Dana White: UFC Has No Interest in Fedor Emelianenko Following Strikeforce Loss
Posted by Kris Karkoski on Jul 2, 2010 at 3:00 pm ET39 Comments
UFC President Dana White said Thursday that he has no interest in signing former top-ranked heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko following his 69-second loss to UFC castaway Fabricio Werdum on Saturday at “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum”.
“I’m not interested,” White said at the UFC 116 pre-fight press conference. “Now that he loses, they want to say ‘we’ll come over’ because he lost? I’m done playing games.”
After having his 28 fight, 10 year win streak snapped with his loss to Werdum, Emelianenko (32-2) is believed to have one fight remaining on his current Strikeforce contract.
For the latest UFC news and Strikeforce news stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.
Pictured: Fedor Emelianenko
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I am not surprised about Dana’s comment after all Fedor is not a fan of UFC.
Dana can afford to take that stance. It should have never come to this though.
I’m oddly relieved, but I don’t know why… Weird.
It seems this decision is being fueled by his ego, not his business sense. The fans want to see Fedor fight the best in the world, and Dana always claims to give the fans the fights they want to see. The fans want to see him fight in the UFC regarless of past statements by Dana, Fedor, or M-1 Global.
Also, one loss in a decade does not change the fact that Fedor is one of the best fighters EVER period. Loss to Verdum or not, the fans would love to see Fedor fight the winner of Lesnar/Carwin.
Put your money where your mouth is Dana, give us the fights we want to see.
Dana is a business man, there’s a method to his madness.
It doesn’t matter what Dana thinks about Fedor. Even if your not a mma fan everyone knows it would be stupid to give away half of your business to M-1 for co-promotion. Its not like Dana hasn’t tried.
Apparently not everyone knows that since people still show up here saying that Fedor needs to do just that.
Don’t believe everything Dana White says. This is negotiating 101. Dana would have us believe that now Fedor and M-1 are trying to sign with the UFC and he isn’t interested. It is just another attempt by Dana to try to exploit trust issues between m-1, Strikeforce, and CBS by saying stuff without actually saying stuff. I highly doubt M-1 and Fedor have had any dealings with the UFC period since Fedor lost to Werdum. First of all, you deal from a position of strength and why approach UFC after Fedor lost to Werdum?
Don’t worry. Fedor will start winning again and the pressure will mount on Dana to consider going after Fedor. Personnally I think it is just sour grapes from Dana because he wants to sign Fedor but M-1 won’t give him the time of day.
Fedor is a depreciating asset as a fighter but he is still the most desired opponent for UFC heavyweights and I think Dana thinks he should be able to strong-arm Fedor into signing with the UFC for a disount – due to his recent loss.
Maybe before speaking for “the fans” you should consider that I’ve been an MMA fan for half of my life [nearly 17 years] and have literally sent thousands of dollars the UFC’s way thru PPV buys, merchandise sales, and multiple live event attendences.
I have zero desire to see Zuffa do business with M-1 Global, who I consider a cancer in North American MMA.
If Fedor found new handlers then possibly I would have been onboard with him fighting in the UFC BEFORE Saturday night, but he and M-1 Global are connected at the hip, PLUS I’ve already seen Fedor lose to a fighter who wouldn’t break the UFC HW top 5, so what purpose does his coming to the UFC serve now?
Also, Cain Velasquez will be facing the Lesnar/Carwin winner, like he should, and I’m guessing Fedor’s next fight will be either in SF against Antonio Silva or some sideshow match in DREAM or wherever.
So please don’t speak for me when you talk about “the fans”, some of who want to see Fedor in the UFC, and some of whom are more than happy to see him end his days in a ring in Japan or Russia or a cage in San Jose or anywhere other than Las Vegas and the Octagon.
Much obliged for the consideration.
Heres the deal on why Fedor should NEVER appear in the UFC.
