[10][11][12][13] Emelianenko's career helped popularize the sport of MMA in his home country of Russia after gaining attention in Japan, South Korea, the United States, and worldwide.

[35] In 2000, due to a lack of money, Emelianenko left the Russian national team and began to compete professionally in mixed martial arts.

After his bout with Gary Goodridge, the Emelianenko brothers left Russian Top Team and began to train in St. Petersburg with Red Devil Sport Club, managed by Vadim Finkelchtein.

After defeating Renato Sobral in an elimination bout, Emelianenko fought for the World Heavyweight Class Championship against Bobby Hoffman the same night.

As Emelianenko gave his back, Randleman delivered a German suplex, slamming him to the canvas headfirst, a move that would become one of the most replayed highlights in PRIDE's and MMA's history for years to come.

[55] On 15 August 2004, Emelianenko faced six-time All-Japan Judo Champion and Olympic Silver Medalist Naoya Ogawa in the semifinals of the 2004 Grand Prix.

After making quick work of Ogawa, winning by armbar, he advanced to face Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira for the second time in his career.

[72] UFC president Dana White expressed interest in signing Emelianenko, but considered his management team to be the primary barrier,[73] whereas Finkelchtein cited difficult negotiations as the reason.

[74] A main point of contention between the two was Finkelchtein's request for the UFC to work with his Russian M-1 promotion, extending contractual offers to other members of the Red Devil Sport Club, and permitting Emelianenko to compete in combat sambo tournaments.

[77] With a special clause in his Pride contract that allowed him to fight under the banner of any MMA organization as long as the event was held on Russian soil,[citation needed] Emelianenko accepted a match in BodogFight against Matt Lindland.

[81] On 13 February 2008, Emelianenko attended a press conference held by Dream, a newly formed Japanese mixed martial arts promoter.

[82] M-1 Global CEO Vadim Finkelchtein recently revealed plans to organize a fight for Fedor in co-operation with Dream, possibly on New Year's Eve in Japan.

[91] In another exhibition match, Emelianenko met Gegard Mousasi, a friend and teammate, during M-1 Global: Breakthrough, held in Kansas City on 28 August.

[108] In January 2011, it was announced that Fedor had agreed to enter the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, and would face Antônio Silva on 12 February in the first quarterfinal match.

"[113] According to M-1 Global Director of Operations Evgeni Kogan, Fedor was only under contract to Showtime and from there he fought under the Strikeforce banner, but was never a direct employee of Zuffa, and therefore was not "cut".

"[citation needed] Following his stint in Strikeforce, Emelianenko fought Jeff Monson at M-1 Global on 20 November 2011 at the Olympic Arena in Moscow, Russia.

[115] After four years, Emelianenko made his return to Japan—where he spent most of his career—at Fight For Japan: Genki Desu Ka Omisoka 2011 on 31 December 2011, facing Satoshi Ishii.

[116] On 21 June 2012 in St. Petersburg, Russia, Emelianenko faced three-time UFC heavyweight title contender Pedro Rizzo in an M-1 Global event.

[13] On 14 July 2015, after a three year hiatus from mixed martial arts, Emelianenko announced that he will be returning to active competition and has started training immediately.

He went 3-0 in the tournament, defeating Rustamov Samad (Uzbekistan), Dimitrov Yancho (Bulgaria), and Begeza Vladimir (Ukraine) to win the gold medal.

He defeated Rinat Kurbanov and Armen Arustamov both by early armbar submission, and accepted the forfeit of Maxim Novosiolov, who had injured his arm in his previous match.

[156] In 7-8 February 2008, he went 4-0 in the Russian Combat Sambo National Championship tournament in a twelve man bracket, with his final opponent being Stanislav Shushko, who he defeated by submission.

[157][158] Less than a week later at the 14-16 February 2008 Russia's President's Cup Sambo tournament, Emelianenko went 3-0 again and won his second national title that year by defeating Kamil Chrobak (Czechia), Sang Soo Lee (Korea), and Blagoy Ivanov (Bulgaria).

[160] In 20-23 February 2009, he went 3-0 in the Russian Combat Sambo National Championship tournament by defeating Sokrat Kurbanov, Ivan Frolov, and Aleksey Knyazev.

"[172] From 2000 to 2010, Emelianenko went over ten years and 33 fights with only one loss in professional MMA, a controversial doctor's stoppage after being cut by an accidental foul by Tsuyoshi Kohsaka (who he later TKO'd in a separate bout).

He frequently darts into striking range with either a left hook or an overhand right to disrupt counterpunches, resulting in a flurry of punches that often stun or flatten his opponents.

[citation needed] Emelianenko has shown a high level acumen of hip throws from judo and sambo to bring his adversary to the ground, preferring to work from the clinch as opposed to the more common leg take downs.

[171] Once on the mat, he favors a strategy of ground-and-pound executed with viciousness and dynamism, able to negate his opponent's work from the bottom and cause damage with heavy strikes.

[21] On 28 July 2012, Emelianenko replaced Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev as a staff member of Russia's Council of Physical Fitness & Sports.

[231] His entrance theme song, oy, to ne vecher, was performed at his request by archdeacon Andrey Zheleznyakov, soloist at the Episcopal Choir of the Nizhny Novgorod Diocese.