Inside MMA @IsideMMAaxstv

Sources close to Inside MMA & @BasRuttenMMA say Fedor Emelianenko will fight Tsuyoshi Kohsaka in a rubber match New Year’s Eve in Japan.

The first name floated for Fedor Emelianenko’s debut at the ‘New Pride’ RIZIN on New Years Eve was Indian-Japanese kickboxer Jaideep Singh. The response was a worldwide ‘WTF’.

Now a new name has appeared. Tsuyoshi Kohsaka, 45, has not fought in over nine years, and went out 2-3 out of the last five, after a long and respected career. With Fedor now 39, it is baffling to see name like this given what RIZIN boss Nobuyuki Sakakibara is on record as saying.

“We would like to select a fighter who will mean something for the future of mixed martial arts,” he said, setting off high expectations.

For many years Kohsaka was the sole loss on Fedor’s record, when after the fight was controversially stopped due to cuts. Although TK had some tremendous fights, he was never near Fedor’s level, as shown in the rematch. He is now 45, and nearly a decade removed from fighting. What a trilogy fight would accomplish is difficult to see. 

In a positive turn, Senior VP at RIZIN Jerry Millen tweeted that it isn’t so.

“For those who think they have ‘sources’ in Japan,” Millen wrote. “Hate to burst your bubble. Fedor IS NOT fighting TK.”

There has to be a Kimbo Slice test applied to prospective Fedor opponents on NYE. If the fighter has less chance than Kimbo, then it is a freakshow. TK is a freakshow.

And it can always be worse. Eight-time BJJ black belt world champion is being paired up with big and tall two-stripe blue belt and pro wrestler Lei’D Tapa (real name Sione Barbarian).