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Fedor Emelianenko: 'I could have won my last fights, but God's will was different'

One, two, three strikes you're out? Usually after three losses in a row, a veteran fighter pretty much knows his time is up.

Or is it?

Not much has been heard or seen from Fedor Emelianenko since his knockout loss to Dan Henderson back on July 30, followed by his unceremonious exit from the Zuffa-controlled Strikeforce.

That defeat marked three in a row, which includes previous losses to Fabricio Werdum and Antonio Silva, from a man who racked up 32 straight wins (without a true loss) and dominated the heavyweight division in the now-defunct PRIDE FC.

The once seemingly unbeatable "Emperor" had mulled over retirement since his release from all his duties and obligations to Zuffa, however, Fedor fans rejoiced when it was announced that he would take on grizzled UFC veteran Jeff Monson at an M-1 Global event in Moscow on November 20.

In his latest interview, the not-so-loquacious Russian talks about how he felt he could have won his last couple of fights.

"In the three bouts I lost, I felt like I could've won. But the win somehow eluded me. I felt I could do it. I had chances, but God's will was different.

Regarding his match against Jeff Monson, Fedor had this to say:

"Victory. That's what will be at stake for me in this match. And I will fight for it."

Jeff Monson also chimed in on his thoughts about facing a fading legend:

"Fedor is a legend. I said a long time ago that he's the best heavyweight of all time. To have the privilege to fight him is an honor. But I'm gonna train hard and I only take fights and expect to win. But it's gonna be a very difficult challenge."

Of course, no Fedor sighting would be complete without his mouthpiece and manager Vadim Finkelstein sharing his two cents:

"Fedor will have a great training camp in the Netherlands with both strong wrestlers and stand-up fighters there. I'm going to invite Vinnie Magalhaesh. He's just won the world submission wrestling championships, and beat no less than Fabricio Werdum in the finals. So he can be considered the world's best wrestler at the moment."

Fedor, who has often been criticized for his reluctance to fight in the UFC and test his skills against the very best, will try to end his losing streak against "The Snowman," who is also coming off a loss.

This may very well be the final stand to resurrect a career that was once hailed as legendary and one of the greatest of all time. If Fedor should lose for a fourth straight time, it could very well be the last time we ever see him compete in MMA and mark the end of a great career.

What do you think?

Does Fedor still have a chance to make it back to the big leagues and prove that he is not washed up, or did "Hendo" knock Fedor's career into obscurity once and for all?

Discuss.

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