Fedor had his opportunity to fight the best MMA HWs in the world, and his handlers opted out on his behalf, and in the process embarrassed Dana and the UFC, and IMO Fedor himself.
So why would Dana give Fedor, who’s value has dropped since last Saturday night, and his odious handlers ANOTHER chance to embarrass Dana and the org, and hand them seven figure checks in the process?
Every MMA promotion that has done business with M-1 Global and Fedor has regretted it, and its only a matter of time before they screw Strikeforce more than they already are.
And if you think I’m wrong, try peeping the numbers from the last SF event. After all is said and done, SF doesn’t appear to be making a lot of money when “co-promoting” events with M-1 Global.
With that in mind, then why should Zuffa even consider doing business with the used car salesmen of MMA?
And Dana IS giving us the HW fight we want to see tomorrow night, and it will determine who is the best MMA HW on the planet.
I don’t need to see Fedor mauled by Brock Lesnar or knocked stupid by Shane Carwin to know that while being PRIDE’s top dog back in the day, he can’t hang with today’s creme of the MMA HW crop.
More than at any other weightclass, in the 2010 UFC and at HW, if you can’t wrestle then you shouldn’t step into the Octagon, or you’re going to get taken down or pounded out by any number of NCAA All-Americans or wrestling standouts.
Or is there another reason why men like Gabriel Gonzaga, Mirko CroCop, Frank Mir and BigNog have found themselves on the outside looking in?
In spite of opinions to the contrary, Fedor deserves better near the end of his career, just like Chuck Lidsell does, and shouldn’t be relgated to “well-compensated victim” status in the UFC just to make some fans happy and satisfy their otherwise morbid curiousity…
so much of your repy was dedicated to M-1, SF and the UFC. When it comes down to it, I do believe “the fans” simply would rather see Lesnar or Carwin fight Fedor as opposed to Cain. You are not the only one on this board who has been an MMA fan for a long time,so as yourself this… which fight would be a bigger draw for more fans Lesnar/Fedor ot Lesna/Carwin. Keep the promotional and business B.S. out of it and ask yourself which would be a bigger, more monumental fight. If you say Velasquez, then you are kidding yourself.
Fedor’s lack of legitimate and creditable representation makes this point academic, but I’ll play along for the He11 of it.
Fedor’s lack of charisma makes him hard to market to the majority of UFC fans, who watch simply to be entertained.
Fedor’s lack of current MMA HW cred makes him hard to market to the minority of UFC fans who know the sport.
Fedor’s loss of his decade-long winning streak makes it hard to hand him either a title shot or a contenders fight, and I highly doubt that Fedor wants to start at the bottom or even the middle of the UFC HW ranks.
Fedor’s inability to lift Strikeforce out of “minor league” status makes it hard to take him seriously as a main event commodity at the UFC level.
Just because these facts don’t help support your POV that you want to see Fedor fight in the UFC doesn’t mean they can be ignored.
Fedor had his window of opportunity, and his handlers allowed it to close, and close on the fingers of the guy running the show.
Then he went and lost in 69 seconds to a fighter who couldn’t crack the UFC HW top 5.
And now we’re supposed to believe that Fedor still deserves a share of the UFC spotlight because of his PRIDE accomplishments half a decade ago?
Please.
Who is really kidding themselves here?
(whoops, sorry about the mis-type in the name before)
I think Dana only wanted to sign him for two reasons.
1. Give the fans what they wanted.
2. Watch him get beaten so he could say “I told you so” about him not being the best heavyweight.
Now whats the point?
Chrisl and I kicked this around a bit on another thread, and while I’m not sure how straight Dana is shooting here, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him leave Fedor locked out of the North American MMA spotlight, sort of as payback for the previous negotiational nonsense…
All Fedor has to do is his job which is keep winning. He’ll get in the spotlight. I think he has to win Werdum fight and Overeem fight, if Overeem is still around. If he loses one of those fights, his demands and credit drops with it.
