It’s been more than three years since Fedor Emelianenko last competed inside the cage. The Russian MMA legend effectively retired from the sport for the second time following his second loss to Ryan Bader at Bellator 290 on February 4, 2023. Now, after spending years away from active competition, ‘The Last Emperor’ is open to returning—but only if the right offer comes along.

The former PRIDE FC heavyweight champion spoke to the media at the launch of Scott Coker’s new promotion, Ki MMA, where he revealed that a lucrative opportunity could convince him to step back into competition even at 49.

“I keep training,” Emelianenko said. “I keep training with my team. I’m coaching my team, so I keep training. Competition-wise, if it’s going to be a good offer, and it makes sense, why not? I can compete still.”

Although Fedor stepped away from active competition years ago, he has remained heavily involved in combat sports. He continues to train and coach his team while mentoring PFL heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov, who is set to defend his title in Dubai on November 14.

That continued involvement in training appears to have kept the door open for the 40-7 MMA veteran, who will turn 50 on September 28. However, his potential comeback may not take place in MMA at all. Instead, the MMA legend is interested in testing himself in a boxing match.

“We worked on boxing, so boxing is interesting,” Fedor added.

A Fedor Emelianenko boxing appearance would naturally attract attention from fans who followed his dominant run in PRIDE. But his interest in boxing is not new.

Back in August 2023, just months after his second loss to Bader, Fedor was reportedly tempted to return to competition by the prospect of facing Mike Tyson. The former PRIDE heavyweight champion reportedly wanted the fight to take place on the undercard of Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou in October 2023.

However, the crossover bout never materialized due to a lack of promotional interest. Now, Fedor appears to have another name in mind, and this one has a much longer history with the Russian.

Fedor Emelianenko wants to fight UFC legend Randy Couture  

Fedor could face an unfamiliar opponent in a potential boxing return and still generate significant interest given his legacy. But during the media scrum, he was asked which fight would entice him and whether he would consider facing former UFC champion Brock Lesnar.

His answer was Randy Couture.

“I believe Randy would be much more interesting [than Lesnar] as a fighter,” Fedor added. “I’m ready if he’s ready.”

The matchup would bring together two heavyweight legends whose careers were closely linked despite never meeting in the cage. Couture, now 63, retired from MMA more than a decade ago. The UFC inducted ‘The Natural’ into its Hall of Fame in 2006, the same year he initially announced his first retirement.

Couture continued fighting after that, eventually returning to the UFC and competing several more times before losing to Lyoto Machida in 2011. He has not competed professionally since.

But during his active years, Couture made several attempts to secure a fight with Fedor, even becoming involved in a legal battle with the UFC over his contract.

In 2007, the former heavyweight champion attempted to get out of his active UFC contract so he could pursue a fight elsewhere, including a potential bout with Fedor. The promotion subsequently sued Couture over his attempt to fight outside the UFC while he was still under contract. Couture later revealed that he spent around $500,000 in legal fees during the dispute.

Fedor’s management also reportedly resisted the matchup, adding another obstacle to a fight that never came together during either man’s prime.

More than 15 years later, the two legends could potentially have another opportunity to share the spotlight, although this time, a boxing match would be a very different proposition from the MMA bout fans once wanted.

Both Fedor and Couture are now well past their competitive primes, and Couture has been away from professional competition for considerably longer. Fedor, meanwhile, last fought in 2023 and continues to train and coach his team.

Whether those factors make a difference in a potential boxing matchup is impossible to know without the fight actually happening. For now, Fedor has made his position clear: he remains open to competing again if the right offer arrives, and a fight with Randy Couture is one matchup that would interest him.

The question now is whether Scott Coker’s new MMA promotion or another platform sees enough interest in the idea to make the long-awaited matchup a reality.