Matchmaking in mixed martial arts (MMA) is usually left for the, well, matchmakers.
But in the case of legendary Heavyweight fighter Fedor Emelianenko, matchmaking sometimes comes down to simply picking a name off a list of potential opponents.
According to Fight Nights Global promoter Kamil Gadzhiev in a recent interview on the ValeTudo.ru podcast (h/t Bloody Elbow), Emelianenko handpicked Fabio Maldonado for a June 17 showdown at EFN 50 in St. Petersburg, Russia, from a short list of fighters.
"Fedor was choosing from opponents that I offered him," said Gadzhiev.