The only way Fedor fights in the UFC is if he kicks M-1 Global and their co-promotional demands to the curb, and that isn’t happening in this lifetime…
I’m disappointed because I would still like to see how Fedor would fair against the UFC’s HW division, but I applaud Dana for taking a stance against M-1 and all there BS.
this is the second article in a row with harsh words, its mean around here, its mean on these streets
What are you on about?
i think dana would sign fedor in a heart beat…
now this would only happen if dana got what he wanted and m-1 got nothing… i think the only thing he would let them have is t-shirts… lol
Think again, friend…
why is it unreasonable to think that dana would sign him if dana got what he wanted?
was that not the reason why dana didnt sign him… because dana didnt get what he wanted because M1 wanted damn near everything so he said fogetaboutit…
with the loss on fedors record he isnt worth 1/4 of what they were asking…
so its reasonable for dana, who has the power; to say give me what i want and we have a deal…
The co-promotion issue is part and parcel of M-1 Global, and thats something that Zuffa can never agree to for a variety of legal reasons.
If Fedor were to ditch M-1 Global as handlers, then MAYBE something could be worked out, but that seems highly unlikely IMO.
Plus you’re really underestimating both the ego and wrath of Dana White IMO.
On the street in Las Vegas people know that Dana White isn’t the guy you screw around with in MMA, and Fedor would have to do a LOT of a$$-kissing to get back onto Dana’s good side.
Obviously Fedor isn’t doing that, because he admittedly isn’t a fan of the UFC, so these two parties are light years apart, and Fedor simply doesn’t have anything the UFC needs.
Plus his lack of charisma makes promoting him problematic at best.
Especially after 116, which IMO will bust over a million and a half PPV buys, and prove that Fedor simply isn’t a relevent part of the 2010 North American MMA HW landscape…
“Now that he loses, they want to say ‘we’ll come over’ because he lost? I’m done playing games.”
My only question is who are “they”? The fans or M-1 itself? I don’t see M-1 trying to get a hold of Dana after Fedor’s loss to Werdum. Sounds like stuff the fans are saying.
I mean Fedor can always go the TUF route… granted that’d be a more of a one-sided joke than having Nelson on there…
Fedor?
TUF?
Ack.
I’m not supporter of the man, but thats just too damned disrespectful.
In spite of his handlers’ douchebaggery, Fedor has always been a consummate sportsman. I’d honestly like to see Dana White take 5, and a deep breath, and issue a simple statement saying he’s interested in signing Fedor, but not M-1 Global. Limited time offer deal.
Simple choice for the Last Emperor, the UFC or M-1 Global.
If he chooses the former, then extend him every courtesy and afford him the respect he’s earned in MMA.
If he chooses the latter, then let it go and allow him and his handlers to make their way either in Japan, in whatever will be left of Strikeforce after M-1 Global bleeds them dry, or self-promotion in Russia or wherever.
Dana White is in the unique position to keep Fedor out of the North American MMA spotlight indefinitely. Either Fedor is in or he’s out, and when he’s made his choice live with it and move on.
The UFC taking shots at M-1 Global would be like the NFL taking shots at some local flag football league with one decent player.
Or publicly shredding Monte Cox and his nickel and dime kick-punch-choke outfit.
Fedor’s name gets more notoriety when it comes out of Dana White’s mouth than when it comes out of Mauro Renallo’s mouth here in North America, so hopefully now that Fedor has lost and his supporters have been brought back to reality, and tomorrow night’s 116 main event will decide the issue of the sport’s top [super]HW, all parties can go about their business as they see fit…
I guess what I’m saying is that I’d being willing to bet Dana makes some off hand remark about it like he did Kimbo. Most people don’t realize that Dana was only joking about Kimbo getting into the UFC through TUF, the shocker came when Kimbo showed up.
