Roundtables
ROUNDTABLE (pt. 2 of 2): Should Fedor retire after TKO loss to Bigfoot? If not, who should he fight next? Perez, Leet, Hobaugh and Carter
Feb 18, 2011 - 4:45:08 PM ROUNDTABLE (pt. 2 of 2): Should Fedor retire after TKO loss to Bigfoot? If not, who should he fight next? Perez, Leet, Hobaugh and Carter

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Should Fedor retire following his TKO loss to Bigfoot?  If not, who would you match him up against when he returns?

ANWAR PEREZ, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

If nothing else, I believe Fedor needs to take a good look in the mirror and find out who he is and where his place in the MMA landscape is.  Having back to back loses for a fighter, that a year ago was considered the best fighter in the world, is something that jars him from reality.  He needs to reevaluate why he fights, and get back to where he was most dominant, in his mind.  If he can't grasp who he is as a fighter anymore, he should step back.  If not, he'll end up just as ridiculed as Ken Shamrock and Chuck Liddell, other fighters that kept fighting longer than they should have.  I think he should really consider what fighting offers him today.  

LARAMEY LEET, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Fedor retiring makes perfect sense at this time. The first loss could be ruled as a mental error but his recent loss was a beating in the second round. Coker said that he would like to see Fedor fight the loser of Overeem vs. Werdum, which will not be an easy fight for him. I think he should get out before he starts to tarnish his career. MMA has evolved and Fedor is still stuck in the past.

ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Should Fedor retire? Yes. Will he? No. Dana White and I are probably the two only people on the planet who have consistently said Fedor is not a top five fighter at this time.  How can he be the number one fighter in the world if he has not fought a top ten heavyweight in several years?  He cannot. I am one of the biggest Fedor fans. I miss his dominance in Pride and how he was, in his prime, unquestionably the greatest pound for pound fighter in the world.  His ability to take punishment and still win were legendary. He will, and should, go down as one of the top three fighters that ever competed in MMA.  That said, Scott Coker will offer him too much money to turn down and he will fight the loser of the Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum fight.  If you think about it, what other big name does he have that sells tickets as well as Fedor?  I wish he would retire, but he will not.

ALVIN CARTER, MMATORCH SPECIALIST

Fedor has two losses in ten years.  Retirement might be a bit premature unless he just does not want to fight again.  His loss to Werdum was not embarrassing.  He got caught, and that happens in fights.  The marvel of it all is how he has not been caught in a submission prior to that fight.  His loss to Silva was a legit doctor's stoppage.  There are arguments that he could fight with one eye, but we have officials to keep fighters from endangering themselves.  Retirement is also a revolving door in most sports.  Look at Michael Jordan, Lance Armstrong, Randy Couture.  So if he did hang up the trunks, he could always come back.