INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The pressure wasn’t just on Ryan Bader to win Saturday – it was on him to win, and do it memorably.
Heavyweight champion Bader (31-7 MMA, 9-2 BMMA) stopped all-time MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko (40-7 MMA, 4-3 BMMA) in the first round of their main event rematch at Bellator 290. Bader defended his title with the win and sent “The Last Emperor” into retirement at 46, with a loss.
But he said there was tension that came with the memory of a 35-second knockout win over Emelianenko in 2019, as well as what comes with being a reasonably heavy betting favorite – and knowing most of the fans at Kia Forum near Los Angeles wanted to see Emelianenko go out with a fairytale ending.
