 ring?
In every single opportunity to negotiate, we've see M-1 squeeze as much juice from their fruit as they can. They did it with Bodog. They did it with Affliction. They did it with Strikeforce. They tried to do it with the UFC, but failed. While Emelianenko's value has been almost entirely exhausted, there's still juice left to be procured. And M-1 is gonna make sure they get their last drop.
SBN coverage of Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson