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OWN A PIECE OF MMA HISTORY
‘THE LAST EMPEROR’ FEDOR EMELIANENKO & BELLATOR AUCTION OFF THE ‘GLORIOUS SWEATER OF ABSOLUTE VICTORY’ FOR CHARITY
JUST AHEAD OF BELLATOR 208: FEDOR VS. SONNEN THIS SATURDAY
LOS ANGELES – The greatest heavyweight of all time Fedor Emelianenko (37-5, 1 NC) will battle Chael Sonnen (31-15-1) in the second semi-final of Bellator’s Heavyweight World Grand Prix on Saturday inside NYCB LIVE, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y. But prior to that, “The Last Emperor” will part ways with his most prized article of clothing, the “Glorious Sweater of Absolute Victory,” when he and Bellator auction off the iconic garment for charity portion of the auction’s proceeds will be donated to Make-A-Wish America, as well as Russian-based children’s charity chosen by Fedor, Shag Vmeste. Shag Vmeste aids in the treatment and rehabilitation of children diagnosed with Cerebral palsy.
The auction is now live and can be found here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/362453921186.
More than just any old article of clothing, the “Glorious Sweater of Absolute Victory” has played an integral role in Fedor’s storied career. For a complete history, look no further than this Bellator documentary that explains the origins and mystique. Now, you can own this memorable piece of history!
Fighting out of Stary Oskol, Belgorod Oblast, Russia, Fedor will enter the Bellator MMA cage for the second time this year, and third time overall, when he takes on Sonnen in the Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix semifinals on Saturday, Oct. 13. The sambo fighter looks to build off of his impressive knockout victory over Frank Mir (18-12) at Bellator 198, which came just 48 seconds into the bout. A former PRIDE FC Heavyweight Champion and PRIDE 2004 Heavyweight World Grand Prix Champion, “The Last Emperor” now has his eyes set on the Bellator MMA heavyweight belt; a title that he is merely two wins away from. With 28 of his 37 career victories ending in a finish, Emelianenko will undoubtedly pursue yet another highlight-reel knockout when he squares off with “The American Gangster” for a place in the World Grand Prix final.
Bellator 208: Fedor vs. Sonnen will be broadcast LIVE on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on Saturday, October 13 and will stream LIVE on DAZN, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App.
Bellator 208: Fedor vs. Sonnen Main Card:
Heavyweight World Grand Prix Main Event: Fedor Emelianenko (37-5, 1 NC) vs. Chael Sonnen (30-15-1)
Lightweight Co-Main Event: Benson Henderson (25-8) vs. Saad Awad (23-9)
Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Cheick Kongo (28-10-2) vs. Timothy Johnson (12-4)
Middleweight Main Card Bout: Alexander Shlemenko (56-11, 1 NC) vs. Anatoly Tokov (26-2)
Featherweight Main Card Bout: Henry Corrales (15-3) vs. Andy Main (12-3-1, 1 NC)
Preliminary Card:
175-Pound Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Robson Gracie (Pro Debut) vs. Jamal Pottinger (Pro Debut)
Women’s Strawweight Preliminary Bout: Jennifer Chieng (Pro Debut) vs. Jessica Ruiz (Pro Debut)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Shaquan Moore (Pro Debut) vs. David Meshkhoradze (Pro Debut)
Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Sukhrob Aydarbekov (5-3) vs. Tommy Espinosa (5-1)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Jerome Mickle (3-6) vs. Nick Fiore (2-3)
Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Frank Buenafuente (9-4) vs. James Gonzalez (4-3)
Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Eric Olsen (0-1) vs. Jeremy Puglia (0-1)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Ryan Castro (0-1) vs. Dennis Buzukja (Pro Debut)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Mike Diorio (1-2) vs. Drews Rodriguez (Pro Debut)
Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Christian Medina (0-1) vs. Zarrukh Adashev (0-1)
*Card subject to change.
Please visit Bellator.com for more information.
About Bellator:
Bellator is a leading global mixed martial arts and kickboxing organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on both Paramount Network and DAZN, the world’s first truly dedicated LIVE sports streaming service. Bellator is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world's premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.
About Paramount Network:
Paramount Network is a premium entertainment destination that pushes the limits of story-telling with bold original scripted and non-scripted series. Inspired by over a century of cinema, Paramount Network is where today’s brightest stars bring the experience of the big screen to every screen with stories that are immersive, inclusive, and deeply personal.
About DAZN:
DAZN is a global live and on-demand sports streaming service created by fans, for fans, that is leading the charge to provide access to sports anytime, anywhere. DAZN guarantees no long-term contract, no bundles, just one affordable price for access to all of the service’s sports on connected devices including Smart TVs, smartphones, tablets and games consoles. DAZN is currently available in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Japan, Canada, and Italy, and just launched for $9.99 a month following a one-month free trial in the U.S. – where it is set to become a must-have for fight fans, with 80+ fight nights already lined up from Matchroom Boxing, Bellator MMA, the World Boxing Super Series and Combate Americas.
