Dana White Fires First Shots at 'Strike-Farce' After Fedor Emelianenko Signing

PHILADELPHIA -- For years, there's been a respectful peace between UFC President Dana White and Strikeforce President Scott Coker. In the past, White has pointed him out as a class act and an effective leader. Even when Strikeforce signed a deal with NBC, White had nothing bad to say about Coker.

But after the upstart San Jose, Calif.-based promotion signed coveted free agent and heavyweight star Fedor Emelianenko, the gloves are off, and the first shots of the UFC-Strikeforce war have been fired.

While White still holds a personal respect for Coker, he pulled no punches in bashing the company Coker runs in the moments after a UFC 101 press conference, calling it "Strike-Farce" and characterizing it as a "regional show."

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"They have no money, no fighters. They're a small-town show," White said. "Cung Le hasn't defended the title since like 1997. Josh Thomson hasn't defended the belt in like two years. Who's their other champion? Alistair Overeem? He hasn't defended the belt in like two years. It's Strike-Farce. It's a little regional show with no one in it."

Emelianenko became a free agent hours after his scheduled opponent tested positive for steroids and Affliction canceled the event and closed the promotion. While White was overseas on UFC business, he and Zuffa co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta engaged in intense negotiations with Emelianenko's camp, but even after making what he termed a "great" deal, they could not come to terms with the Russian, undone by a co-promotional stipulation that they would not agree to.

Asked what Emelianenko's effect on Strikeforce would be, White was characteristically blunt.

"He'll put them out of business," he said. "They have no money and no distribution. You know how many people watch their fights? Their last fight [on Showtime cable], 245,000 people watched that fight. That's nothing."

After hearing Emelianenko had spurned the UFC for Strikeforce, White said that he was literally miserable for two days, but was buoyed by e-mails fans sent the company thanking them for making a run at Fedor.

"Then I said, 'f*** him," White said. "There was no way in hell that deal was going to happen. I offered him a great deal. I guarantee you the Strikeforce deal wasn't in the same universe with ours. it wasn't close. They probably didn't even pay him as much as Affliction was."

After digesting it all, White says he believes that from the start, Emelianenko had no desire to end up in the UFC.

"It was completely obvious they didn't want to do a deal," he said. "He just didn't want to be in the UFC."

Asked about rumors that the UFC had sent a cease-and-desist letter to Strikeforce to stop the scheduled Gegard Mousasi-Renato "Babalu" Sobral matchup, White had no answer.

"I honestly don't know," he said, intimating that his legal team might have acted without his knowledge. "Maybe we did. You know me. I'd tell you if I knew we did."

But in the last few years, White has seen the IFL, EliteXC and now Affliction go up in flames. Strikeforce is now the latest in a long line of promotions that hope to gain some market share at UFC's expense.

The war is just beginning.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

8-06-2009 @ 3:51PM

jhambone213 said...

After following the UFC and Dana White for nearly 5 years now, I believe that if he says he doesn't know, he doesn't know The man has been open and honest about the UFC, what he does in it and where he wants to take it, so why lie about this? It would seem stupid to me. Now, has Dana said or done some stupid thigns, like saying he would never sign anyone who signs a deal with EA Sports MMA game, yes. But why lie about something of this nature? Doubt it.

chirish2003 said...

Dana is like a 14 yo girl sometimes.

8-06-2009 @ 3:56PM

jlccastillo7 said...

Its obvious that Dana's head has outgrown him.. I like and watch UFC but sure am tired of Dana's ego. I sure wish he'd get in the cage and someone kick his A_ _... thinks he knows everything. For UFC's sake, i would not let him make anymore public announcements, but because of his arrogance, I will give any competitor of his a chance and watch them too....

8-08-2009 @ 1:22PM

branddaman said...

someone did kick his ass in the cage. Tito ortiz did it at the end of his coaching season of the ultimate fighter. it was a good thing too, cause tito pounded some sense into dana's head, maybe we can get him to do it again. they hate eachother anyway.

8-06-2009 @ 4:16PM

gillygodfried said...

i love dana white

8-06-2009 @ 4:39PM

retrojoke said...

I wish Dana would stfu sometimes.

8-06-2009 @ 4:58PM

jaime said...

i dont care about his ego all i care is that he tries to get the top fighters in the world fighting in the ufc,every fighters dream is to be in the ufc except fedor,whether you like it or not he is ducking brock and randy,just like he did with crocop,to be the best you have to fight the best which fedor clearly has no intentions of doing

8-08-2009 @ 11:02AM

veedubkid said...

Dude you do not even know what you are talking about. You ever see Fedor fight? Fedor is not ducking anyone. Dana WHite had the luxury of having billionaire backers so even when it looked like the UFC would fold the brotheres would throw more money at it because they knew it to be a great investment. Look at all the kids in MMA schools today.. More are than in boxing school 20 years ago. MMA IS THE FUTURE

8-06-2009 @ 5:09PM

claytor said...

Lol, did someone actually post that Fedor ducked Cro-Cop???

