MMA: Aleksander Emelianenko and 4 of the Lesser Celebrated Brothers of MMA

Fedor Emelianenko, Ken Shamrock, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Alistair Overeem and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria are some of the most recognizable names in all of Mixed Martial Arts.

These men are some of the most popular fighters to ever set foot in a ring or octagon, some of the greatest champions and most entertaining mixed martial artists to ever fight.

They have all held championships, been decorated in combat sports and fought all over the world against some of the best competition of their time (and even against each other).

However, there is one more thing they have in common: They all have brothers who also fight. The Emelianenkos, Shamrocks, Ruas, Overeems and Noguerias carry some of the most legendary names in the Mixed Martial Arts community. The thing is, some brothers enjoy a little more recognition than others.

Now things are about to change. Here are five fighters whose brothers get a little more of the spotlight than they do—until now.

Aleksander Emelianenko

Photo courtesy of boxrec.com

A National and World Champion in Sambo, Aleksander Emelianenko is no stranger to combat sports. The younger brother of the legendary Fedor Emelianenko, Aleksander is a veteran of Pride Fighting Championships, competing against names like Josh Barnett and Sergei Kharitnov.

While he hasn't enjoyed the same success as his older brother, Aleksander ventured into boxing as well—and also engages in bear hunting.

Both he and Fedor also have a younger brother, Ivan, who is training to make his MMA debut as well.

Murilo Rua

Photo courtesy of mmamania.com

The older brother of former UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Murilo "Ninja" Rua is a seasoned veteran of Mixed Martial Arts.

Another competitor in Pride Fighting Championships, Ninja has fought the likes of Quinton Jackson, Robbie Lawler, Riki Fukuda, Ricardo Arona and Paulio Filho, to name a few.

The first Elite XC Middleweight Champion, Rua lost his last bout to Tom Watson for the BAMMA Middleweight Championship.

Frank Shamrock

Photo courtesy of prommanow.com

Compared to his adopted brother Ken Shamrock, Frank has a fighting resume that can definitely stand on its own.

Ken seems to enjoy more attention due to his stint on WWE and his well documented rivalries with fighters like Tito Ortiz. Frank even admitted to wanting to fight Ken; however, nothing ever materialized.

A former UFC and WEC Light-Heavyweight Champion, as well as Strikeforce Middleweight Champion, he holds notable wins over Tito Ortiz, Bas Rutten and Cesar Gracie.

After a loss to Nick Diaz, Shamrock retired, moving outside of the cage to commentary for Strikeforce.

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

Photo courtesy of mmaontap.com

One of the greatest fighters to ever fight in Pride Fighting Championships, "Lil Nog" holds wins over Kazushi Sakuraba, Alistair Overeem and Dan Henderson.

He is the twin brother of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and the two have finally reunited under the UFC banner. However, Rogerio has hit a slump recently, dropping losses to Ryan Bader and Phil Davis.

Now he will be facing Rich Franklin at UFC 133.

Valentijn Overeem

Photo courtesy of deliberationroom.com

The older brother of current Strikeforce and Dream Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem, Valentijn is a veteran of RINGS and Pride Fighting Championships. He has fought names like Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Randy Couture—the latter of which he defeated.

The first of the brothers to enter into Mixed Martial Arts, Valentijn was the one who introduced the sport to Alistair.

Now fighting under Strikeforce, he is an alternate in the Heavyweight Grand Prix. The brothers have openly admitted to being okay with fighting each other should they ever be called to do so.