The legendary Russian champion will take on ex-UFC heavyweight Matt Mitrione on Feb. 18 at Bellator 172 in San Jose, Calif. Bellator announced the match-up during it's Saturday broadcast of Bellator 165, with play-by-play announcer Sean Grande revealing that Emelianenko had signed a multi-fight deal.
Emelianenko (36-4, 1 NC) is widely considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight fighters of all-time. The 40-year-old Russian, nicknamed "The Last Emperor," reigned as the Pride FC champion during the heyday of the Japanese promotion, defeating a slew of notable names, including Mirko Filipovic, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Mark Hunt, Mark Coleman, Kevin Randleman, and more.