Will Someone Introduce Dana White to Fedor Emelianenko?

We've heard it over and over again, whenever the subject of Fedor Emelianenko fighting in the UFC comes up: UFC President Dana White has never even met Fedor. White says it again in the above video, shot at last week's UFC Fan Expo. So here's my question: When will someone finally introduce these two guys?

I've met both Dana and Fedor, so I'd be happy to volunteer to introduce them (as long as I got to write the exclusive story of what their conversation was like), but I don't think I have the pull to get them in the same place at the same time.

I know they've been in the same place at the same time at least once, at Pride Total Elimination 2003 on August 10, 2003, at the Saitama Super Arena. On that day, Fedor beat Gary Goodridge in the opening bout and Chuck Liddell beat Alistair Overeem in the second bout. White was in attendance to represent the UFC and support Liddell, but I guess Fedor and White never crossed paths. To my knowledge, that would be the closest they've come to meeting, and that makes August 10, 2003, a date in which a great opportunity in MMA was missed.

Seriously, this introduction needs to happen. Fedor is the best fighter in MMA, and White is the best promoter in MMA. It makes no sense for Fedor and the UFC to be adversaries, and I really think that if Fedor, White and a translator sat down together some day, they'd find a lot of common ground, for the simple reason that Fedor and the UFC can make more money together than they can apart. Please, someone introduce these two guys.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

7-15-2009 @ 6:12PM

jmend25 said...

From Time Magazine Article:

"According to Fedor, White offered him a UFC deal two years ago. "What they wanted was very rigid," says Fedor, through an interpreter, during a recent interview in New York City, where he had gone to promote the Aug. 1 fight. In conversation, Fedor is serene, but his narrow eyes are piercing, just like those of one of his biggest fans, Russian Prime Minister (and martial-arts practitioner) Vladimir Putin. "The bottom line was that the UFC was a one-sided offer, and you know, that's something that can never be acceptable," he says.

Fedor says White demanded that he fight exclusively with the UFC. Given his stake in his own promotion company, M-1 Global, that would have been a significant sacrifice. Fedor also insists the UFC would have virtually owned him if he won and would have been able to dump him if he lost. "If I was the UFC champion, I would never be able to leave the UFC," Fedor says. "The contract would just keep extending and extending. But if I lost, they could just kick me out of the UFC."

Further complicating matters, Fedor also specializes in another form of martial arts called sambo. This judo-like sport was developed for the Red Army after World War I and is now a Russian pastime. Under White's dictates, says Fedor, he'd have to stay away from sambo. "That's something I do for the pride of my country and is very important to me," says Fedor.

TIME asked White to respond to Fedor's accusations, and he pulled no punches. "Let me put it to you this way. I've done fight contracts with all the best fighters in the world," he said, working his way to the knockout blow. "With big huge superstars — Brock Lesnar, Chuck Liddell, the list goes on and on. Who the f___ is Fedor? Are you serious?"

7-15-2009 @ 6:17PM

G said...

So basically, it sounds like there are three things.

1. Sambo - UFC initially wanted Fedor to swear off sambo competitions. Either they've moved off this point (as has been reported), or Fedor has. Doesn't sound like a huge deal.

2. M-1 - Fedor's got a stake in his own organization. Fine. That means UFC has to buy M-1 like it did with Pride. If the Fertittas don't want to give Fedor a stake in UFC (which might be an interesting way of getting Fedor to agree to the "if you're champion, you can't leave" clause), it just means they've got to pay Fedor more. No surprise there. I'm just not sure who else (if anyone else) is on M-1's roster that's worth acquiring.

3. That "perpetual renewal as long as you're the champion" clause. Again, it's a matter of money. Fedor wants to be able to renegotiate every once in a while as opposed to being stuck with his original terms. Give Fedor enough money and/or lengthen the time period out enough, and it's the same thing.

Strictly speaking, yes, it can be done. If Fedor wants it. His manager (who fronts M-1), on the other hand, almost certainly doesn't because he'd go from promoter to agent with zero pull.

7-15-2009 @ 8:24PM

G,

I think you are oversimplifying the situation greatly. If it where that easy, Fedor would have been in the UFC for years now. The problem is that the UFC nor Fedor's management is willing to budge.

