Speaking through a translator, former PRIDE heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko revealed to WHOA! TV this weekend as to one of the reasons we never saw him grace the Octagon. Although UFC president Dana White once called his mission to sign the MMA legend an “obsession,” Emelianenko now claims he’s precisely the reason it never happened.
“In my opinion, everything was in Dana White’s hands,’ says Emelianenko. “Because at that moment, I just felt like ‘this guy, he just hates us.’ Like, personally to [me]. There were insults coming from Dana White all the time. There were many very loud things said, but for real nothing happened. It was [all talk].”
As insults go, White slammed Emelianenko in 2009 saying the Russian refused to face top competition and that having him ranked among MMA’s pound-for-pound best was ‘f***ing insanity.’ Emelianenko’s manager, Vadim Finkelstein, was also a frequent target of White’s, whom he unceremoniously dubbed, ‘Vadummy.’ Although White years later hinted at plans to lure both former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar and Emelianenko out of retirement to finally meet, it never came to be.
5 MUST-READ STORIES
Okami finds a home. Cut following a first-round dismantling by Jacare Souza, Yushin Okami has landed with World Series of Fighting, expected to make his debut early next year.
The Velasquez Era. Cain Velasquez says it took losing his title to Junior dos Santos to push him towards becoming the champion he is today. “When I first got it, it kind of felt surreal,” he said. “It felt like a dream, almost. But when I lost it, that’s what made it real. I felt so bad. I don’t want to go back to those feelings.”
Brazilian Tiger. Guilherme Cruz tracks down Ricardo Arona to see why the former PRIDE standout has all but disappeared from the MMA scene. “UFC is the goal of every fighter, and that’s my goal,” he said. “I don’t know if I’ll need one or two more fights to get there, but I’m not worried. UFC is the goal, and I will be ready to get there.”
Faking it. Chael Sonnen says he, above all, despises when fighters aren’t being genuine. “For better or worse do not be fake, and do not come across as fake. I just had a run in with a guy who used to be a fighter named Wanderlei Silva. He films this run-in, he brings the camera. He tells the camera to start recording 20 seconds before he ever gets to me. [It was] a direct insult to his own audience.”
Fitch says no. With Rousimar Palhares looking for a new organization, Jon Fitch went on record stating he wouldn’t be willing to compete with him in any way. “I personally wouldn’t accept a fight with [Palhares] because of those. One time maybe, but not twice. I would never even compete against him honestly. If he’s got that long of a history of holding onto them too long, his career should probably be done because no one should take a fight with him or a grappling match with him for that matter.”
MEDIA STEW
Highlights from this weekend’s Legacy 24 and CFA 12.
Jack Slack explains how Ricco Verhoeven upset Gokhan Saki at Glory 11.
How to break a bat with one kick.
New Tommy Toe Hold Show.
Palhares tries to explain.
Ashlee Evans-Smith talks her win over Fallon Fox.
Super Fight League 29.
TWEETS
Interested?
@alanbelcherufc that could work. @RalekGracie will reach out to you soon… Thanks!
— Metamoris (@MetamorisPro) October 12, 2013
You’ve sold me.
Putting my life on the line. @Rampage4real for you.Kill.kill.die.die! In the most… http://t.co/1rF2wg84PM
— Tito Ortiz (@titoortiz) October 13, 2013
Not too bad.
Pretty much, I have a small scar over my eye tho. so disrespectful “@Jayr7191: @JonnyBones all healed up?”
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) October 12, 2013
1 vote – Ronda.
So far everyone’s tweeter costume ideas for me have been 1- Ronda Rousey 2- the Count/edmond 3 -Dana White 4 -Ronda R’s mole
— Miesha Tate (@MieshaTate) October 13, 2013
Let Diddy’s confidence flow over you.
I am going to take that belt with ease and fill arena’s. You’ll see. They are not on my level.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) October 13, 2013
Me, P. Diddy and Big Mike!!! #UCLA pic.twitter.com/GfmeE8zvKL
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) October 13, 2013
Canadian Thanksgiving is weird.
Look what @dukeroufus taught me too bad @mauroranallo was on the receiving end http://t.co/ai8Xm1Uuf4
— Felice Herrig (@feliceherrig) October 12, 2013
See what I mean?
Shit canned at the inlaws for thanksgiving dinner. ( too much scotch) Trying to act lie I got it together. I’m a good actor tho!
— Chris Clements (@menaceclements) October 12, 2013
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced this weekend (Oct. 11-13 2013)
Jake Ellenberger vs. Tarec Saffiedine at UFC Singapore
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today’s Fanpost of the Day comes via jackjohnbrown.
Renzo Gracie: “It’s going to be the first time in my life that I’ll fight in my weight division.”
Jack Brown Interview #93 – Renzo Gracie – October, 2013
This is number ninety-three in my series of interviews with MMA fighters and personalities, and for this particular interview, I’m honored to feature the legendary MMA and BJJ pioneer, Renzo Gracie. Gracie is a veteran of Pride, Rings, the IFL, and the UFC. He is also a renowned BJJ coach for four former or current UFC champions. Gracie, in his own inimitable way, took some time to speak to me about his career as an MMA fighter and coach, his timeline for his next fight, the upcoming World Jiu-Jitsu Expo, and life in general. Please enjoy the conversation below.
Jack Brown: We know that as a Gracie, you were born into the martial arts. What are some of your very earliest memories of learning Jiu-jitsu as a child?
Renzo Gracie: It’s amazing, but I don’t have a recollection of not learning Jiu-jitsu. I think even when I was a baby in my father’s lap, he was playing fighting with me. I think now about how every time that he would play with me or take me to a park, we were always playing fighting. He always showed me moves and put me on his back and made me put the hooks on. Now I realize that he was doing the same thing that I did with my son growing up, teaching him how to fight.
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Check out the rest of the post here.
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