John McCarthy: Fedor Emelianenko will be inspired to prove two things at Bellator 198

Of course Fedor Emelianenko wants to advance in Bellator’s heavyweight grand prix next week. Of course he wants to become the promotion’s heavyweight champion.

But Emelianenko (36-5 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) will have something else on his mind as a goal when he takes on Frank Mir (18-11 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) in the Bellator 198 main event, former referee and current Bellator analyst John McCarthy says.

He’ll want to prove to the world that years ago, when Mir was ruling the roost as the UFC’s heavyweight champion, that it was Emelianenko who was the best in the world while he was fighting in PRIDE.

Bellator 198 takes place April 28 at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill., near Chicago. The main card airs on Paramount following prelims on MMAjunkie.

Mir will be making his Bellator debut and will be fighting for the first time in more than two years. Emelianenko made his Bellator debut last June and was knocked out by Matt Mitrione at Madison Square Garden. Mir is a slight betting favorite against the 41-year-old Russian legend.

In the video above, McCarthy breaks down the legend that is Fedor ahead of his long-awaited fight against Mir.

For more on Bellator 198, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.