By Frank Curreri

Managing Editor, FOX5Vegas.com

LAS VEGAS -- A telling moment happened Saturday at the Pride Fighting Championships when Russian fighter Fedor Emelianenko had badly hurt his American opponent, Mark Coleman, and Coleman fell to his knees.

Coleman's left eye had been swollen shut from an Emelianenko punch, and as the former NCAA wrestling champion and one-time Olympian tried desperately to survive, many in the American crowd implored the Russian to finish off his bloodied and weary foe.

"Fedor! Fedor! Fedor!" thousands of American spectators at Thomas & Mack center began chanting in unison. Indeed, American fans showered Emelianenko with the loudest and warmest ovations of the night -- and that includes seven American fighters who were on the card. Patriotism, on this night, took a back seat to the widespread admiration fans of many nations hold for one of MMA's most superb but humble fighters.

"My emotions went all the way up," when hearing the American cheers, Emelianenko, speaking through a translator, said following his second-round victory via armbar submission. "It was really pleasant for me."

As usual, whatever Emelianenko was feeling inside was well-concealed under his emotionless exterior. It was obvious, however, what the 41-year-old Coleman was feeling. The heavy underdog and mixed martial arts legend made it to Round 2, but there is every indication Coleman made it that far in part because Fedor --who idolized Coleman when he was younger -- showed mercy on an aging fighter that he is fond of.

"I haven't fought in a long time, so I wanted to make this fight a little longer," explained Emelianenko, who had a 10-month lay-off before Saturday's bout, which marked his 21st consecutive win.

Emelianenko's translator also told FOX5 News that he likes Coleman and chose not to punish him further. That may explain why the 233-pound Emelianenko, normally among the sport's most ferocious punchers, stop throwing big blows at Coleman and made it easy for Coleman to take him down early in the 2nd round. From there, it was deja vu all over again; the the Pride heavyweight champion finished Coleman in the same sort of standard armbar that ended their fight two years ago.

When Saturday's match was over, a strange scene unfolded in the ring, reminiscent of a scene from a Rocky Balboa movie. A crying Coleman was joined in the ring by his two young daughters, who were also sobbing. "Daddy's loves you. Daddy's OK girls," Coleman told them, before turning his attention to an interview in the ring with a Pride official. "I will be back. I will (expletive) be back. He's the best ... I've got a lot of work to do."

Then, in a surreal and apparently spontaneous moment, Coleman carried a daughter in each arm to the middle of the ring where they met Emelianenko. Fedor stood there, and appeared to say something, though it was unclear exactly what he said. The gesture seemed an attempt by Coleman to calm his daughters, who were understandably frightened by what they had just witnessed.

"I felt very uncomfortable," Emelianenko, who also has a wife and kids, conceded during a post-fight press conference. "Kids can be very emotional in a situation like that. So I can only imagine."

While Emelianenko was the darling of fans, another spectacular fighter, Brazil's Mauricio Rua, did not receive the same reception though he too was impressive during his win over Kevin Randleman. Rua, one of the world's top 205-pounders, surprised his much stronger and more athletic opponent with an ankle lock early in Round 1. Though Rua held the lock for well over a minute, Randleman showed tremendous fight and refused to tap. Randleman was doomed however, once Rua switched to a kneebar that hyperextended Randleman's knee. Randleman tapped quickly and was seen limping after the fight.

In other fights, wrestler Dan Henderson dominated Vitor Belfort with takedowns and by controlling the top position en route to a unanimous victory. Former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett was dominated by former judo world champ Pawel Nastula for eight minutes, but Barnett stunned Nastula with a fight-ending toe hold.

Phil Baroni used a kimura lock to finish Yosuke Nishijima, and Robbie Lawler recorded the night's most spectacular and swiftest knockout by landing a flying knee on highly-regarded Joey Villasenor, then following up with a barrage of blows. Lawler pulled off the upset in a mere 22 seconds.

Frank Curreri can be reached at: fcurreri@kvvu.com