Fedor Emelianenko unsurprisingly chill about scrapped Bellator 172 headliner, says it was 'God's plan'

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The word “disappointment” seems like a rather tame term to describe the general feeling following the last-minute cancellation of Fedor Emelianenko’s Bellator debut after opponent Matt Mitrione fell ill.

But while Bellator President Scott Coker seemed rightfully upset after losing the night’s big draw, and Mitrione (11-5 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) was still struggling to pass the painful kidney stone hours after the heavyweight headliner was supposed to have taken place, one person who seemed somewhat unaffected by the whole ordeal was Emelianenko (36-4 MMA, 0-0 BMMA), himself.

Speaking to reporters at Saturday’s post-Bellator 712 press conference, the ever-stoic Emelianenko detailed his emotions upon finding that he would no longer be stepping into the cage that night.

Spoiler: There weren’t that many of them.

“The first emotions, that was a big surprise when Scott told that Matt got to the hospital,” Emelianeko said through an interpreter at SAP Center, host site of Bellator 172, in San Jose, Calif. “But that’s the life. And we have to accept it the way it is. That can happen with anybody, at any moment.”

With the cancellation, a lightweight scrap between Josh Thomson and Patricky Freire was bumped up to the Spike-televised headlining spot, while heavyweights Cheick Kongo and Oli Thompson co-headlined. Emelianenko is now eyeing a May or June return, quite possibly a re-booking against Mitrione.

When Emelianenko was queried about the possibility of perhaps taking on a (very) short-notice replacement, Coker promptly interrupted, adding that the names who volunteered to step up – Chael Sonnen and Tito Ortiz among them – were never passed along to “The Last Emperor.”

In any case, it doesn’t seem like he would’ve been that inclined to take them.

“I think it’s not really right to change the opponent just a few hours before the fight, at such a short notice,” Emelianenko said. “That’s why my decision and the decision of Bellator was to postpone the fight.”

Emelianenko went on to detail his side of the timeline that eventually led to the cancellation of the original headliner, explaining that it took two hours between finding out Mitrione was at the hospital and receiving confirmation that he, in fact, would not be able to compete.

When a reporter inquired whether those were the “most frustrating” hours he’s “ever experienced,” however, Emelianenko reacted with a laugh.

“No, they were not the most frustrating,” Emelianenko said. “We were just waiting.

“Was I nervous during that time? No, I was not very nervous. If it happened that way, that means that was God’s plan. And I accept it the way it is.”

For more on Bellator 172, check out the MMA Events section of the site.