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US-born fighter Monson comments on Russia's recently vacated MMA president post

Russia’s world-renowned mixed martial arts heavyweight veteran Fedor Emelianenko resigned as the country’s MMA president last week

MOSCOW, August 22. /TASS/. Russia’s US-born MMA fighter Jeff Monson told TASS on Tuesday that he was interested in running for a seat on the executive body of Russia’s Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organization.

Russia’s world-renowned mixed martial arts (MMA) heavyweight veteran Fedor Emelianenko resigned as the country’s MMA president last week.

Monson, who stated earlier that he had no intention of throwing his hat in the ring to become Russia’s next MMA president following Emelianenko’s resignation said: "If I’m nominated, I might think about it."

"It would be an honor for me to help grow the sport," Monson added.

Jeffrey William Monson, 52, nicknamed "The Snowman," hails from the US state of Minnesota. As an MMA fighter, he has 85 fights to his name, chalking up 60 wins. He is also a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion.

The US-born athlete was granted Russian citizenship in May 2018 and, in September of that year, was elected to the Council of Deputies (City Council) of the Krasnogorsk District, Moscow Region, an inner suburb of the neighboring city of Moscow.

'The Last Emperor': Fedor Emelianenko

The MMA star temporarily retired between 2012 and 2015. During that hiatus, Emelianenko held the post of president of the Russian MMA Union and also served from November 2012 as an advisor to then-Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko.

Following his 2015 comeback, Emelianenko had eight bouts, 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.

In September 2022, Emelianenko defeated 35-year-old Timothy Johnson of the United States with a KO win in the opening round of their Bellator 269 tournament fight in Moscow.

Born on September 28, 1976, in Rubezhnoye, Ukraine, Emelianenko fought his way to the top, earning numerous titles throughout his career.

He was the MMA Pride Fighting Championships Heavyweight Champion (2003-2007), FIAS World Combat Sambo Championship Heavyweight Champion 2002, 2005, 2007, and the 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."

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