Many die hard MMA fans have not fully adjusted to the post-Fedor-Can-Lose world, a place where up is down, nights is day, and fantastic tales on an unbeatable Russian fighter, are no longer fired at newcomers to the sport. You remember: ‘You think Anderson Silva is good? Dude, there’s this guy named Fedor Emelianenko who doesn’t even fight for the UFC, and…’
Of course after Fedor’s shocking loss to Fabricio Werdum, UFC boss man Dana White declared that the promotion was no longer interested in acquiring the services of “The Last Emperor.” A stark reversal after the company reportedly tried their damndest (short of co-promoting with M-1) to sign Fedor when he was a free agent. Was Dana being serious? Or was he being more tactical? You don’t have to have taken Marketing 101 to know Fedor’s bargaining power isn’t what it used to be.
Well, in keeping with speculation as to whether or not Fedor will in fact ever step foot in the Octagon, UFC UK President Marshall Zelaznik recently told British ESPN the following:
“Up until now there hasn’t been a possibility of it. I don’t know what his contract situation is, but these things don’t come down to money. Yes defeat to Fabricio Werdum has probably lowered his stock, but I don’t think we’ve ever decided not to sign a fighter due to money.”…”You never say never, and Emelianenko is a good fighter so it wouldn’t surprise me if Dana and Lorenzo [Fertitta] tried to work something out.”
Maybe Fedor had to lose to make a UFC deal workable?