Fedor: I don’t condone Chael Sonnen’s behavior
Fedor Emelianenko: “The more an individual talks outside of the ring, the less he does in the ring.”
The greatest heavyweight in MMA history, Fedor Emelianenko, appeared last month on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour for a wide-ranging interview. When Fedor’s fight with Matt Mitrione was canceled at the last minute, Chael Sonnen offered to step up, but The Last Emperor said, “Nyet.” He explained why to Helwani, via a translator. Sonnen was once the greatest trash talker in combat sports, and Fedor is not impressed.
“Yes we were asked,” said Fedor, as transcribed by Tim Burke for BE. “We were approached with a replacement, but however, decided to go against it. It would be extremely wrong to change the opponent three hours before the fight for us, as well as the potential opponent. So we decided to postpone the fight if possible.”
At Tuesday’s press conference for Bellator NYC, Sonnen was up to his usual verbal shenanigans, ahead of his fight vs. Wanderlei Silva, and Silva was asked by Helwani to comment. The stoic Russian chuckled and shook his head before replying.
“I don’t agree or condone that type of behavior among, not just people, but sportsmen within the sport as an athlete,” he said.
“I think you should always be in control of yourself. I also feel that the more an individual talks outside of the ring, the less he does in the ring.”
Fedor Emelianenko fights Matt Mitrione in the co-main event of Bellator 180 on June 15 in New York, New York.