Report: UFC Turns Down Couture vs. Fedor
All hopes to have Randy Couture take on Fedor Emelianenko in a co-promoted bout between M-1 Global and the UFC are no more as the UFC has reportedly tuned down M-1’s offer for the fight according to Brawl Sports who got the news directly from Couture:
“We got an official offer from M-1 to the UFC to do a co-promotion for the Couture-Emelianenko fight, and they (UFC) rejected that offer. Really, the only thing standing in the way for that fight right now is Dana and the UFC. Obviously, M-1 is happy to do a co-promotion like that. It only serves to help them. I think the UFC is looking at it the other way, and it’s like why do we want to help out another organization? The fans want to see that fight. At some point, you have to put that first.”
The article also reveals that all of Couture’s contract with the UFC will expire by October 11th.
Tags: Fedor Emelianenko, Randy Couture
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why dunt fedor just come fight in the ufc? its the biggest an best organization in mma,any1 agree wiv me on this? couture is one ov my heros i hope him an dana sort wat ever out so we can all watch him fight inside the cage again, come on randy u no it makes sence,
If the only thing holding up this fight is that it might provide a leg up to a UFC competitor, then Dana White should be ashamed of himself. Who the hell cares? This would be the biggest fight since Gracie/Hughes, IMHO. It’s the fight that all hard-core MMA fans want to see.
I work in the business world, and there is one axiom that always proves true: give the consumer what they want, and they’ll always come back for more. MMA is still growing as a sport in the US. If the UFC truly wants to have a NASCAR-type breakthrough into the mainstream, it needs fights like this.
I don’t want to post comments discussing the whys and wherefores of dubious business decisions made by suits staring at spreadsheets. I want to discuss matchups, styles, and potential outcomes for this clash of titans.
Please for the love of God, make this fight happen!
First of all, Fedor shouldn’t HAVE to come fight in the UFC since his organization is willing to co-promote. Dana and crew need to realize that what the fans want is more important than recognition for a Russian based fighting organization. I mean is he really THAT scared of M-1? COME ON!
Dana stop being a complete idiot. Now you will get NOTHING. This fight will happen without you…and you will end up looking like the biggest fool for not making any money off of it.
Dana, please let this fight happen. Make all the other fights on the card be UFC fights. Make the fight take place in a UFC Octogon. Just let Fedor an M-1 fighter come lose to Randy in the UFC.
Eveyone wins if this fight happens.
If I was the UFC, I wouldn’t co-brand this either. It makes no business sense at all.
You can blame Dana or you can blame Fedor for running to M-1. Fedor knew when he signed that he was moving to an inferior organization.
In a year, Couture will be a year older and rusty. At 45 we all decline much more quickly, so it’ll never be the same fight in M-1. We’re just left with the “what might have beens”.
All this hype and craziness for this fight and I bet its a boring fight if it did happen, but its not going to. So lets leave it be and move on. Randy has proved that he is a great fighter. Now he needs to finish his contract with the UFC and keep proving it. There are a lot of tough fighters in the Heavyweight division. It all comes down to money….how much Randy gets and doesnt get. I stand by the UFC on this like I have from the begining. Dont turn this sport into boxing….what killed boxing? Don King and money and greed. Good for the UFC for sticking to what they said they would.
I would like to see the fight….but its just one fight….10 years from now there are going to be 2 fighters that are on top of it all and they will fight. Lets just move on from the Fedor-Couture-UFC thing. The UFC is not really the greedy ignorant one here. (everyone is to a certain extent, but u know what i mean)
We all knew it would happen this way, the UFC doesnt see the potential. Instead of looking at M-1 as competition they should look at them as a tool to bring in fighters and hold events that other wise couldnt happen. I believe in the end this fight will happen. I think Fedor made the right choice, I think the UFC has shown they’re true colors how they treat fighters. I also think you cannot believe a word Dana White says. Instead of making me more of a UFC fan they have made me look more outside the organization. I cant wait till M-1 gets a network tv deal then the UFC has something to worry about.
I am now, and always will be a fan of the UFC. That said, I would have to agree that this (and other) recent moves is forceing me outside of the UFC for my MMA entertainment. I have always watched the other organizations, but (other than Pride) never felt that their fighters held a candle to the UFC’s. Now, all of the organizations are sporting top names, and big fights-
This Fedor/Couture deal is starting to piss me off. Why wouldn’t the UFC agree to take their fighters into the M-1 org. and clean house. What better add that you have the best fighters that to destroy a whole organization. Randy/Fedor,Rampage/A.Emilienanko, huerta/Seminiov, Matt Hughes vs (damnit, what is that bearded russian guy who Chael Sonnan beat in Bodog?) Anyways, you get my point. Take the risk, the payout outweighs the loss by 10 fold!
