With apologies to the caffeinated Strikeforce/Showtime broadcasters, Saturday's heavyweight main event between Dan Henderson and Fedor Emelianenko was more matter-of-fact than it was jump-out-of-your-seat-and-scream.

Plain and simple, his loss to Henderson means Emelianenko's ship has sailed and it's not returning.

This Emelianenko isn't the Pride Emelianenko, as we are aware. The Last Emporer's aura dissolved several years ago right along with that promotion.

Since that point, he's fought mostly non-entities. Like freak-show Hong Man Choi, and has-beens Matt Lindland, Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski, and ex-Sam's Club employee/relative novice Brett Rogers.

Those were hardly the men to test Fedor's pound-for-pound superiority. Emelianenko's unabashed legion of lovers will disagree, but it's the truth. Yes, he beat them all in his well-known style, getting pushed around and bloodied before pulling off a spectacular win.

While other top-shelf heavyweights tested themselves, Fedor was directed to maintain his luminous reputation against questionable opponents before seeing his lengthy winning streak and seeming invincibility eliminated during a three-fight drought. He has now lost to a one-dimensional ground fighter (Fabricio Werdum), a younger, larger, stronger man (Antonio Silva) and, finally, a gritty 40-year-old who was only moonlighting as a heavyweight and whose more natural weight is two classes below (Henderson).

It is clear now for those who hoped or wondered if Fedor, 34, could continue cheating defeat to revitalize his legacy despite never stepping foot in the ultimate, octagonal proving ground.

It's over.

Showtime's commentators apparently didn't want to believe it. Hence, their commentary Saturday during a four-minute fight that sent broadcaster Gus Johnson into typical hysterics despite a result that really wasn't too surprising or astounding.

I understand he's being paid to pump up the volume on whatever two combatants are in the cage, but ... jeez. Let me say first that I respect Johnson as a passionate, informed play-by-play man in basketball and football. But, as for his cage-fighting chops, Johnson will never live down his description of Kimbo Slice as "The Tiger Woods of MMA."

On Saturday, Johnson's octave level as Henderson and Emelianenko traded shots suggested we were watching something much more meaningful than a non-title, three-round bout between men whose best years are quite a distance in the rear-view.

Johnson's cohort, whoever he is, also helped peddle the fight's false sense of meaning. At one point the guy gushed about how Fedor was in the best shape of his life.

Really? Even though he was 12 pounds or so lighter than his usual fighting weight because of Henderson's smaller stature, Emelianenko looked just as physically unimpressive as ever (which was one of the most amazing aspects of Emelianenko's reign - how he basically looked like a dude who works at a bakery and happens to slay monsters on weekends).

Anyway, the comment came a couple of minutes before a bizarre and rapid turn of events that saw Fedor knock down Hendo, then scurry to finish before getting reversed and put out, briefly, by an unsuspecting uppercut. Henderson followed with a couple of more swings from behind the fallen legend.

It was enough for referee Herb Dean to halt the activity.

Some shape Fedor was in.

Emelianenko said the stoppage might've been premature, but wouldn't add anything more pointed, nor would he give specifics on his future plans after the latest in a previously incomprehensible losing streak.

Big surprise, considering he hasn't provided a single insight or facial expression in years. Protecting his secrets until the...