Fedor Says UFC Will Suffer More Than He Will If They Never Sign Him

[Rappy Veteran]

Russian MMA legend Fedor "The Last Emperor" Emelianenko has not appeared in action since suffering his first legitimate defeat to Fabricio Werdum this past June. He has since been tangled up in contract negotiations with the Strikeforce promotion, trying to determine what his future in the promotion will hold, as his current contract with the promotion is running out.

As has become standard whenever Emelianenko nears free agent status, speculation has begun in regards to when and if MMA fans will see "The Last Emperor" sign with the UFC. The Sambo practitioner seems destined to live out the rest of his fighting career outside of the Octagon though, as his allegedly difficult to deal with management team M-1 Global has been unable to reach deals with the UFC on more than once occasion.

In a recent interview with Fight Hub TV, Emelianenko was asked whether or not he would look back on his career with remorse for never having signed with the UFC--should he never make the jump.

"I think that when my career ends and I don't fight in the UFC, then the UFC will be sorry, not me," Emelianenko said with a smirk.

"The Last Emperor" also addressed his long layoff, and pointed to Werdum's hesitancy to fight as the main reason that he and "Vai Cavallo" have not yet rematched.

"Because maybe Fabricio Werdum doesn't want to fight right now," he said of why he has yet to return.

Emelianenko and Werdum fought in the main event of Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum this past June 26th. Werdum won via first round triangle choke submission.

http://www.fightline.com/fl/news/2010/1214/534701/fedor-emelianenko/

[TheElite]

Come on Werdum, I know that you want to hold on to that special moment forever, but we want a rematch as well soon. I think that Fedor will not lose this time round.

[Knife Party]

worlds smallest violen playing

[Kriz]

What a *****.. Theres a lot more behind this than just his management anyway, who the **** else is he going to fight that will be good for his career and not just a "ah he was always gonna win" fight.. He needs to fight someone who will challenge him, what they gonna do just put him against Werdum for the rest of his career? He's scared of the challange, there are a lot of UFC heavyweights that would give him a run for his money, and Fedor nor his agents want the "Almighty MMA God Fedor" to look weak at all.

Fedor and his management need to get a ****ing grip, this whole situation has ****ed me off ever since they first tried to sign him aroun 7-8 years ago.

[TheElite]

There's only one guy outside of the UFC that I want Fedor to fight (apart from a rematch with Werdum), and that's Overeem, the current Strikeforce champ.

Fedor would get tested.

[Rappy Veteran]

There's only one guy outside of the UFC that I want Fedor to fight (apart from a rematch with Werdum), and that's Overeem, the current Strikeforce champ.

Fedor would get tested.

I agree with that, I really don't think Werdum will step up now because he has that win over him...doesn't want to lose second time around.

[Zoom7000]

Fedor was a monster in PRIDE, but since his victory over Tim Sylvia, he's looked rather average and been pretty lucky. He was mediocre in the 1st round to Arlovski and also to Rogers. Both of whom were not in his league anyway. I also can't see Werdum stepping up again. However, I honestly can't see him getting past some of the current UFC's crop of heavyweights. Times have changed since Tim Sylvia was champ! I can see Fedor struggling to Velasquez, Lesnar, Carwin, Dos Santos. I would go as far to say that even Mir would give him a decent match up. More so for all times sake, I would like to see him take on Couture. But seeing as him signing for the UFC is looking pretty slim, the only "exciting" possible match up looks like Fedor/Overeem.

[Matrix XII]

I wouldn't call him mediocre against Arlovski, he beat him up pretty good.

[god.send.death]

He's a great fighter, maybe the best ever, but I still don't see he wouldn't want to fight in the largest promotion in his sport. That will hurt his legacy more than the UFC's because it'll be harder to place him in history against the greatest fighters since he didn't right any of the ones in the UFC. I fail to see how he could see this as the UFC's loss. Last I checked the UFC was still the largest promotion without him.

[Zoom7000]

I wouldn't call him mediocre against Arlovski, he beat him up pretty good.

Arlovski was well on his way to winning the round until he decided to jump and try and fly at Fedor. It was just about the only real shot he got at Arlovski. Until then it actually looked like Fedor was gonna get a decent match up.

