The Doggy Bag: James Toney Edition

Fedor Emelianenko surprises me every time he performs. Although his performances are always a pleasure to watch, it seems as if he was not as impressive against Brett Rogers. I’m not saying he gave a bad show; in fact, it was better than most fighters, but I thought Fedor was going to knock out or submit Rogers in the first round. Still, his knockout in round two made me jump out of my seat. Is it possible that time is becoming Fedor’s enemy? Is it possible that his age is limiting him from putting on jaw-dropping performances?
-- Jeremy

Brian Knapp, associate editor: Time becomes the enemy of every athlete, no matter how accomplished or gifted he or she may be. Fedor will not escape that reality. However, at 33, he seems to have plenty left in the tank. He has finished five of his last six opponents, including two former UFC heavyweight champions, inside one round and has added one-punch knockout power to his already lethal arsenal. Somewhere in the cosmos, the shot with which he felled Rogers still echoes. That only adds to his jaw-dropping quotient.

People often make the mistake of raising their expectations to unreachable levels when confronted by greatness. Unless Fedor walks out and Tim Sylvias someone, we somehow view it as a disappointment. That seems unfair to me. Every fight presents itself differently, and the objective remains the same. In the words of Al Davis, “Just win baby!” Emelianenko has played that game better than anyone in the history of the sport. Fans need to sit back, temper their expectations a bit and enjoy the opportunity to see him compete, because his reign, should he continue to fight into his mid 30s and beyond, will not last forever.

New threats to his heavyweight throne -- Brock Lesnar and Cain Velasquez have moved to the front of the line -- emerge every day. Take pleasure in Fedor in his prime while you still can.