7-15-2009 @ 8:04PM

VISIDustin said...

G - you've got it just about right. I've heard mention of a 6 fight deal among all of the talk coming out of UFC 100 - I think this is the UFC's compromise on the champion's clause, because if Fedor comes in and destroys the first 6 heavyweights the UFC throws at him there simply won't be any big fights left for him anywhere. That way, they're not building him up to leave after 3 or 4 fights to make a big fight happen elsewhere.

Also, in the buildup to Affliction: Trilogy you know Fedor will be asked about the UFC dozens of times - after he fights Barnett, there won't be any worthy opponents left for him outside of the UFC, and you know his competitive side wants to keep being challenged. Just look at the pictures from his current training camp - he looks like he might even be in the best shape of his life right now. There's no way he's going to be happy fighting the Overeems and Minowamans of the world.

Fedor's Affliction contract is up after this fight and Affliction can't put on a bigger fight than Fedor vs. Barnett after August 1st. I don't see any way they could offer something better than the UFC can at that point. I feel like Fedor in the octagon is very close to happening, and I'm so goddamn excited about it...

7-15-2009 @ 8:22PM

Um no, its not. Far from it. M-1 and Affliction have a partnership, and the only way for Fedor to come over to the UFC is if the UFC basically co-promotes the event with M-1, which is something they won't do. I also heard Fedor is close to resigning with Affliction/m-1 until 2012.

7-15-2009 @ 11:36PM

I am oversimplifying in that I'm not really listing out UFC's refusal to move off of their points (at least during the first round of negotiations).

If UFC is now willing to buy M-1 (and that's what'd happen - they'd never partner with M-1) and some of its fighters, then that new organization might have some obligations left to Affliction (but we'd have to see the legal docs to know for sure), but it's nothing that'd hold up a deal.

In fact, I would highly doubt that Fedor (or his manager) would have agreed with a M-1/Affliction deal that would be difficult for M-1/Fedor to pull out of quickly.

Requiring an M-1 co-promotion is just a negotiating tactic. Paying Fedor for himself and M-1 is what it comes down to, and 6 fights is probably enough. Honestly, if he wins all 6, Fedor's entitled to a bigger slice of the pie (and by that time, the pie should've gotten much bigger).

7-15-2009 @ 9:18PM

The UFC could buy and sell M-1 a thousand times.

7-16-2009 @ 5:43AM

First of all, how could you buy something that is not for sale?

Second of all, the only thing the UFC would gain from that massive money pit of a deal is Fedor, someone they have done pretty good without. Since neither side really needs the other, it is very unlikely anything that drastic will happen.

7-16-2009 @ 5:30AM

Al said...

"I really think that if Fedor, White and a translator sat down together some day, they'd find a lot of common ground, for the simple reason that Fedor and the UFC can make more money together than they can apart."

Do you really believe that the only thing Fedor (and I mean Fedor, not his management) is more money? The guy who is training in a playground in front kids right now? The guy who still drives an old toyota? Come on MDS. Fedor has continually stated that UFC terms are too restrictive and Dana always states the his MANAGEMENT want the world. Nowhere should it be inferred that Fedor is out for money.

7-16-2009 @ 9:40AM

easy7179 said...

i really don't see affliction putting on another show much less going through 2012. this will be fedor's last fight outside the ufc.

7-16-2009 @ 10:25AM

keithstbird said...

I hope Fedor will sign with the Ufc so that way I can see him get his face smashed in by lesnar. I understand he is the best in the other organizations and I have seen him fight and he is a great fighter but I do not believe he will beat lesnar. I have been a fan of lesnars for a long time and I was rooting for mir to win that fight and to see lesnar absolutly dominate him the way he did was inpressive and it wasent only mir couture as well and hering I dont know that anyone can beat him

7-17-2009 @ 4:37PM

shane said...

fedor is the best and if white does not want to get it on with brock, then he is not very smart, hey, this fight would make more money then any fight in history, why don't they get it on 50-50 split what is the big deal, is it ego thing with with white? i think fedor would kick brocks' ass, brock is scared of him and he should be!