Is Fedor Emelianenko's Legacy Jeopardized by His Place in MMA Today?

The legacy of a fighter lies not only in their own ability to compete but in the perception of the fans that are equally in control of the fighter’s legend.  The fighter controls their actions, but what the fan sees is not always as the actions appear.  

The black and white issue of a fighter’s wins and losses will withstand the test of time and tell the tale of the journey they made as a mixed martial artist.  Even still, this alone will not tell the entire story.

The grey area, the blur between fact and fiction, is very much dictated by the fans or even the media as they burn images in their minds of how they perceive the quest of any fighter they encounter.

For no fighter is that more true than “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko.  Not Georges St. Pierre, not B.J. Penn, not even Tito Ortiz can light up a message board like Fedor can.

The fans and critics will spurn a feeding frenzy if they smell a drop of Fedor blood in the water.  As a topic of conversation, he calls down opinions and analysis greater than any other fighter the sport has ever known.

It's the nature of the historic success Fedor has had considering the questions that surround the roads he traveled to find it.  Or as some might tell you the detours he has taken to preserve it.

Whether he's the indestructible god some make him out to be, or the calculated self-preserving mad scientist others believe he is, one thing is a certain fact: The man is a pillar of this sport.

Little more than 10 years ago, the Fedor legend was born like the tiniest of snow balls trickling down a remote mountainside.  Who would have known what the less than intimidating Russian would be able to accomplish?

Today, 32 wins and one questionable loss later, Fedor’s legend has become an unstoppable avalanche barreling down on MMA history.  Like him or hate him, believe in him or discredit him, no one can take away his accomplishments.

All that said, it's the past.  MMA carries a very "What have you done for me lately?" attitude and will not accept complacency.  This is very much a root cause of the naysayer’s position against the man.  

What he has been doing lately does not come close to living up to the expectations of the masses with regard to where he should be at this point of not only his own career but also where fate has carried this sport.

With the UFC soundly atop the MMA mountain, and Strikeforce playing second fiddle at best, many question the decision of Fedor and his management to leave his legacy in the hands of what essentially is an organization that, at the moment, couldn't carry the UFC’s hand wraps.

There is not one ounce of doubt by anyone who knows the first thing about MMA Fedor is of UFC quality as far as being a fighter.  Perhaps the opinions of how he would fare under the UFC banner would vary, but surely anyone who knows anything knows where Fedor belongs.

Yet there he sits, waiting to filter through the Strikeforce heavyweight division... a division that saw its champion hold the title hostage for almost three years.  This is not the most compelling division for a man of Fedor’s stature to waste away in.

He damn near lost to Brett “The Grim” Rogers in his Strikeforce debut, his first fight since seeing Andrei Arlovski put on a striking clinic against him at his final Affliction appearance. 

Of course, he beat both fighters with stunning knockout blows, but they both made “The Last Emperor” look very, very human.  With that in mind, is Fedor losing a step?

Even Fedor a step slow is better than most heavyweights in their prime, but it poses an interesting scenario.  Will he fall before he hangs up his gloves?  Will he suffer a devastating loss toward the end of his career, not unlike most fighters face many times over?

If he does lose, how will that affect his legacy.  To be blunt, it would appear where the loss takes place and to whom he loses will play heavily into how it changes the long-term perception of his storied career.

If Fedor goes into his fight this weekend and loses to Fabricio Werdum, would that hold more weight for a negative tone than if he were to lose to a Cain Velasquez or a Brock Lesnar?

This question brings with it a degree of futility, of course.  Until Fedor makes his way to the UFC, it can not be answered; only time will tell if it matters at all.  

Even still, one has to imagine a loss to a UFC cast-off in a second-tier promotion will hold much more weight than a loss to a top-10 heavyweight in the world’s premier promotion. 

Even a win over Werdum would be less than compelling.

Fedor should beat Werdum, just like the Yankees should beat the Orioles on most days of the week.  But should Werdum have a sharp night, a night that showcases just how talented he really is and take Fedor out, that risk far outweighs any reward Fedor can find in this match.

At the end of the day, Fedor risks tarnishing a truly spectacular career the longer he competes against heavyweights who, at best, are old UFC news.  The Alistair Overeem argument gets about as much blood flowing as playing Tiddlywinks.

What the fans want to know is can Fedor hang, can he compete within the truly elite and extremely deep UFC heavyweight division?  Many think he can and many think he can't, but no one wants to see him waste whatever fight is left in his heart as he competes in a second-tier promotion just because they will put his management team’s brand on a fight poster.

Quite honestly, no one gives a rat's ass about M-1 Global except M-1 Global.  Not one fight fan, analyst, or enthusiast loses a second's sleep over their co-promotional rights.

What the fight fan craves is to see this living legend compete and put a stamp on his legacy with authority.  There is absolutely no way he can do that beating Fabricio Werdum, and he damn sure can’t do it if he loses to him.

Fedor’s final chapter has yet to be written.  As he pens the closing words of an absolutely driving novel, he had best choose his words very carefully.  The world is watching, waiting, and expecting a climactic finish.  

That riveting close cannot and will not be found in fights like the one that is about to take place this weekend.  It will be found when he enters a cage with a young lion like Velasquez or Carwin.  

The clock is ticking away and everyone can hear it.  When it strikes midnight, here is to hoping that Fedor’s stunning career doesn't turn into a pumpkin.

This article originally published at Hurtsbad.com