Fallen crest

As TV that costs money goes, Strikeforce: Fedor Vs Silva was short: five bouts, four of them opening-round muggings, padded out with hype to two hours (effectively half the length of a UFC PPV). Then again, it was the start of the promotion's World Grand Prix Heavyweight Tournament, so it's understandable that they only wanted to showcase the big boys. And the one fight that wasn't done in the first was almost worth the $29.95 unlock fee on its own. That would be Fedor "The Last Emperor" Emelianenko versus Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva.

Emelianenko, an inscrutable Russian who had terrorised the division for a decade – and been widely considered the deadliest unarmed human not carrying the ebola virus – until his shock submission loss to Fabricio Werdum in June, 2010. A man who wears a wooden cross, travels with a "confessor" and listens to Orthodox Christian music backstage because he doesn’t like pop or rock.

Silva, by contrast, less media-shy and more openly emotional, yet equally humble. Where Fedor has often been outweighed by his opponents, Antonio is a literal giant, suffering from the growth syndrome acromegaly (hence the nickname). Despite sporting an imposing record and fists Hellboy would envy, he was a five-to-one underdog with bookies coming into the contest.

If that sounds like a match-up straight from the greatest martial-arts movie Van Damme never made, it was. Larger-than-life characters, holding up their trousers with the equivalent of five different black belts, meeting in a New Jersey colosseum.

Round 1 saw Silva jabbing and leg-kicking and Emelianenko throwing trademark overhand rights, any of which might have resulted in an unscheduled nap had they landed flush. The two exchanged punches and knees as they grappled against the cage and, briefly, on the canvas. The judges could have scored it either way, though Antonio's accurate counter strikes had Fedor's nose leaking claret. Moreover, the challenger had demonstrated that he could use his 20kg weight advantage to take the former PRIDE FC champion to the ground.

In Round 2, The Emperor swung, but Bigfoot ducked and successfully shot for a takedown. From this point, Silva was in a dominant mount position, bruising and bloodying Emelianenko's face and head with a Neil Peart drum solo of blows. When Fedor turned away, Antonio would flatten him out and commence sinking in a rear naked choke, forcing him to roll back over into harm's way. Silva attempted to finish with an arm triangle...no dice...and then a kneebar. Rather than try to escape the latter hold, Emelianenko had the presence of mind to go for a foot lock. The Brazilian just waggled a finger as if to say, "That won't work on my size 16." Time was called.

The battle didn't reach Round 3. Antonio's colossal fists had battered Fedor's right eye so badly it was swollen shut. The cageside doctor refused to allow the half-blinded fighter to continue. There was momentary confusion, with even Antonio unable to accept he'd won. Emelianenko's people crowded around him, the cut man running an enswell across his ghastly eye. Silva bowed before his victim, embraced him, showered him with praise – as if he was a saint stepped from off a religious icon and not merely a fellow warrior bested.

It seems likely that the third stanza would've been a repeat of the second, but we'll never know (Fedor worshippers will always maintain he'd have produced a victory somehow). In the subsequent interview, the Russian gave what amounted to a farewell speech, thanking fans for their support and stating that it may be time for him to retire, if it's "God’s will". It was barely believable to see a bona fide legend who'd gone 33 bouts without a legitimate loss, who'd appeared tougher than a T-90 tank driven by Mr T, and whose defeat by Werdum could until 15 minutes earlier still be dismissed as an aberration, now broken in body and fighting spirit.