Third consecutive MMA defeat leaves Emelianenko’s future in doubt

A third straight loss has left Fedor Emelianenko pondering his next step. The once seemingly invincible heavyweight was knocked out for the first time Saturday, losing to Dan Henderson in a Strikeforce main event in Chicago.

Emelianenko, 34, said he wanted to go home to Russia to see his newborn daughter before making any decisions about his future.

"With respect to MMA, I just have to think about it and decide what I'm going to do in the future. My entire adult life and young life, all I've known is training and fighting and competing," he said through a translator. "That's something that I'd very much love to continue doing and I'd still like for that to be a large part of my life.

"But today, in my life, what's first is my faith and my religion, and then my family. That's what I live for."

If Emelianenko decides to keep fighting, he will first have to sign a new deal. His contract expired with Saturday's fight and his negotiating power has dwindled.

When Emelianenko and his M-1 Global management signed with Strikeforce, he was on a 26-fight winning streak and regarded as the best fighter in the world. He was able to leverage more favorable terms from Strikeforce, which wanted to challenge the Ultimate Fighting Championship's market dominance.

Now the UFC owns Strikeforce, and UFC president Dana White is certainly not impressed with Emelianenko. White always has been vocal in asserting that Emelianenko's legend was a product of inferior competition.

"Michael Jordan of MMA!? Dumbest thing ever said!!! So stupid," White tweeted after Emelianenko lost.

Henderson's contract also expired, but his value has never been higher. The former UFC star is the Strikeforce light heavyweight champion and has won three straight fights by knockout.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker indicated he would like to re-sign both fighters. He might have much more competition in his efforts to ink Henderson.

■ ORTIZ UNDETERRED -- Amid all of the problems that have plagued the lineup for UFC 133 on Saturday at Philadelphia, it would have been fitting for the retooled main event to be scrapped by a car accident.

Tito Ortiz will be able to go through with his fight against Rashad Evans, however, after he was uninjured in a three-car wreck in Costa Mesa, Calif., on July 25.

Ortiz, who indicated he was distracted while driving his Rolls Royce Phantom and rear-ended another car, said he wasn't about to let a little fender-bender stop his momentum in the cage.

"I did the Long Beach Grand Prix and I crashed four times and I was hitting walls. On my honeymoon in my first marriage, I got hit by a bus going 30 (mph) and I fought and defended my world title against Yuki Kondo literally four months later," he said. "Stuff like that doesn't hurt me."

What may be a little more painful to deal with is the repair bill.

"It was an expensive car and it was 'my bad.' I was really, really bummed about it, but at the same time, it can be paid for. Thank God for insurance," he said.

■ OVEREEM CUT -- A week after Alistair Overeem was removed from the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, the organization officially released its heavyweight champion.

Coker confirmed the move Saturday, but declined further comment.

Daniel Cormier was inserted in Overeem's spot in the tournament and will take on Antonio Silva on Sept. 10.

Strikeforce has not announced plans for the belt, though the winner of the tournament would be a logical choice to become champion.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509.