MMA Dream Fight: Fedor Emelianenko vs. Randy Couture

A few years ago, a fight of Fedor Emelianenko versus Randy Couture would have held much greater significance than it does now. Though it is certainly not the most electrifying and anticipated MMA dream fight anymore, this matchup could still pull in and draw many hardcore MMA fans as well as the casual fans.

It's got all the elements you need for a great fight.

A former Pride champion versus a former UFC champion. Two fighters fighting to prove they aren't over the hill. Russia versus the United States in a Cold War, Rocky IV super fight.

Sure, it's no Anderson Silva versus Georges St-Pierre, but it's still got potential to be a good, close fight.

Tale of the Tape

Fedor Emelianenko (31-3-0, 1 NC)—He would come in at or around his normal fighting weight of 230 pounds. Fedor would also be bringing a 74-inch reach and a height just less than six feet tall. The big difference here would be that Fedor is only 34 years old.

Randy Couture (19-10-0)—Couture would come in around the same weight as Fedor (235 pounds). He is slightly taller then Fedor (6'1") and would have a shorter reach (72 inches). Again, the huge difference is age, with Couture being 47 years old compared to Fedor's 34.

What would Couture have to do to win?

This is probably the toughest to call because Fedor is much more well-rounded than any fighter Couture has ever faced. If he got into the clinch, Fedor could flip him and take him to the ground.

If he stood and tried to fight Fedor, Fedor could make him look bad and he has to worry about his notoriously weak chin. If the fight went to the ground, Fedor has the submission skills to tap him out.

Couture is a great strategist when it comes to MMA, but he doesn't have a wide ranging submission skill set. That being said, the ground is precisely where he would need to go.

Work Fedor in the clinch (something he's pretty good at) and bring him to the ground to try to work for a full mount and get the ground and pound going.

Couture would need to bring his A++ game to this one. He could conceivably stand and trade with Fedor. Of course, that strategy would require extreme caution. 

What would Fedor have to do to win?

Fedor could do a lot in this fight. But, he would have to stay away from the clinch and ground and just take it to Couture. Like it was said before, Couture has a weak chin and, if you can remember, during his fight with Ricco Rodriguez at UFC 39, Couture actually tapped to strikes.

Fedor has a much better chance to beat him standing then he does on the ground, where Couture always seems to comes through on top.  

Slugging his way to a victory would be his best shot...pretty simple. His striking is just simply better than Couture's, and Fedor would want to lean heavily on this key advantage.  

Prediction: Fedor by unanimous decision

I just think this fight wouldn't get finished in the three rounds. Though I do imagine a very close fight where either fighter could easily defeat the other, I see Emelianenko eventually getting the victory.   

This fight has come close to happening a couple of times, but too bad we'll probably never actually see this matchup come to pass. Well, unless you're playing EA Sports MMA, and even then you won't know who will win.

Just another fight we can only dream of.