Josh Barnett, Tito Ortiz interested in Fedor Emelianenko

It appears Scott Coker will have possibilities when selecting who to set throughout the cage from Fedor Emelianenko in his farewell struggle.

Bellator president Coker advised MMA Junkie in December that he has a massive grand finale in thoughts for Emelianenko’s (39-6 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) illustrious vocation. It features placing the Russian in a packed stadium of 30,000 people in Moscow, but the coronavirus pandemic naturally would make that an incredibly difficult aspiration.

With the COVID-19 vaccine starting off to roll out, although, Coker’s optimism is raising that he can effectively execute his prepare. If it does happens, who will be standing across from him?

The MMA Junkie employees designed some choices in the most current version of “Spinning Again Clique,” a weekly panel discussion on MMA subject areas. Two names who weren’t talked about, nevertheless, have been former UFC champions Josh Barnett and Tito Ortiz, who threw their names into the hat more than the weekend (via Twitter):

There is only just one real possibility here. https://t.co/C0cMZXYNkY

— 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖂𝖆𝖗𝖒𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗 (@JoshLBarnett) January 2, 2021

I will 2nd that!

— Tito Ortiz (@titoortiz) January 2, 2021

Barnett (35-8), who claimed he’s the “only suitable decision” in a follow-up reply on Twitter, has a heritage with Emelianenko. The pair were being meant to battle in the now-defunct Affliction corporation in 2009, but the battle fell aside times prior when Barnett unsuccessful a drug test, sparking a chain response that in the belief of numerous led to the promotion’s downfall.

The yrs because have observed Barnett consistently drive to have the combat rebooked, but it is by no means appear to fruition.

Ortiz (21-12-1), in the meantime, hasn’t fought for Bellator considering the fact that beating Chael Sonnen in January 2017. He’s had a pair of fights in opposition to Chuck Liddell and Alberto Del Rio, but hasn’t competed considering that December 2019 and has given that moved into a occupation in politics, serving in a nicely-publicized purpose on the Huntington Seaside city council.

Emelianenko, for his element, final saw action at Bellator 237 in December 2019, finishing Quinton Jackson with strikes in the first spherical.