UFC heavyweight Josh Barnett will face off with Roy Nelson this Saturday in Japan. Just this past Saturday we found out that another MMA heavyweight will be headlining a big card in Japan. Yes during Bellator ‘Dynamite’ it was announced that Fedor Emelianenko would be returning from retirement and headlining a New Years Eve event in Japan, that will be run by the former boss of PRIDE FC.

Many had high hopes that the Russian would finally sign with the UFC and compete inside the octagon, against some of the biggest names in the sport. As of now, that will not be the case.

Barnett recently talked on The MMA Hour and said he knew Fedor was going to be doing something in Japan and not in the UFC upon his arrival.

Here’s what he said:

“I haven’t done any press about it, but that’s what I’ve been saying since the minute he said he was coming out of retirement, that. In fact, I bet Juliana Pena that he wasn’t going to go to the UFC to begin with, that he was going to go to Japan. So, she owes me $20, I believe.

“I’ve been telling everyone that if he’s coming back, there’s going to be a big Japanese show attached to it. It’s all going to line up for him there first. And if he decides to go to the UFC or do something else, I’m sure that he will. That option will exist, but his draw, his value in Japan is monumental. There’s no way he’s going to pass this up.”

Are you just excited to see Fedor again, or were you really hoping he was going to the UFC?

Sound off in the comments!

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