Tonight MMA fans saw the return of Strikeforce’s Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko. Fedor (31-1-0) who is widely considered as the top heavyweight fighter in all of MMA, entered the cage to take on Fabricio Werdum (13 - 4 - 1).

Werdum, trained in Brazilian jujitsu, said before the fight that his game plan was to take Fedor to the ground and keep him there. One problem Fabricio, we’re talking about Fedor Emelianenko, the baddest dude in Strikeforce. Arn’t we?

Fedor knocked Werdum down about thirty seconds into the first round, but Werdum recovered nicely by slipping Fedor into a triangle, which ultimately ended the night very early.

Yes, you read those words correctly, Fedor lost via triangle in the first round. In fact Fedor tapped out within the first minute of the first round.

While Fador claims to be an “ordinary man” and “not invincible”, he had made a pretty darn good case against himself, and his own words. But tonight his great win streak is over, and Fedor is proven to be human after all.

It’s no secret that the UFC has been trying to acquire Fedor for some time now. UFC President Dana White has been very critical of the praise given to Feador, and has publicly challenged him to come to the UFC and take on the best heavyweights in the fight game. Fedor didn’t bite.

It is interesting though, and I have to admit that I’m guilty of wishing Fedor would have head over the UFC myself. Can he really stand up to the likes of UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar (who by the way has a fight next weekend, July 3, against interim heavyweight champ Shane Carwin).

Some might say that Fedor signed with Strikeforce because he wanted to be the big fish in a small pond. He knows fighters with Strikeforce are intimidated by him, but to be the best you have to beat the best.

After tonight, one thing is clear…Fedor is human after all.

by Ryan Steck