MOSCOW, August 21. /TASS, Igor Lazorin/. World-renowned, legendary MMA heavyweight fighter Fedor Emelianenko of Russia has not been mulling over wrapping up his sports career so far, the prominent athlete told TASS on Friday.

"My sports career is slowly nearing its conclusion, though I am looking forward for more fights. Time will only tell," Emelianenko said in an interview with TASS.

"It will all depend on the way I feel and on my desire to carry on fighting," Russia’s prominent fighter answered after being asked if he still wanted to enter the Octagon.

Emelianenko, who will be celebrating his 44th birthday on September 28, is expected by the mixed martial arts experts to hold another fight before the end of the year.

In October 2019, Emelianenko announced that he intended to go on a farewell tour of three fights and one of his bouts would be organized in Russia. After defeating Jackson last December, Emelianenko had to fight two more bouts.

"It is true that I have two more fights," Emelianenko said adding "I feel quite good myself, feeling as if I am 34 or 35 years old at the moment instead of my soon-to-be 43 years age."

In late December 2019, Emelianenko defeated Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson of the United States in the Bellator competition in Japan. On December 29, 2019, the 43-year-old Russian MMA veteran beat his opponent by KO in the first round of the bout at the Saitama Arena. Two minutes and 59 seconds after the start of the bout, Emelianenko dealt a powerful right blow, flooring the American.

It was the seventh bout for Emelianenko, who took his numerous fans worldwide by surprise in July 2015 by announcing his return to professional sports after an almost three-year hiatus.

During his retirement period, Emelianenko held the post of the Russian MMA Union’s president and had also served from November 2012 as an advisor to then-Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko.

The Russian fighter boasts an impressive career record of 39 wins (15 by KO/TKO; 15 by submission; nine by decision) and six defeats in his 19-year-long MMA career and is dubbed in the world of MMA as ‘The Last Emperor.’

After his comeback in 2015, Emelianenko held seven fights to date, defeating India’s Jaideep Singh, then clinching another victory over Brazil’s Fabio Maldonado. In June 2017 he lost by TKO to US fighter Matt Mitrione. In April 2018, he defeated US heavyweight Frank Mir with a KO win in the first round and in October 2018 he enjoyed a TKO triumph over American fighter Chael Sonnen. In January 2019, he lost by TKO (punches) to Ryan ‘Darth’ Bader of the United States and then knocked out US fighter Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson in December 2019.

Born on September 28, 1976 in the town of Rubezhnoye in Ukraine’s southeast, Emelianenko fought his way to the top earning numerous champions titles throughout his career.

He is the MMA Pride Fighting Championships Heavyweight Champion (2003-2007), FIAS World Combat Sambo Championship Heavyweight Champion 2002, 2005, 2007 and Russian Judo Federation National Championship bronze medalist (1998, 1999).

In 2009, the esteemed American sports magazine, Sports Illustrated, named him "the top MMA fighter of the decade.".