[Kriz]

Arlovski hasnt got the tools to beat Fedor, he won like 3 straight fights in UFC, got released, won another 2 in different organisations against Ben Rothwell and Roy Nelson, now they arent exactly anywhere near Fedors level, then got thrown in the deep end against Fedor. There was always gonna be one outcome, Arlovski was fed to the lions all for Fedors benefit, and for what? There are a lot more politics than meets the eye when it comes to anything to do with Fedor.

[Zoom7000]

Arlovski hasnt got the tools to beat Fedor, he won like 3 straight fights in UFC, got released, won another 2 in different organisations against Ben Rothwell and Roy Nelson, now they arent exactly anywhere near Fedors level, then got thrown in the deep end against Fedor. There was always gonna be one outcome, Arlovski was fed to the lions all for Fedors benefit, and for what? There are a lot more politics than meets the eye when it comes to anything to do with Fedor.

No, Arlovski was never in his league. But Dana White was right. Who has Fedor fought that was worth much discussion in the last 3 years? The last decent fighter he probably fought was Matt Lindland (that was well over 3 years ago) and look what's happened to him since then!

Hong Man Choi - What? Who? Just because he was a giant, was he gonna beat Fedor? Remember Gracie vs. Akebono...

Tim Sylvia - Was only UFC champ because Frank Mir was injured and there was no one worth discussing in the UFC's Heavyweight division at the time!

Andrei Arlovski - UFC reject who has gone downhill since!

Fabricio Werdum - Another guy who couldn't cut it in the UFC and even then he beat Fedor. I very much doubt he'll give him a rematch.

I know Dana White has talked a lot of crap in the past, but when it comes to Fedor, he's been right every single time. Fedor was stupid to turn down $30m (plus bonuses!) for an instant title shot against Lesnar. He may have been good in the past, but it's unlikely he'll ever get an offer like that again. Fedor is plain wrong. The UFC doesn't need Fedor at all with the current brilliant Heavyweight division and it's unlikely they ever will. The UFC won't suffer more because they never signed Fedor. Fedor already has suffered. It cost him a potential $30m!

[TheElite]

Tim Sylvia - Was only UFC champ because Frank Mir was injured and there was no one worth discussing in the UFC's Heavyweight division at the time!

Big Nog.

The UFC doesn't need Fedor at all with the current brilliant Heavyweight division and it's unlikely they ever will.

Brilliant heavyweight division? You having a laugh? It was so brilliant that a one dimensional fighter was able to propel himself to the top and be champ? The heavyweight division was one of the worst divisions in the UFC. It's better now though, with Valesquez as champ and the prospects of others fighting him.

[Zoom7000]

Big Nog.

Erm... Big Nog didn't sign up till well after Randy Couture had already beat Tim Sylvia for the title.

Brilliant heavyweight division? You having a laugh? It was so brilliant that a one dimensional fighter was able to propel himself to the top and be champ? The heavyweight division was one of the worst divisions in the UFC. It's better now though, with Valesquez as champ and the prospects of others fighting him.

Lesnar got a title shot merely for ticket sales. Yet, he beat Randy, avenged defeat and defended against Frank Mir and survived a HUGE onslaught in round 1 from Carwin. Takes more than a 1 dimensional fighter to manage that. Since Randy Couture won the title, the HW division has been one of the most exciting in the UFC. There are probably more top contenders in the HW division than probably any other weight class. GSP and Silva both look unbeatable in their divisions without any real challengers and LHW has maybe 2 - 3 real challengers. Yet, the HW division looks far more unpredictable with far more potential. Velasquez/Dos Santos is too close to call, a rematch between Lesnar and a reinvigorated Carwin could still go either way. Never count out Big Nog and Mir. You've got 5 potential champions just there! Far more than any other weight class! As far as I'm concerned I call that a brilliant HW division.

[Kriz]

Theres no doubting that the HW division has improved over the years, but there is always room for improvement, as we saw with Lesnar's failed last fight..

As for Velasquez/JDS being too close to call? Are you having a laugh? JDS is going to get annihalated, he couldnt even finish Roy Nelson. The outcome is a dead set already as far as im concerned, Velasquez is going to win, probably doing less than what he did to Lesnar.

[TheElite]

Erm... Big Nog didn't sign up till well after Randy Couture had already beat Tim Sylvia for the title.

I don't know why but I always had it in my head that Nog became interim champ before Couture beat Sylvia.