My main point is that Dana is running his mouth. The guy has “no interest” in a former #1 Heavyweight yet is willing to sign James Toney… yeah whatever man. This is business 101. M-1 has sought to make no connection with the UFC since the loss, he’s running his mouth here. Dana will continue to insult and demean any fight Fedor is in outside of the UFC and that means he still has interest. He’s just not interested at the price he first offered.
fedor will never be in TUF…. why? because that would mean dana would have to do another BORING heavy weight TUF which will never happen again
Dana should just say “The only way Fedor fights in the UFC is to go through The Ultimate Fighter”……give him the Kimbo Slice trail….although Fedor would never take that offer it would still be a funny situation ,the previous number 1 heavyweight in the world on the Ultimate Figther as a contestant, Thats killer ratings right there ..but i think since he chose to go to Strikeforce that should be the only way …..
and i guess i should read all the other comments before posting because now i see the one about Fedor and TUF…my bad..
i like fedor (politics an B.S. aside), i like watching him fight, hed still be a HUGE draw. not interested in fedor but ill sign james toney.
Yeah, I can just picture Fedor and the drama of the house….I can see him sitting at the head of that long table in the kitchen and saying prayer and everything. None of the team mates make eye contact while eating and nobody speaks without spoken to. And as soon as somebody does something to his food in the fridge while he’s not around, everybody quickly points to the culprit who did it so as to not suffer consequences…
Now THAT would be a TUF I could get onboard with…
;-)
He could fight Couture, big Nog or even Mark Coleman @ HW then move down to 205 and work his way to an Anderson Silva match up with an undefeated UFC record…Dana would take him minus M-1 Global co-promo
Fedor and Couture would have to be at a catchweight, because the Natural fights at 205 now, and has for awhile. Nonetheless, that would be the best “debut” for Fedor in the big show, and a match-up some fans have waited nearly a decade for.
Mark Coleman is no longer with the UFC, and is reportedly facing fellow UFC retiree [and Hall of Famer] Ken Shamrock down under in Australia [I think] next weekend.
And I think Fedor has already beaten BigNog back when he was in his prime…twice, so IMO thats not much of a fight with which Dana could launch Fedor’s UFC run, if you follow…
Wait, brock has six fights, he lost to mir, who’s better mir or werdum? How can mma fans not like fedor, he’s like rocky, dana whhite is like the russians. Fedor will live on in my heart. You people aren’t fans, just a fan of the spectacle. Go america! I’m not too patriotic.
“Who’s better, Mir or Werdum?”
In a Mir-Werdum fight I’ll pick Mir everytime, and not just because I’m a supporter.
In the last 2 1/2 calendar years, which I consider a fair period of comparitive relevency in MMA, Mir has posted a 4-2 record against Antoni Hardonk, Brock Lesnar twice, Shane Carwin, BigNog, and Chieck Kongo.
In the same period Fabricio Werdum has posted a 5-1 record against easier opposition, Fedor of course notwithstanding.
Brandon Vera isn’t anywhere near the fighter he once was, and I don’t think beating Mike Kyle and Bigfoot Silva puts you in the same league as Frank Mir, although I’m sure Werdum’s Fedor win will raise his stock dramatically, at least until his next outing.
Also, SOME MMA fans dislike Fedor because of his sh!t-awful representation, and tend to wrongfully transfer their negativity o Fedor himself.
In the past I was one of those fans, but I had my POV widened by several Fedorian friends of mine here at the frenZy who explained the nature of the situation to me….
There is a difference between humility and charisma. You could sit there and say the same thing about Shane Carwin and Jon Bones Jones if you wanted to use that angle. The only difference between them and Fedor is that they can speak fluent English so I have to disagree with you on that one. I do agree he needs to drop M-1 global though.
i figure carwin and brock are too big for fedor (although if he made it out of the first round..whatever.)
but
I’d pay to see him take on the best guys between 220-240
not interested in belts or orgs or walkout t shirts