Scott Coker: Fedor Emelianenko coming back, but Bellator not interested – for now

TEMECULA, Calif. – Fedor Emelianenko may be coming back to MMA, but one of the sport’s two biggest players may not where he settles in upon his return.

Given Emelianenko’s history with the now-defunct Strikeforce and its then-President Scott Coker, many thought it a natural fit for the Russian legend to head to Bellator, where Coker now is president, if he made a comeback. After all, Emelianenko has made several promotional appearances for Bellator in the past and appears to have a good relationship with Coker.

The UFC, on the other hand, has a bit of a combative history with Emelianenko, at least in the media. But the UFC may have the inside track to signing him ahead of Bellator – which may be taking itself out of the running … at least for now.

“We’ve had conversations, but not about fighting,” Coker told MMAjunkie on Thursday in Temecula, Calif., ahead of tonight’s Bellator 141. “I just felt Fedor is a great legend. He’s on the Mount Rushmore of MMA. We had a great time doing the fights together with Fedor (in Strikeforce) … I felt like we’ve done it already with Fedor.”

That doesn’t mean, of course, that Bellator is completely out of the picture, especially not in a sport in which nothing is a sure thing until the ink is dry on the contract, and even then things can change.

But Coker said down the road, Emelianenko might be a better fit with Bellator.

“We’ve got a great roster and a great thing going,” he said. “When he comes back into the market, I feel like he’s going to come back for three or four years. He’s not going to come back for one fight. And he is coming back – for sure. … But I’m not sure where he’s going – if he’s close to signing with the UFC, I hear rumors of this and that. I haven’t asked him.

“Let’s let him come back and see how it works out for him, and then maybe we’ll have him fight a couple years down the line, or next year, or whatever. The door is open, but I felt like at this point, Bellator is kind of on a little bit of a roll here. Would he add a lot of value? Yes. But we’re just going to sit back and see what happens.”

A little more than three years ago, the heavyweight legend hung up his gloves. Nearly a year ago, the Russian nixed any talk of a comeback, telling Michael Schiavello on “The Voice vs. Fedor” on AXS TV that he was through.

“I already fought my share,” Emelianenko told Schiavello in the interview. “God gave me a rich and eventful career. I gave God everything. I’m done fighting. Only God’s will (can bring me back).”

But earlier this summer, news broke, first with a report from Russian MMA news outlet Union MMA, that God is willing 38-year-old back into fighting.

“For every athlete it is very important to be able to engage in their favorite thing: give all the best in training, performing in competitions, defending the honor of the motherland,” Emelianenko told the site. “… But now I feel that it is time to return to the ring. I was able to recover and heal old wounds. The last three years I have maintained the physical form, but this level is not enough to go into battle.

“Therefore recently I started intensive training. We have assembled a team of versatile coaches and athletes who will help me in the training process. … Negotiations are underway with (promotions). Once agreements are reached, there will be information on the date of the fight and (opponent).”

Emelianenko (34-4) most recently fought in June 2012 under the M-1 Global banner and knocked out Pedro Rizzo. He retired after the fight on a three-fight winning streak, which reversed a three-fight skid for Strikeforce.

After going more than 10 years without a loss, he suffered a submission loss to Fabricio Werdum in June 2010 for his first defeat in 30 fights. In 2011, he then suffered back-to-back losses to Antonio Silva and Dan Henderson.

His three-fight winning streak to close his career came against Jeff Monson, Satoshi Ishii and Rizzo.

But what Emelianenko is perhaps remembered for as much as anything is something he didn’t do, and that’s fight in the UFC. The two infamously negotiated, but never could come to an agreement.

Two and a half years ago, UFC President Dana White said the promotion was close to signing him for a fight at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas against Brock Lesnar. But that never came to fruition.

More recently, Emelianenko has been making appearances with Bellator doing fan autograph signings and meet-and-greets.

For more on the Bellator and UFC schedules, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of the site.