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Add to FavoritesMixed Martial Arts (mma) had been very popular in Japan under the Pride banner for years. In the US it took longer for the sport to catch on but its' popularity under the auspices of the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). There was a short period of time when the two companies were competitive with each other and then there was a scandal within Pride. They lost their TV deal when it was discovered that the Pride organization was being back by the Yakuza.
The UFC steps in and purchases Pride and a number of contracts. The Pride heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko was not one of those contracts. So the UFC embarks on a long arduous contract negotiation with the Russian fighter.
In the meantime, the fans of the UFC are excited at the prospect of new blood showing up in their favorite mma company. For the most part the former Pride fighters didn't fare too well within the UFC. Without a doubt there were pride fighters who were successful but on the whole they were not. Perhaps Fedor noticed this and dug in deeper during the contract negotiations so that he might avoid the UFC style of fights.
But the fact remains that the UFC has been unable to sign Fedor regardless of what those talks may have held. Part of the problem might be the pompous Dana White, a part owner and figurehead of the UFC.
Fedor Emelianenko is legendary within mma circles however he is little heard of in the west. During his negotiations with the UFC, Emelianenko signed one deals to fighwith 2 other fight organizations.
I don't think that Fedor has any need to sign a contract with the UFC. Money shouldn't be an issue because as heavyweight champion Fedor should have been paid well by Pride. Then there were the 2 fights in 2007 for which he was likely paid handsomely likely means he is doing ok financially.
What about his legacy within the sport? Given that he is a legend at this point in his career signing with the UFC brings with it the risk that he might begin a losing streak. So at this point his legacy is fine as it stands, just look at his 27and 1 record. That's something that won't happen for a long time to come.
Learn more about this author, Randy Scott.
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When it was first announced that Zuffa, the parent company of the UFC, had bought the PRIDE Fighting Championship their was great excitement among many as to the potential match-ups and fighters that would showcase their talent in the U.S and one of the most talked about fighters was the PRIDE Fighting Heavyweight Champion, Fedor Emelianko. Initial talks with the UFC President, Dana White, looked promising but they quickly went down hill and Fedor Emelianko signed with M-1 Global, a start-up MMA organization based out of Russia. Was it a mistake by for the most feared heavyweight on the planet? Let's debate.
First, it has been several, several months since news of Fedor signing with M-1 (October 2007) and no fight card or date has yet to be announced since the spectacle of Fedor fighting Hong-Man Choi, a fighter that had no business in their with the alleged best heavyweight on the planet that took place December 31, 2007.
Second, if Fedor would have signed with the UFC he would have gotten massive exposure into the very lucrative American fight scene. With exposure comes sponsorships and with sponsorships come money. In addition, the exposure in America would have highly boasted Fedor's claim as the top heavyweight in the world as many who only have a general interest in MMA and UFC have no idea of who Fedor Emelianko is or what he has accomplished.
Third, by signing with the UFC, Fedor would have been open to having the possibility of fighting the best heavyweights in the world. In late 2007 the UFC had the following heavyweights under contract: Frank Mir, Brock Lesnar, Andrei Arlovski, Brandon Vera, Tim Sylvia, Heath Herring, Cro-Cop, Gabriel Gonzaga, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and most notably, Randy Couture. The match-up with UFC Heavyweight Champion, Randy Couture would have been a huge event and would have settled any argument as to who was the best heavyweight in the world. Instead, now there are rumors of Fedor fighting good but not top-tier heavyweights, Jeff Monson or Semmy Schilt.
In ending, by signing with the UFC, Fedor would have become an instant multi-millionaire, had access to the largest growing segment of MMA fans and had the opportunity to fight the best in the world. In fairness, I don't know everything that lead to Fedor signing elsewhere and by all accounts, Dana White, can be a little difficult to negotiate with but signing with M-1 Global as opposed to UFC seems like a big mistake as the sport seems to be moving on and past, the one time baddest heavyweight in the world, Fedor Emelianko.
Learn more about this author, Matthew Soo.
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