Fadeev won the 1985 World Championships by placing first in all three segments of the competition including compulsory figures and the short and long programs.

At the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, he skated the best compulsory figures but his placements in the short (9th) and free programs (4th) dropped him out of the medals to fourth overall.

At the 1989 World Championships, he led after the compulsory figures but dropped to fourth overall after poor placements in the short and free programs.

In the 1989–90 season, Fadeev took the silver medal at the 1989 NHK Trophy, second to Petrenko but ahead of reigning World champion Kurt Browning.

[3] Note: At the 1988 World Championships, Fadeev was in 1st place after the compulsory figures before withdrawing from the competition before the short program.