After months of rumors and speculation about MMA heavyweight legend Fedor Emelianenko's return to fighting after a three-year hiatus, former PRIDE head Nobuyuki Sakakibara announced during Saturday's Bellator: Dynamite 1 that "The Last Emperor" will be headlining a New Year's Eve card in Japan, MMA Fighting reports. While no opponent has been named, the event will air in the US on Spike TV.

"[Let's] restart a new chapter of MMA," Sakakibara said before unveiling Emelianenko to the sold-out crowd at the S&P Center in San Jose.

"I am a fighter," Emelianenko succinctly responded when asked why he's returning to MMA at age 38. "I am ready. I will see you New Year's Eve on Spike TV."

As noted by Yahoo Sports, a partnership between Sakakibara and Bellator president Scott Coker will bring together Spike TV and a new global MMA promotion run by the former PRIDE president.

"We are thrilled to join forces with Nobuyuki Sakakibara and our partner Bellator [and] president Scott Coker to give MMA fans a big reason to celebrate this New Year's Eve - Fedor fighting FREE on Spike!" Spike president Kevin Kay said in a press release.

Emelianenko, the former PRIDE FC heavyweight champion retired in 2012 after a legendary career. He amassed a 34-4-1 record and came out on a three-fight winning streak - a big reason why fans have kept wondering if the 38-year-old still has something left.

According to MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani, Emelianenko has a two-fight deal with Sakakibara. And while Bellator has not signed the Russian, Bellator will have some involvement in the New Year's Eve show.

The past months, rumors were swirling that Emelianenko might finally make his way to the UFC, with UFC president Dana
White neither confirming nor denying the possibility. Fans have been salivating for the MMA legend to fight in the premier promotion for years.