MOSCOW, December 15. /TASS/. Former President of the Russian MMA Union Fedor Emelianenko has refused to be the Union’s honorary president, a source told TASS.

Viktor Drozdov was unanimously elected Russian MMA Union President earlier on Friday. Emelianenko left the post in August.

"Fedor Emelianenko was offered to be Honorary President of the Russian MMA Union. He declined the offer," the source said.

Emelianenko, 47, boasted an official MMA record of 40 wins and seven defeats, with one bout being declared no contest. 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."