While the fine gentlemen at M-1 Global consider what fierce competition Fedor Emelianenko should face next – Bobby Lashley or Todd Duffee – Fedor dropped some hints in an interview that he’s been thinking about the UFC:

- Where would you most like to fight: Russia, Japan, where you will enjoy almost as much as at home, or maybe in the U.S.?
- Of course, I would like to come home for his countrymen. But by far the most powerful and influential organization of MMA is located in America. This UFC. Therefore, to meet with the best fighters I have to travel to the United States.
…
- Recently in the U.S. press reported that you can meet with former UFC champion in the heavyweight Cain Velasquez. What can you say about this?
- We do not have agreements. To date, no certainty in the relationship with the UFC does not. Maybe in the near future, something clear.

Based on history, this is probably nothing more than the typical bait and switch we always get with Fedor and his people: talk up the possibility of him returning to UFC before he faces another Canny McCannerson. But who knows, maybe Fedor is finally starting to wise up to the fact that his legacy is f*cked if he doesn’t go back to America and show he can hang in the big league.

His management team might not see past his value as a meal ticket they can take around the world fighting schlubs for big payouts, but it’s hard to imagine Fedor thinking the same way. What way does he think? Who knows. There seems to be such calm wisdom in those eyes of his, but if you took his love of Putin and the Orthodox church and Americanized it he’d probably be all ‘Santorum 4 Prezident! Chastity belts on all adolescents!’