Report: Fedor Emelianenko to Face 1-0 Jaideep Singh on NYE

Let the grumbling begin.

After shunning the Ultimate Fighting Championship for an offer by former Pride Fighting Championships President Nobuyuki Sakakibara, Fedor Emelianenko is likely to face Indian kickboxer Jaideep Singh on New Year’s Eve in Japan, according to a report by MMAFighting.

Singh is 1-0 in mixed martial arts competition, but holds a lengthy kickboxing record. The 28-year-old heavyweight smashed Alireza Tavak with first-round elbows in his lone professional MMA bout at Super Fight League 19 in June of 2013.

Emelianenko, 34-4 (1 NC), is returning to MMA following a three year layoff. In his prime, the 39-year-old Russian was widely viewed as the sport’s top talent. The Red Devil Sports Club product fell on hard times near the end of his first run, with back-to-back-to-back losses to Fabricio Werdum, Antonio Silva and Dan Henderson. “The Last Emperor” quietly dispatched of Jeff Monson, Satoshi Ishii and Pedro Rizzo before calling it quits in 2012.

Dec. 31’s event is expected to take place at the Saitama Super Arena near Tokyo, and will air via tape delay in the U.S. on Spike TV.