Other News
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Satoshi Ishii official for New Year's Eve in Japan
Dec 12, 2011 - 2:20:17 PM Fedor Emelianenko vs. Satoshi Ishii official for New Year's Eve in Japan

DISCUSS ALL THIS IN OUR NEW MMATORCH FORUM

...OH, ONE MORE THING - PLEASE BOOKMARK US & VISIT DAILY!

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

After picking up his first win in four fights in November, Fedor Emelianenko will return on New Year's Eve in Japan in a bout against Olympic Gold Medal winning Judoka Satoshi Ishii. M-1 Global announced the matchup on Monday.

The event will be Emelianenko's first fight in Japan since New Year's Eve 2007, where he submitted 7'2" Hong-Man Choi in under two minutes. It was after that fight that Emelianenko came to the U.S. with Affliction and then Strikeforce, winning three straight here before losing three straight to Fabricio Werdum, Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva, and most recently Dan Henderson. He bounced back with a win over Jeff Monson in Russia last month.

24-year-old Ishii won the Gold Medal for Judo in the 2008 Olympic games, and is 4-1-1 in six pro fights since moving to MMA in 2009. His most recent bout saw him go to a draw with former WEC Middleweight Champion Paulo Filho in a light heavyweight bout.

Penick's Analysis: This fight's happening because, well, it really doesn't matter who Fedor faces anymore. Outside of Strikeforce and the UFC, there isn't much in the way of marketable fights to be made for "The Last Emperor," and after losses in three straight there isn't much else for him to do anyway. He wants to keep fighting, and though Ishii hasn't proven to be much of a draw in Japan as of yet, it's a chance for him to face off against a longtime veteran. Emelianenko will be favored to win, but Ishii's judo skills could play into the fight as well.