Fedor vs Matt Lindland at Bodog

An Olympic silver medallist in Greco-Roman wrestling, Matt "The Law" Lindland is no stranger to elite competition.

But the American mixed martial arts fighter will have his hands full Saturday when he tackles Pride Fighting Championships heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko in the main event of Bodog's Clash of the Nations card in St. Petersburg, Russia (available on pay per view).

Emelianenko, 30, is widely regarded as the most feared MMA heavyweight on the planet. He may not have the buffed body of some fighters, but the six-foot 233-pound Russian is a wrecking machine in the ring.

To many, Lindland seems an unlikely opponent for the Russian hardman. The 26-year-old is a respected fighter, but not as a heavyweight.

Lindland's normal walking around weight is 200 pounds, and in the past has cut down to 185 to fight as a middleweight. This time he expects to weigh around 210 pounds.

Lindland, who competed at the 2000 Olympics, is unfazed by the move up in weight. He says he's in with a chance.

"That's the exciting part about this. I'm looking forward at going in there and beating this guy," he said Thursday from St. Petersburg. "It's something that a lot of people don't think I've got an opportunity to do but I definitely feel like I'm at the same level as a competitor."

The Bodog fight circuit is part of the Bodog.com Entertainment Group owned by Canadian Calvin Ayre, who was born in Lloydminster, Sask. He now lives in the Caribbean where Bodog is based.

Bodog offers Internet gambling but also has its hands in music, film and fighting.

Saturday's card is Bodog's biggest to date in the world of MMA, with Emelianenko providing plenty of star power.

"It's an honour to be picked to take on Fedor, for sure," Lindland said. "I think it's a great opportunity for me and it says a lot about my fighting abilities that they chose me to be his next opponent."

The Russian has knockout power in his fists and formidable submission skills. He stalks fighters, then beats them up.

Not surprisingly, Lindland hopes to avoid those fists.

"I'm hoping it goes to the ground, because he's a very powerful striker," he said. "He outweighs me by a few pounds so I don't want particularly to stand in front of him and get hit by his punches.

"So I want to close the distance and take the fight to the ground, where I think I have an advantage. I want to outmove him, outhustle him. I think being the smaller fighter, the big advantage I do have is my speed."

Emelianenko's record is 25-1 with one no contest. Both the loss (to Tsuyoshi Kohsaka in 2000) and the no contest (Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira) were due to cuts. Emelianenko beat Nogueira on two other occasions.

His victims include Croatian sensation Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, now campaigning in the UFC.

Lindland (20-4) has fought in a variety of circuits, including the UFC and the now-defunct World Fighting Alliance. These days, he coaches the Portland Wolfpack in the International Fight League and competes in IFL "superfights," defeating Canadian Carlos Newton via submission in his most recent outing in February.

"I wish him luck. I hope he does well," Newton, who coaches the IFL's Toronto Dragons, said of Lindland.

"It's going to be a real tough match," he added. "Fedor, on the other hand, I hopes he trains well and doesn't underestimate Matt Lindland."

Lindland says he been looking for the best fights regardless of affiliation, citing recent bouts against Jeremy Horn. He is committed to Bodog for three fights, all in the heavyweight class.

"They treat their fighters very well. They put on a first-class event ... They're doing everything right," Lindland said.

Bodog held a pay per view card in Vancouver in December. Like this one, it served as a finale of the Bodog fight season.

Emelianenko's brotherAleksander Emelianenko is also on the St. Petersburg card, taking on heavyweight Eric Pele. Other fights include welterweight Nick "The Goat" Thompson against Eddie Alvarez.

Resource: www.cbc.ca