Affliction done, Fedor to UFC possible

[Kingjames56]

Affliction has gone under and it is official Fedor is a free agent. I'm sure we all know where he is going to be fighting very soon. Fedor vs. Lesner, who isn't watching that?

 

[the_ps_hero]

if i remember right...

Affliction & Ufc are working together now.

 

[MacDaddyOJack]

I know the guy is good and all, plus everyone wants to see Lesnar vs. Fedor, but I can't imagine the UFC signing the guy and throwing him straight into a title fight. I think they will probably give him one or two other matches before that happens.

 

[Kingjames56]

He way I see it happening is that they will have him fight a good young fighter to promote the young guy a little, like Cain Velasquez. Than maybe Mir, than Lesner assuming Fedor wins the other two fights.

 

[max041104]

****, i know that there is very little chance that the UFC will sign him, but if they did, they would definitely give him an instant title shot. he has proven that he is the best heavyweight in the world and they would be stupid not to get the most out of him while they can. not to mention, he probably wouldn't sign with them without a title shot to begin with. IMO

 

[MacDaddyOJack]

he probably wouldn't sign with them without a title shot to begin with. IMO

You might be surprised at what you would do when your paycheck dries up. And seeing how Affliction just folded, I doubt that he has much of a paycheck anymore. I think we'll see him in the UFC. And while I doubt he will immediately get a title shot, I wouldn't be totally shocked if he did. Who knows!!!

 

[Horhay]

I'd be happy to pay to see a Fedor vs Lesnar I agree with max though I doubt he would sign without a title shot.

 

[max041104]

http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/fedorufc-union-to-be-consummated-on-friday-18786

Fedor/UFC Union to be Consummated on Friday?
Options: Email Article | Printer Friendly
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
by Jake Rossen ([email protected])


18786
Seats at Dana White’s Friday press conference may be equipped with seat belts: according to the Los Angeles Times, a deal might be reached this week that would finally bring Fedor Emelianenko into the Octagon.

If accurate -- the Times cited a “source with information about the negotiations” -- it would end years of speculation about Emelianenko’s chances against a regular circuit of top-10 heavyweights. The timing couldn’t be better, as the UFC has a box office star in Brock Lesnar ready and able to assist in setting some new business records.

Emelianenko, who will turn 33 this September, appears to be holding steady at the pinnacle of his career: without having sustained much damage in 31 professional fights, his body’s performance has shown little sign of wear.

The UFC could, in theory, rush this fight out the door for September or October, but I would guess that Lesnar wants a vacation following his win over Frank Mir July 11; the promotion would also want enough lead time to advertise it to the best of their ability.

Update: Josh Gross says a deal is not close.

who the hell knows hopefully, they can but i think Fedor will end up going back to Japan.

 

[Kingjames56]

Uh-oh! Fedor signs deal with Ea's MMA. Dana White said anyone who signs with EA will not be fighting in the UFC.

 

[MacDaddyOJack]

Uh-oh! Fedor signs deal with Ea's MMA. Dana White said anyone who signs with EA will not be fighting in the UFC.

He must be scared of Lesnar (not that anyone can blame him!) I would crap my pants if I had to get in the ring with that monster

Either that or he hates money.... why would you not sign with the biggest MMA organization in the world when you have the opportunity?

 

[Horhay]

According to Fighters.com’s source inside M-1 Global, the UFC and M-1 Global “did not agree at all yesterday” when the competing international MMA promotions met about bringing Fighters.com Heavyweight Champion “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (29-1) into the Octagon to fight UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar (4-1).

In a statement released Sunday, M-1 Global President Vadim Finkelstein challenged, “This is the moment of truth that the UFC has talked about. Fedor and I are here in the States. If they want to come out and fly here, we are ready to conduct negotiations. Of course it still doesn’t imply we are ready to accept any conditions they’ll throw at us. We want to talk to the UFC about having Fedor compete against some of their fighters, but only within the framework of co-promotional efforts with M-1 Global.”

It’s the co-promotion between the UFC and M-1 Global that has been a sticking point between the two promotions. The same arrangement caused tension between Affliction and M-1 Global representatives.

After the success of Affliction’s first show, Banned, in July 2008 when Emelianenko knocked out former UFC champion “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-6) in 36 seconds, M-1 Global executives made increased demands about the visibility of M-1 Global’s presence in the marketing and production of the shows and use of their fighters.

Subsequently, Day of Reckoning and Trilogy were promoted as “Affliction M-1 Global” events and the M-1 Global logo became more prominent in marketing.

Emelianenko also became leverage to include M-1 Global fighters “Hurricane” Gilbert Yvel (33-13-1) and “Baby Fedor” Kiril Sidellnikov (6-3) on Day of Reckoning versus “Babyfaced Assassin” Josh Barnett (20-5) and “Headhunter” Paul Buentello (27-9) respectively. An M-1 Global executive threatened to pull Emelianenko off the card if Barnett was not matched versus Yvel.

M-1 Global has no official comment.

Affliction VP Tom Atencio did not respond to Fighters.com’s request for comment. Hours after Trilogy was cancelled due to Barnett’s positive test for 2a-methyl-5a-androstan-3a-ol-17-one, an anabolic steroid, Affliction agreed with the UFC to cease promoting MMA events with M-1 Global and promote Affliction’s apparel line in the Octagon.

News of the Affliction/UFC collaboration blind-sided M-1 Global executives. “This is first I hear all this,” an M-1 Global spokesperson told Fighters.com when asked to comment on the Affliction/UFC collaboration before it was officially announced.

