In the movie Fight Club, Brad Pitt’s character asks Edward Norton’s character, “If you could fight anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?” I’m not sure Max Martyniouk’s answer to that question would be Fedor Emelianenko, but that would certainly be his answer if the question was, “If you could train with anyone in the world, who would it be?”

Today, for the better part of an afternoon, Martyniouk got that opportunity.

“It was an honor and a privilege,” says Max. “Here was my idol, a true MMA legend, training and practicing [moves] on me.” The lightweight fighter was Fedor’s grappling dummy during the session with the Exchange Program, as well as during the seminar which followed.

“I felt a lot of pressure to not mess up, especially when I was translating for the greatest MMA fighter in the world,” said the Estonian-born fighter.

The day’s training was shorter than most on this trip, but you have to believe that this was Max Martyniouk’s most cherished experienced so far, and one which he won’t soon forget.

The private instruction from Fedor Emelianenko has just been turned up a notch. Fedor started the session with takedowns and setups for throws, but now Emelianenko has hit the mat with coach Josuel Distak.

Emelianenko is famous for his stranglehold on the heavyweight division. Prior to losing his most recent fight to Fabricio Werdum, Fedor was looked upon as unbeatable. His success was based on his well-rounded set of skills, but Fedor opened up the MMA world's eyes with his ground-and-pound technique.

At Pride 25, Emelianenko sat in then-champion Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera's guard and battered the submission specialist for 20 minutes. The power generated by the Russian’s punches was so strong that he actually broke the Brazilian’s face.

On the mat now, Fedor shows our crew his famous technique, and it's just as fierce as it was when he won the title. Emelianenko shows his students how he generates power with his shoulders. One shot knocks the focus mitt off of Distak’s hand.

The M-1 Global USA Training Center is filling up. Fedor Emelianenko is the key instructor in today's Paradise Warrior Retreat seminar. Past training partners Gokor Chivichyan and Roman Mitichyan have even stopped by to get some time in with Emelianenko.

For a long time, there was an aura of mystery around the Russian heavyweight. Since fighting in Strikeforce, Emelianenko’s visits to the U.S. have become more frequent. However, as anyone who knows anything about fighting will tell you, if you have the chance train with Fedor, you do it.

Fedor commands attention here at the M-1 Global USA Training Center in Chatsworth, Calif. Roughly 20 people look on as the Russian shows off a variety of techniques. Max Martyniouk is not only a training partner, but also does double-duty as a translator for Emelianenko.

Born in Estonia, Max is fluent in Russian. The private session is made even more special for Martyniouk, as he is the medium for Emelianenko, communicating the heavyweight’s instructions to the group.

When I first interviewed Max Martyniouk about his entry in the Sherdog MMA Fighter Exchange, he listed his idols in the sport as Gegard Mousasi and Fedor Emelianenko. Over the past few days, he has worked with Mousasi on a personal level. Now, he finds himself on the mat with "The Last Emperor."

Emelianenko is the best heavyweight in mixed martial arts history. One could also make the argument that he may be the best fighter in mixed martial arts history. Today, Max "Payne" is sharing a private lesson with Emelianenko, alongside fellow Fighter Exchange members Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza and Fernando Bettega.