The light-heavyweight champion has talked openly about moving up to heavyweight after the fight. Vadim Nemkov will probably run across Ryan Bader if he advances.
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The Russian just made his comeback in the Bellator 297 main event earlier this month. Yoel Romero, who had won his previous two fights, was the opponent there. Vadim Nemkov, however, proved to be too much for the 46-year-old, and the champion successfully defended his title with a unanimous vote.
The light-heavyweight champion has talked openly about moving up to heavyweight after the fight. Vadim Nemkov will probably run across Ryan Bader if he advances. Since his rematch with Fedor Emelianenko earlier this year, “Darth” hasn’t been in the octagon. There, he earned his second victory against the legend by knocking out “The Last Emperor” in the opening frame.
That knockout victory makes the prospective rematch crucial for Vadim Nemkov. The champion mentioned a bout against Ryan Bader in a recent interview with Sports Illustrated. It’s worth mentioning that the two previously fought at light-heavyweight in 2020, with the Russian coming out on top by knockout.
As Fedor Emelianenko’s main pupil, the second bout is far more crucial than the first. Vadim Nemkov revealed in the interview that a hypothetical rematch with Ryan Bader is for his team, not for himself.
“It’s something to discuss with my team, to see if the time to do it is now,” Vadim Nemkov stated of a potential heavyweight move. “As I get older, it becomes more difficult to cut weight. I feel so much more powerful when I train at a heavyweight weight… I’m fighting not only for myself, but also for my team. If we fight, I have to beat him, no matter what.”
He continued, “… All the hard work is paying off. I’m representing Fedor’s team, so it means a lot to have someone from Fedor’s team rank first in the pound-for-pound [list].”
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