UFC President Dana White had identified Affliction middleweight “Phenom” Vitor Belfort (17-8) as the top contender to UFC middleweight champion “Spyder” Anderson Silva (24-4) during The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale in Las Vegas 20 June. Then, White guaranteed a showdown between Lesnar and Emelianenko in the Octagon at the post-fight press conference after UFC 100 in Las Vegas 11 July. Both declarations were odd because White is known for soundbites disrespecting and disregarding fighters not currently in the UFC, including ex-UFC champions.

Fighters.com asked Atencio whether the Affliction/UFC deal was in the works prior to Trilogy’s cancellation giving reason for White to begin complimenting fighters he had a reasonable expectation of being able to sign in the near future. Again, Atencio did not respond.

M-1 Global and Emelianenko are holding a press conference in Los Angeles at 4 PM EST Wednesday. M-1 Global has been negotiating Emelianenko fighting in the UFC and Strikeforce and considered the idea of adding the Emelianenko v Barnett fight to their own Breakthrough card in Los Angeles 28 August, though it’s doubtful Barnett could get licensed by the California State Athletic Commission so soon after failing a drug test.

When quizzed by Fighters.com about the possibility of Emelianenko fighting “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (11-4-1) in San Jose 15 August, Strikeforce spokesperson Mike Afromowitz said, “Right now, I cannot comment on anything.”

Seems like M-1 wants a cut of the profits of UFC, I say mr Fedor and M-1 can go to hell.

 

[Kingjames56]

It's more Fedor's manager who is apart of M1. Fedor been with his manager along time, so he's not going to leave him. I read some where that they want their logo on the mat when he fights, how stupid is M1? More people will see their logo if the just put it on the shirt and hat when Fedor fights than putting it in any other MMA organization.

 

[Horhay]

It's more Fedor's manager who is apart of M1. Fedor been with his manager along time, so he's not going to leave him. I read some where that they want their logo on the mat when he fights, how stupid is M1? More people will see their logo if the just put it on the shirt and hat when Fedor fights than putting it in any other MMA organization.

Yup, that's pretty damn dumb, he could also put it on his shorts.

 

[Horhay]

You gotta be kidding me with this ****. According to Carmichael Dave (via Bloody Elbow), here's what the UFC was offering Fedor to sign with them:
- The UFC offered Fedor a 6 fight, 30 million dollar contract. That's 5 mil a fight
- The UFC offered Fedor an immediate title shot
- Lesnar/Fedor would be the biggest PPV in MMA history (we assume), and the UFC offered M-1 Global a cut of the PPV on top of Fedor's purse.
- Fedor was free to wear as many M-1 logoed items as he wished.
- The UFC also relented on allowing Fedor to compete in combat sambo.
Apparently, for good or bad, M-1 refuses to sign a deal unless the UFC agrees to co-promote.

In other words, the UFC would give him an unprecedented amount of money — much more than he's worth, actually, in terms of his proven pay-per-view drawing power in the U.S. — and were actually going to bite the bullet on the combat sambo thing, which was a sticking point in their previous negotiations. On top of the millions they'd pay Fedor, M-1 Global would directly receive an additional windfall in the form of points on the PPV, and Fedor could come out wearing an M-1 jumpsuit, while Aleks and Kirill drape an M-1 banner over the cage. And the crazy Russians still wouldn't accept, because they wanted their logo prominently featured in the broadcast, and they wanted to hear Mike Goldberg say their name.

That's called "hardball," people. More accurately, it's called "hardballing your way out of the best offer you will ever receive in your life." We can only hope that when Fedor flies back to Russia, his wife will clock the **** out of him with a rolling pin for leaving so much money on the table, and demand that he sign with the UFC. For God's sake, he could buy Neverland with that kind of money. Think about it man: Your own amusement park, and only you decide who gets to ride the roller-coaster. Isn't that what we've all dreamed about?

Wow that's some cash right there! I just don't know what to say to this, seriously. Lesnar made 3 million bucks in his last fight and Fedor would of made 5 million for every one of his fights! the man is out of his mind not to take that cash!!

 

[max041104]

seems like a no brainer!

 

[Wreck]

My friends dad fights or I guess faught for Affliction ... wonder where he will go next ... he says he MAY go back to UFC but the paychecks arent as large as other places ...

I just went out with on Thursday night and he picked me up in his harley truck ... pretty bad ass. (Paul Buentello)

 

[Kingjames56]

Somewhat unrelated but Tito Ortiz is returning to the UFC

 

[j_rocca42]

rumored tito vs. mark coleman around november-ish...

 

[max041104]

http://msn.foxsports.com/boxing/story/9887514/Strikeforce-signs-top-heavyweight-Fedor

NEW YORK (AP) - Fedor Emelianenko has signed a promotional contract with Strikeforce, delivering one of the top pound-for-pound fighters to a company that is quickly raising its profile in the mixed martial arts industry.

The Russian heavyweight became a free agent when the Affliction promotion collapsed following the failed drug test of Josh Barnett, who was supposed to face Emelianenko in the main event of a card last Saturday at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

Emelianenko had been courted by the UFC, but decided to join Strikeforce because it was willing to co-promote with M-1 Global, which is part-owned by Emelianenko.

UFC president Dana White has long had a policy of refusing to work with other promotions.

 

[Kingjames56]

Huge mistake by Fedor, this is like signing with the UFL instead of the NFL.