When he beat him years ago, a better version of Mirko at that than the eye poking shell that lingers on the roster hoping for a better payday?

Facts are facts, Fedor globally is a MUCH bigger name than Brock Lesnar, or prolly will be in a year. The only thing Brock draws right now is his mouth, and fighting people 50 pounds smaller.

Dana was trying to pay Fedor LESS money for a Brock fight than Brock wouldve been paid, and Fedor is the douche? Go to business school, something, anything, lol.

8-06-2009 @ 11:03PM

Typo.

Completely meant Fedor is a bigger draw globally than Brock is currently, or Brock even a year from now.

US fans are heavy on the Brock wagon, the UFC wagon, but the global community has their fair share of favorites as well, and need to be recognized just the same.

8-08-2009 @ 12:49PM

rdhendrick25 said...

lol Fedor ducked crocop??? He beat crocops ass in mirkos prime!!! I like fedor, hes a great sportsman. He's respectful towards all of his opponents. The thing I like about fedor not jumping into the UFC, is how he won't sell out for the big corporation so to speak. He's a big name fighting for a smaller company. That's cool in my book.

8-06-2009 @ 5:13PM

lynrdskin said...

Do your homework and face the facts.....Fedor is 30 and 1!!! FEDOR IS KING!!!

8-06-2009 @ 8:48PM

tiensthirdeye said...

30 and 1, and wo has he fought? The best? Or whats out there. Kimbo slice was supposed to be awesome too, until he fought talent

8-07-2009 @ 11:38AM

trukerzrule said...

he is king cause he fights losers and is afraid to fight in ufc cause he knows he get his azz handed to him

8-06-2009 @ 5:15PM

billh23 said...

Yeah i highly doubt when its all said and done Fedor will make what ufc could have offered. And I have said it all along if you think your the best in the world then join the UFC and prove it. To me Fedor would rather fight punks and fill ins then any real competition. Everyone brings up arlovski and silvia well arlov has always had a glass chin and silvia was washed up in ufc by that time. He is dodging big fights and its clear now.

8-06-2009 @ 6:50PM

Niv said...

If Arlovksi and Sylvia were washed up, then what has Brock done to deserve all the credit he gets?

Brock beat Randy Couture at 45 years old after a 1.5 year layoff, Randy's last win was against Tim Sylvia. I sense a dilemma here for you because that means Brock beat a guy who's closer to Old Age pension and has no legitimate win in a few years because Sylvia is washed up, isn't he?

How can you deny a 36 second beating by Fedor as nothing, but Randy's win was epic according to the UFC bandwagon. You guys have to stop worshiping the UFC logo and try to be a little more fair in your assessments.

Dana White never made the offer that was leaked and this was all done to vilify Fedor for not caving in.

If I were Dana White and was as sure as everyone else here that Brock would destroy Fedor then I would offer a one time co-promotion with Brock against Fedor, let Brock destroy him and effectively end Fedor's mystique. But we know what would actually happen so the fans don't get to sse the fight they want to see and everyone blames Fedor, what a joke. If Bob Arum and Golden Boy can co-promote super-fights in the boxing world why can't the UFC do this for the fans?

Dana White as I've said before is a sweatshop slum lord and if he can't own you outright he'll threaten and slander you, way to go guys keep loving Dana.

Remember Dana does everything for the fans, he blocks Couture from fighting Fedor, he files a cease and desist order against Mousassi and he does this for you the fan, time to wake up please!

8-06-2009 @ 5:47PM

kellySlater said...

Fedor would have made around 30 million if he would have won all three fights in the contract for UFC...Lesner probably makes about 250,000-500,000 per fight now. Fedor is going to become a joke if he doesn't step it up and keep fighting old timers. t.silvia? arlovski? the 7 foot 5 guy? come on, fight someone close to their prime AT LEAST

8-06-2009 @ 6:39PM

CONNIE said...

WOW,GO DANA ,GO!!
LOVE UFC,LOVE MMA.....!!
ILL WATCH NO MATTER WHAT DRAMA GOES ON!

8-06-2009 @ 6:44PM

This just in fight of the century Fedor vs Kimbo.lol Both are jokes. Whos next for him to fight carrot top?

8-06-2009 @ 8:12PM

Fedor's fighting Kimbo? You realize Kimbo is in the UFC don't you? So who's the joke, WWE HW Champ and Internet HW Champ both belong to the UFC.

I guess they're legitimate now and Fedor's a joke for looking after himself.

No one wants to address the UFC Champion clause, does anyone stop to think if Fedor remained undefeated in the UFC he will remain property of the UFC indefinitely?

Rumours are out there that Anderson Silva already signed for a boxing match with Roy Jones Jr. when he retires from the UFC. Watch how Dana White does it for the fans and blocks that fight if A Silva is bound by the Champ clause. No one wants to acknowledge the fact that the UFC blocked Couture from fighting Fedor and how they're trying to block Babalu vs Mousassi all for the fans again. Now wait they'll put on a free show when Strikeforce is on, man this UFC is doing it all for the fans, you gotta love how the fans come first with the UFC.