As is it often mentioned, Fedor Emelianenko didn’t start out a prize fighter, he worked for it, long and hard. Doubted even by his trainer, who had a hunch, but given Fedor’s physical dimensions, it simply didn’t seem possible. Fedor has proved everyone wrong. Looking at a picture, one could easily assume that he is slow, by no means the fighter type. Fedor’s demeanor alone would throw you off, he is modest and kind, you couldn’t detect much of a fighter in him at all. Many mention that he is a great guy, but they also quickly mention that he is focused and diligent. Fedor Emelianenko is a champion because his shortcomings were mentioned at an early age that he started early working to overcome them. He became better in all areas, he evolved.

A person can’t imagine that a child at the tender age of ten would ever be so aggressively involved into something that they became violent, good, he wasn’t like that either. Fedor was normal kid, a normal kid with a few extra obstacles. Born in an area with not much hope of a fruitful future, Fedor had few options for being successful; his father was a steel worker and his mother was a teacher, both common jobs, but he simply didn’t want that, it wasn’t enough.

At every moment in Fedor champion development, he took the advantage of making himself better. In all aspects of life, Fedor became the person he is today, a good friend, a loving father and a respected winner.

Grappling was immediately noted as a huge weakness for Fedor, he simply couldn’t get the positions down. The grappling techniques he was taught in Judo were not so difficult; he just lacked the proper physical strength in the right areas to achieve them effectively. His coach at the time did not have the proper experience to teach him those areas, so after a warm separation from his very first coach and trainer, he began working with Vladimir Mihailovich Voronov, a professional trainer and mentor focused in grappling. Identifying his weakness in grappling almost at first site, Voronov knew that he had work ahead of him, but Fedor motivation shined bright and Voronov could see the potential waiting to be released.

Shortly after Fedor received the Bronze in the Russian Judo Championship in 1998, Fedor moved onto developing his striking techniques with trainer Alexander Vasilievich Michkov. Fedor, in 2000, began competing in mixed martial arts and combat Sambo and mixed martial arts not so much that he wanted to “show off” but only because, at that time, he, “didn’t have any money”. Who would have known it was because of his financial situation that he really became who he is today.

Fedor is dedicated to his training, even more than most in his class. Because of attraction to training, Fedor is identified as a champion, the greatest champion in the world, pound for pound. He follows his heart and it has helped him to evolve into Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko.