“Hey Fedor, we’re waiting.” Leave it to Conor McGregor to stir the pot. This time, though, he’s not just hyping himself up, he’s teasing what could be BKFC’s biggest signing yet. Imagine that. Fedor Emelianenko, ‘The Last Emperor’. The greatest fighter to never have competed in the UFC. Fighting in the BKFC? Sounds almost too good to be true. And, as always, there’s serious money in the mix.
“That’s a $3 million to $5 million deal,” Josh Thomson estimated on the Weighing In podcast with John McCarthy, making it clear that BKFC isn’t just about the blood, it’s about the bag. “So whatever that is—yeah, they could get him.”
‘The Notorious’, who has made no secret of his own plans to fight in BKFC, wasn’t just talking about himself when he took the stage at a press conference in Italy on Sunday. Instead, he dangled a carrot that few expected. An offer that could tempt none other than Fedor Emelianenko out of retirement and into the world of bare-knuckle brawling. “We might have an announcement with Fedor Emelianenko,” McGregor teased, slipping into his familiar dual role of promoter and fighter. “Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship is signing and acquiring the best fighters of all time. Past, present, and future. And everyone wants to be a part of this.”
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But does “everyone” really include the Russian? BKFC has been throwing cash at ex-UFC fighters left and right, but convincing a 48-year-old legend to trade retirement for a sport that leaves faces looking like raw meat is another story entirely. Sure, the money is there, Paige VanZant once claimed BKFC paid her “ten times” what she made in the UFC, and Mike Perry says he’s earning more than double his old salary. BKFC might not have the prestige of the UFC, but it has something just as persuasive, a checkbook that makes fighters reconsider their priorities.
And yet, Emelianenko has never been one to chase a payday just for the sake of it. He officially retired in 2023 after a loss to Ryan Bader, closing the book on a legendary career. But McGregor’s dangling the kind of multimillion-dollar deal that has lured fighters back before. Not everyone’s convinced, though. Big John McCarthy shot down the idea entirely. “Absolutely not the place for Fedor to be,” he stated bluntly. And let’s be real, BKFC isn’t exactly where you go to “ease into retirement.” So, could we actually see ‘The Last Emperor’ throw hands one last time?
Is this a necessity, or is Conor McGregor just pulling another stunt?
Now, that’s the million-dollar or, in this case, five-million-dollar question. Fedor doesn’t need this. The man went 28 fights undefeated from 2001 to 2009—bulldozed some of the scariest heavyweights in MMA history—and built a legacy so solid that even Dana White’s attempts to downplay him couldn’t shake it. In PRIDE, he was practically a deity, wrecking guys left and right while Japanese fans bowed in awe. Even when he was way past his prime, he still put guys like ‘Rampage’ Jackson and Timothy Johnson to sleep.
But those wins came against guys who weren’t exactly the fastest anymore. When he faced younger, sharper opponents like Ryan Bader and Matt Mitrione? Yeah, different story. Now, at this age, stepping into BKFC, where ‘defense’ is just a rumor and getting your face turned into ground beef is part of the job description? That’s another beast entirely.
And yet, here comes the Irishman, doing what he does best, dangling a bag so big that even Fedor might have to pause and think about it. BKFC, as mentioned, has been throwing cash at ex-UFC fighters like it’s going out of style, and Fedor would be their crown jewel. But does ‘The Last Emperor’ even care? Unlike some fighters who jump at the first big paycheck, he never fought just for the money.
Then again, $5 million is a very huge number. So it’s safe to conclude, yet again, that if there’s anyone who can sell this fight, even if it turns into a glorified exhibition, it’s definitely McGregor. “Il tempo è denaro,” he said at the presser. “Time is money” Indeed.
But one can only wonder, had the Irishman’s long-term indulgence with the Paul brothers rubbed off on him? First, Jake Paul books a fight with a 57-year-old, and now McGregor’s out here trying to drag a 48-year-old into bare-knuckle chaos. A coincidence? Maybe. A trend? Again maybe.
What do you think? Will Fedor take the bait, or is this just Conor McGregor playing matchmaker for the nostalgia crowd? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
The post “$5 Million Deal” — Conor McGregor Makes Fedor Emelianenko an Offer He Can’t Refuse in Rumored BKFC Signing appeared first on EssentiallySports.