Mauro Ranallo Recalls Kevin Randleman’s Randleplex of Fedor Emelianenko

Mauro Ranallo spoke with MMAjunkie sharing his memories of Kevin Randleman, who passed away last month at the age of forty-four. Check out the highlights:

On calling Kevin Randleman’s fights: “For me, Kevin Randleman will always represent some of my most memorable calls back-to-back. The knockout of Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ in the heavyweight tournament. What a reward, right? You knock off one of the three guys – we called it the ‘Holy Trinity,’ or ‘Unholy Trinity’ back then because the way they promoted that tournament was Fedor, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Mirko ‘Cro Cop.’ And here’s Randleman, who knocks out the knockout artist in emphatic fashion, and what does he get for a reward? Fedor Emelianenko. And he does the ‘Randleplex.’ There’s a picture out there where you can see both of them in midair going straight down. The fact that Fedor didn’t break his neck or even worse and then came back a minute later to submit Randleman just shows you what kind of fighter Fedor was.”

On Randleman’s talent: “Was there any more high-caliber athlete than Kevin Randleman in MMA? The greatest wrestler in Ohio State University history. He did that pro wrestling show we did, the Hustle show, which was days after the (PRIDE) Shockwave 2003. He was on the apron – I know B.J. Penn has done this in pools and a lot of guys I’m sure can do this – but to see Kevin Randleman, the compact muscleman that he was, jump over the top rope in one vertical leap from a standing position. I’m like, ‘This guy’s got spring in his legs.’ If it were not for the serious car accident, the dangerous staph infection and other issues, he would have been one of the best ever because he had it all.”