Photo by Amy Kaplan/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Jon Jones amazed as 48-year-old Fedor Emelianenko shows off incredible gym skills

Originally posted on HITC | By Harvey Leonard | Last updated Sep 27, 2025 9:58 AM ET

Fans are amazed that Fedor Emelianenko can still pull off a move that Jon Jones never managed, especially at heavyweight.

Dana White announced Jones’ retirement after an underwhelming spell as UFC heavyweight champion.

It didn’t last long. The leading GOAT contender quickly signalled his intention to return at the planned White House event in 2026. However, White doesn’t seem keen on bringing him back, so he may remain retired after all.

Fedor Emelianenko’s fitness stands out among retired UFC greats

Emelianenko is widely seen as the best fighter never to compete in the UFC. He’s always in the GOAT conversation at heavyweight and often mentioned alongside Georges St-Pierre, Anderson Silva, and Jones when fans talk about MMA’s greatest.

“The Last Emperor” fought under big banners like Strikeforce, Bellator, Rizin, and Pride across his 48-fight career, which ended with a knockout loss to Ryan Bader at Bellator 290 in 2023.

Two years later, Emelianenko is now coaching at 48 but staying fit even after retiring from competition.

It hasn’t been easy either. Just a year after shoulder surgery, Emelianenko is already back doing advanced gym work.

“A year has passed since my complicated shoulder surgery,” Emelianenko wrote in the caption (translated from Russian) of a video that shows him swinging on a bar.

Jon Jones reacts to Fedor Emelianenko’s latest gym video

Jones noticed the post and said even he can’t pull off those moves, despite being a decade younger. “I still have never done one of those,” Jones wrote in the comments section on Instagram.

Former UFC fighter and kickboxer Gokhan Saki simply commented “Legend!” while current UFC fighter Vitor Petrino added a series of fire emojis.

Plenty of fans were also shocked and impressed by the Russian great’s display of agility.

240 pound men shouldn’t be able to do this
— ‎ ᅠ (@OGICEY) September 27, 2025

“F— it, book him vs (Tom) Aspinall. I’ve seen enough, Fedor vs ‘Rampage’ at the White House event. Fedor looks in better shape retired than he did while competing. All things considered. This is wildly impressive. Best MMA fighter of all time.”

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: