The Last Emperor’s Retirement: Remembering the Career of Fedor Emelianenko Written by Andres Salazar February 5th marked the end of the career of one of the most important athletes in martial arts history. Fighting in the main event of Bellator 290, known by the nickname of “the last emperor”, Russia’s Fedor Emelianenko tested himself, unsuccessfully, one more time for the heavyweight championship. At an MMA record of forty wins and seven losses (Sherdog, 2023), the fighter put his gloves on the canvas floor, signaling the end of his lengthy and prestigious run as a professional combat sports athlete, as well as the very end of the days of early MMA pioneers…