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Bellator MMA’s second foray into pay-per-view with a June 24 card at New York’s Madison Square Garden will also include the debut of “The Last Emperor” with the promotion.

Legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko (36-4) will face off with UFC veteran Matt Mitrione (11-5) in the co-main event of the Bellator 180 card headlined by bitter rivals Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva. Company officials confirmed the initial report by the New York Post. 

The pair of heavyweights were initially set to headline Bellator’s most recent “tent-pole event” in February until Mitrione, 38, pulled out of the event on the day of when he was hospitalized with kidney stones. 

Emelianenko, 40, long considered the greatest heavyweight in MMA history, returned to the sport in 2015 following a three-year retirement. He won his last five fights dating back to 2011 but has looked a shell of himself in recent memory. Emelianenko was lucky to escape with a disputed majority decision against Fabio Maldonado last June in his native Russia. 

Mitrione, a former NFL defensive lineman, made his pro debut on “The Ultimate Fighter” in 2009. He posted a record of 9-5 over a seven-year run in the UFC. Mitrione has fought twice with Bellator, recording a pair of TKO wins less than one month apart last summer. 

Adding Emelianenko’s name to the PPV card should help in terms of ticket sales, but it’s hard to imagine the great Fedor has anything left after watching his most recent fights. While Mitrione isn’t a world beater, and appeared to be briefly knocked out in his Bellator debut before rallying to victory, this one has the potential to be a disaster for Emelianenko.