Why would Dana White want to co promote a brand new organization? That is bad business. Let them sink or swim on their own. Yes it would be a great fight but Couture is near the end. All it would do is give M-1 a name for itself. Say Fedor wins..The casual fan would say “wow, M-1 has the best fighter in the world, let’s start paying more attention to them” Smart move on the UFC’s part. Couture is greedy just like everyone else will soon be. Fame brings greed bottom line. I just hope Forrest and the new breed don’t get swollen heads like all the big dogs from the past.. We will see…
Yes, Dana once again is f***ing up on this one. The almighty dollar bill is what he’s constantly chasing but for the fear of having to split it, this fight won’t happen. So, if this fight doesn’t happen, you lose Randy and never get Fedor, and the fight still happens. Come on, Dona White-King. I completely agree with Fixxer on one thing. If this fight ever happens, it would be the most boring fight ever. Even if it was a great fight, it could NEVER, EVER live up to the hype that now surrounds it. Hats off to M-1 for trying, UFC, WTF again?
This fight needs to happen. M-1 is no competition to the UFC. This is ridicules! Dana stop being lame!
I agree…the fight SHOULD happen BUT it won’t with the co-promotion. It’s the WHAT IF factor in if Couture loses to an outside Company’s fighter, the UFC doesn’t look any where near as strong and can’t claim it has the best fighters in the world. (I.E. Liddell vs. Rampage 1)
It’s a business decision, not a decision made from the stand point of “let’s get the deal done…this is the fight everyone’s been waiting to see.”
Sorry guys, but this boils down to business and branding. Branding and business is what landed UFC on Spike TV, Rich Franklin on the O’Reily Factor and Chuck on Letterman. It’s unfortunate this fight won’t happen.
fedor is a very stuped for not comeing to the UFC.His dumb ass could of made much more money in the UFC. Then M-1. “Now look at him now” the organazation that he is with needs help. F them and F Fedor. now what. Fedor dident come to the UFC because he knew that he would get his ass kicked by Randy Couture.and the other talent that the UFC has.
WTF are you guys saying???? you know how big M1 has given Fedor? not even the offer of UFC reached what he is paid right now..
He would never made a multi million contract in his llife if he fought in the UFC.Look at what rady is getting paid? just 250K not even close to a multi million contract fedor has no in m1.
He is smart he don’t want to mess up with dana in his career. If Ufc Wont then let us wait till randy could fight in m1 anyway his contract is near expiration.
i heard some one so stupid. FGedor should come to the UFC fedor should come? you all have no idea how it is hard to go and fight. that is not as easy as going to a bar and ask someone hey! lets do it, this guys are PRO, and bound by contracts they need to follow procedure to get a match up done.
Hero- I think that that is the first time that I have seen somebody type with an accent ;>)
You are right, It takes the stars linning up just right for a fight like this to happen. It is hard not to blame the UFC for this fight collapsing before our eyes, but realisticly, I don’t blame them. Signning on to co-produce a show is a huge unknown and risk. What if M-1 pulls the stakes and bails leaving the UFC with a huge bill and no superfight (or Couture) to show for it. As a fan, I want to blame someone, and the UFC is the easiest. As a realist, I have to blame Couture for not fighting Fedor in Bodog. As a Couture fan realizing he might not have had the confidence back then, and knowing he wanted more than just that fight back then, I blame Fedor for obviousely not wanting this fight as much as Randy. Honestly, none and all are to blame. The growth of MMA and greed should eat the brunt of the blame though.
I see Dana’s side. He wants to make the fight happen, but on his terms. M-1 has the “big name fighter” and Dana has the “PPV and hype machine”. I understand him not wanting M-1 banners all over “his” octagon, thus helping their promotion (especially if Fedor won). The fight will happen, but if it isn’t on Dana’s terms it won’t be in the UFC, which is a shame for Couture and the fans. I won’t blame / boycott the UFC though if it doesn’t happen in one of their events.
first of all its not the ufc turns down fedor/couture its m-1 rejects the event,,, second fedor is definelly not stupid to to turn it down… I mean, image the future, this single event is going to cost millions if not billions I think its history in the making…. oh yea and the ufc know that! now theres something thats not stupid
po,
M-1 offered the fight to the UFC, Dana turned it down (for whatever reason, speculate away). The statement you made is false in that M-1 approached the UFC, M-1 did not turn it down. I’d like to know where you’re reading/hearing that fact, because everywhere I’ve looked, this is the picture that is painted.