Fedor Emelianenko would have liked to face Cain Velasquez if he was in his prime because he is a ‘thinking fighter’

While Fedor Emelianenko is not coming out of retirement, he was not shy to nominate UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez as the opponent he would have hypothetically liked to face if he was in his athletic prime.

The MMA legend, who was in Calgary promoting Amateur MMA, suggested Velasquez simply because of his technical prowess and strategic mindset.

"Cain Velasquez," Emelianenko said from Friday in Calgary. "He has some technical difficulties, but he has ambition and he's fearless. He wants to win so badly and he's in great condition. He's a thinking fighter."

When asked whether he is still involved in the sport of MMA, Emelianenko revealed that he still trains regularly and is remains a pivotal part of the sport's growth for the younger generation.

"I still train, so there isn't much that I miss," said Emelianenko, who'll also be doing work with Sambo Canada while he's in the country. "A true athlete is someone who doesn't just stop training when they stop competing. It's a way of life and they keep in shape just to keep up that standard.

"Plus, there's a lot of younger guys who would like to take me down, so I always need to keep up because I definitely don't want that to happen."

Transcription taken from the Calgary Sun.