Former PRIDE FC champion Fedor Emelianenko has already secured his place as one of the most successful fighters in MMA history. From his stoic personality to his remarkable fighting skills that led to a nearly 10-year run without a defeat, everything about the 37-year-old’s career felt noteworthy.

Emelianenko (34-4), now in the comforts of retirement after hanging up his gloves in June 2012, is rarely heard from in North America as he enjoys retirement in his native Russia.

At the height of his career, Emelianenko was the world’s No. 1 heavyweight and arguably the top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. He once put together an undefeated streak that stretched 28 fights and included wins over the likes of Andrei Arlovski, Tim Sylvia, Mark Hunt, Mark Coleman, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, Kevin Randleman and other familiar names.

In all, Emelianenko walked away from the sport with 34 victories to his name. And while each fight and win was important in its own way, there are two particular performances Emelianenko holds near to his heart.

“If I had to pick (my favorite fight), it would probably be my first fight with Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira because it was for a title then I won,” Emelianenko told host Michael Schiavello on a heavily anticipated episode of “The Voice Versus,” which debuts Friday (10 p.m. ET) on AXS TV. “Then after, my fight with Mirko (Filipovic).

“All of my fights are dear to me. They were all preceded by hard training. I remember every single one of the, all fights. Against Tim Sylvia, Andrei Arlovski, Brett Rogers, Choi Hong Man, Mark Hunt – absolutely all fights. Let’s say I’m not ashamed of my career. God gave such a big, lengthy, long-term career. It’s beautiful in its own way.”

However, Nogueira, his former Brazilian rival, battled Emelianenko on three separate occasions.

“The most interesting and toughest opponent was Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira,” Emelianenko said.

Emelianenko’s rise though PRIDE during the 2000s was something to behold. He routinely stopped his foes inside the distance and ended his career with a 78 percent finishing rate. Moreover, the majority of those knockouts and submissions came in the first round.

The combination of speed, power and technique possessed by Emelianenko caused problems for his often larger opponents. Emelianenko believes that well-rounded skillset and resourcefulness allowed him to stand out.

“I think I was able to become successful due to my versatility – the analysis and studying my opponent,” Emelianenko said. “You have to be multidimensional. You need to be a versatile fighter, unpredictable and be able to fight equally well standing or (on the ground).

“You need to have it all, and you need to be able to adapt. The more versatile fighter is the more interesting it is to watch.”

The MMA world focuses a lot of attention on its top fighters, and when the spotlight was on Emelianenko, he rarely strayed from his true self. Always a soft-spoken, humble and controversy-free figure, Emelianenko said he made a point of maintaining a stable public image. He never spoke ill of his opponents.

Avoiding such conflict was a conscious effort, Emelianenko said. He did this to not only protect his own image, but also that of his country and family members.

“I always remember that I represent myself but also my country,” Emelianenko said. “People are making judgments of Russian people based on me. That’s why I never allow myself to show any aggression toward my opponent.

“A fighter, a dignified fighter, should never show any aggression toward an opponent. I believe that any expression of aggression in an expression of weakness. A strong person will not be nervous and will not express aggression towards his opponent. He will be confident in his abilities and his training.”

Emelianenko’s eventual fall from the top was more difficult than most. After going close to a decade without a blemish on his resume, Emelianenko’s 28-fight undefeated streak finally came to an end when he fought Fabricio Werdum at a June 2010 event under the now-defunct Strikeforce banner. Werdum submitted Emelianenko with a triangle choke just 69 seconds into a fight that’s considered one of the great upsets in MMA history.

It was a shocking result that kicked off the start of a three-fight losing streak for Emelianenko. He returned to Strikeforce eight months later and suffered a one-sided TKO loss to Antonio Silva and then was knocked out by Dan Henderson five months after in his final North American bout.

Emelianenko said he felt a deep sting from the Werdum outcome – not just because it was the first and only time he’s ever been submitted, but because he felt victory was within his grasp before he committed an error.

“If we analyze it, I was definitely rushing in that fight,” Emelianenko said. “I was rushing to beat my opponent completely, and I didn’t pay attention. I was careless to the techniques Werdum was applying. If this had happened earlier, maybe I would have been more careful, but I wanted to finish the fight as soon as possible.

“I felt a sense of victory when he went down. I wanted to beat him completely to finish the fight. Why did it happen? I don’t know. I’m very grateful to God with what he gives me: victories, remarkable victories. But to get to the victories, you must go through the defeats.”

Emelianenko parted ways with Strikeforce following the Henderson loss and returned to Russia. He put together a three-fight winning streak before announcing his retirement following a first-round knockout of Pedro Rizzo in M-1.

The fact Emelianenko went out on a high has always left questions regarding a potential return. While MMA retirements often are short-lived, Emelianenko is content with his achievements and post-fighting life.

“I already fought my share,” Emelianenko said. “God gave me a rich and eventful career. I gave God everything. I’m done fighting. Only God’s will (can bring me back).”