LA Times: Fedor/UFC deal TBA Friday

[Ned Ferguson]

A long-awaited agreement between the Ultimate Fighting Championship and the man considered the world's best mixed martial arts fighter, Fedor Emelianenko, is expected to be announced by UFC President Dana White on Friday, a source with information about the negotiations told The Times today. WFS

[Michael DeLuca]

I need to hear it from White to believe it.

Last year we went through the big announcement BS and nothing happened.

[Gaines DuVall]

There are a lot of reports also saying that this is false. Of course I hope that it is true.

[Ned Ferguson]

Denying a published report Tuesday by the Los Angeles Times, M-1 Global officials told SI.com that Fedor Emelianenko and the Ultimate Fighting Championship are not close to finalizing a deal that would bring mixed martial arts' top heavyweight in the Octagon.

"I can give you a guarantee it's not accurate," said Apy Echteld of M-1 Global, a St. Petersburg, Russia-based promotion and management company of which Emelianenko is an equity stakeholder.

LINK WFS

I'm still hoping.

[Ryan Hoegner]

Honestly, no other organization makes any sense. But logic seems like a worthless tool when it comes to Fedor's Management. If he continues elsewhere choosing to fight 7" chinese guys I think it tarnishes his legacy.

Ryan

[Celio Silva]

Originally Posted by Ryan Hoegner

But logic seems like a worthless tool when it comes to Fedor's Management

Actually, Fedor seems to have no problem fighting for anybody. It's the UFC management that is the issue. Fedor is probably the only guy on the planet that dosen't have to or ever will bow to the UFC slavedriving....

This is going to come down to Danas' willingness to NEGOTIATE rather than impose...

We'll see...

[Sean Dunston]

Originally Posted by Celio Silva

Actually, Fedor seems to have no problem fighting for anybody. It's the UFC management that is the issue. Fedor is probably the only guy on the planet that dosen't have to or ever will bow to the UFC slavedriving....

This is going to come down to Danas' willingness to NEGOTIATE rather than impose...

We'll see...

Agreed-
More to the point - it will come down to their willingness to allow him to be the sole exception to their "exclusivity" provision in their fighter's contracts.

[Ryan Hoegner]

Originally Posted by Celio Silva

This is going to come down to Danas' willingness to NEGOTIATE rather than impose...

We'll see...

Dana doesn't have to. If fedor wants to fight the best in the world, he joins the UFC. If he doesn't like their rules, he can spend the rest of his prime fighting cans. I certainly wouldn't want my Champion skipping around from organization to organization fighting whoever he pleases. And why should the UFC have to co-promote an event with M-1, who really has not done jack**** for the sport. I am all for letting Fedor participate in Sambo tournamants, but I don't think they should be within 3-4 months of a scheduled fight.

Ryan

[Jeffrey Crawford]

Fedor needs the UFC, The UFC no longer needs Fedor. Fedors stock is dropping faster than puppy balls. The truth is Fedors managment is crazy, Co-promotion with M-1 a requirment... come on what do they offer the UFC? The reality is that Fedors first fight in the UFC will be Brock, he will lose and M-1 will crash and Fedor will be cro-copped back to Japan. That is what the UFC wants to happen, they what Fedor to come and lose, Dana would love that.

This is rumored to be what the UFC offered Fedor...

http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/mma....1498425&page=1

Not WFS because of language.

[Ned Ferguson]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey Crawford

Fedor needs the UFC, The UFC no longer needs Fedor. Fedors stock is dropping faster than puppy balls. The truth is Fedors managment is crazy, Co-promotion with M-1 a requirment... come on what do they offer the UFC? The reality is that Fedors first fight in the UFC will be Brock, he will lose and M-1 will crash and Fedor will be cro-copped back to Japan. That is what the UFC wants to happen, they what Fedor to come and lose, Dana would love that.

This is rumored to be what the UFC offered Fedor...

http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/mma....1498425&page=1

Not WFS because of language.

If that's true it sounds like a sweetheart deal to me. Fedor would be nuts to turn it down (if true).