As you may have heard, former PRIDE heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko has stated an interest in returning to fighting.

Emelianenko retired in 2012 following a knockout of Pedro Rizzo under the Russian M-1 Global banner, but chatter of a return has popped up periodically ever since.

Emelianenko had been linked to a doomed superfight with Brock Lesnar for years, but said in March that he wouldn't return to face the former UFC heavyweight champion for as much as $10,000,000.

Well, it must have been a cold winter in Mother Russia because MMA's GOAT is looking for dance partners and taking offers.

While a Lesnar fight would have been fun, the real dream matchup has always been between Emelianenko and Randy Couture.

In 2008, the former UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion tried to break his contract with Zuffa to face Emelianenko in the short-lived Affliction promotion. That matter ended up in court and Couture returned to the promotion over a year later, losing his heavyweight title to Brock Lesnar at UFC 91.

Now retired, Couture admits he'd be intrigued over finally getting his shot at the legend.

"Obviously I think it's a fight that in our heyday would have been an amazing fight and a crossover fight for that time," Couture told SI Now. "Whether or not I'd be willing to step out there now at 52 years old and come back out of retirement after four years of working on all the other stuff in my life, I don't know.

"It would be something I'd really have to think hard about."

In 2013, Couture spurned the UFC again by leaving his UFC on FOX commentating duties to sign on to co-star in Spike TV's Fight Master reality series with Viacom-backed Bellator.

"Can you ever say no?" Couture asked. "Absolutely not. I don't think there's anything that's absolute in the world."

Sitting alongside Couture, Bellator CEO Scott Coker admitted they hadn't discussed the matchup with Emelianenko, but that they would have 'a serious conversation' if the former champ wanted to get back inside the cage.

"I think anytime you sit cageside and watch fights you can't help but get antsy," said Couture. "You want to train or do something, but I'm pretty comfortable with the decision I made four years ago. I think I got out at the right time. Right time for me. I've been very happy and very busy."

5 MUST-READ STORIES

Drop the mic. UFC women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey takes home two ESPY's and then takes a major dig at Floyd Mayweather. 'I'd like to see him pretend to not know who I am now.'

Go Horse. Fabricio Werdum talks about life as UFC heavyweight champion, filming 'Kickboxer 2' in Thailand, what's next for him, how many times he's watched his win over Cain Velasquez, his issue with Luke Rockhold and much more.

Chat Wrap. Luke Thomas recaps UFC 189, previews UFC Fight Night 71, Bellator 140 and more in this week's live chat.

Taxes and dog food. Ronda Rousey says if MMA was about money to her, 'I could probably retire right now.'

Back. Frank Mir says he strongly considered retirement after his loss to Alistair Overeem. 'I kept asking myself, why do I keep putting my family through this?'

MEDIA STEW

Frank Mir brutally KO's Todd Duffee.

Dana White recaps UFC Fight Night: San Diego and hopes Scotland becomes another Ireland.

Michael Bisping says Jose Aldo made the right call to withdraw from UFC 189.

Ronda Rousey accepting her 'Best Fighter' ESPY.

Comedian Bill Burr proves not everyone love Conor McGregor.

TTTHS.

Long watches.

Fight Night San Diego: Post-fight Press Conference

...

UFC Care/Don't Care Preview: Mir vs Duffee, Bisping vs Leites

TWEETS

See how the pros reacted to UFC Fight Night: Duffee vs. Mir.

The Answer.

@GaynorBrian @ufc @TheNotoriousMMA I'll fight him on the moon if they want if they ever stop protecting him — Frankie Edgar (@FrankieEdgar) July 15, 2015

@RustamTheTiger @ufc @arielhelwani the question is when is Conor willing to fight me. I'm ready to go tomorrow — Frankie Edgar (@FrankieEdgar) July 15, 2015

@DeathSquadBOS @ufc @arielhelwani they have to milk the cow as much as possible before bringing it to me for slaughter — Frankie Edgar (@FrankieEdgar) July 15, 2015

@KeelSutherlaand when I beat Conor the ufc will lose a lot of money — Frankie Edgar (@FrankieEdgar) July 15, 2015

@inTIMidation1 I can take a left hand from the entire nation of Ireland — Frankie Edgar (@FrankieEdgar) July 15, 2015

Big win.

Thank you everyone who voted for me to get Best Female Athlete and Best Fighter of the year for the... https://t.co/ypuMtK1c78 — Ronda Rousey (@RondaRousey) July 16, 2015

WOW!!! Congrats Ronda with 2 ESPY's!!!! pic.twitter.com/RcZa7OrXNK — Dana White (@danawhite) July 16, 2015

Booked.

Looks like I get my title at #ufc191 it's been a while but now I can prove to the world that I'm the best — John Dodson III (@JohnDodsonMMA) July 16, 2015

Nope.

Congrats.

O just hanging out with my belt, on the cover of @ufc magazine. Grab a copy guys. Thx for the love always DC pic.twitter.com/tLkV2DeH3P — Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) July 15, 2015

Dang.

The bonus would've changed a lot of lives @danawhite @ufc. Gotta say I'm a little disappointed but you'll see me — Kevin Lee (@MoTownPhenom) July 16, 2015

Cool story.

Still got it.

FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Announced yesterday (July 15 2015)

Demetrious Johnson vs. John Dodson at UFC 191

Jan Blachowicz vs. Anthony Johnson at UFC 191

John Lineker vs. Francisco Rivera at UFC 191

Brandon Girtz vs. Melvin Guillard at Bellator 141: Dynamite

FANPOST OF THE DAY

Today's Fanpost of the Day comes via theTruthProphet.

WRESTLING Rope-a-Dope : Really, Conor McGregor?!

Increasingly, post UFC 189, we've been hearing fans claim that the glaring lack of hip-escapes, scrambles and submission attempts from the bottom by Conor McGregor was a part of his game plan, to conserve energy and to drag his opponent into the later rounds. A wrestling equivalent of the old Rope-a-Dope? The other side of the argument is that Conor McGregor was helpless on the bottom because he was being dominated by an NCAA Division I wrestler at the prime of his MMA carrier in Chad Mendes. ...

Check out the rest of the post here.

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