Filed under: Strikeforce, FanHouse Exclusive, News
Six weeks after MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko lost his first fight in nearly a decade, his M-1 Global representatives continue progress towards an extension that would lock up the Russian great with Strikeforce in a long-term deal.
The 33-year-old Emelianenko, who has just one fight left on a three-fight contract signed one year ago, has recently voiced a preference for a four-to-six fight extension. The two sides are more than halfway to an agreement, according to M-1 Global director of operations Evgeni Kogan, who told MMA Fighting on Thursday that the sides hope to have a deal in place very soon.
“I think the talks are going well,” he said. “There are always things to get sorted and ironed out but we are probably two-thirds of the way there. I think that the next fight and the deal overall will be announced at the same time within the next month. We have an [M-1 Selection] event in [Atlantic City,] New Jersey on September 18, and we may be ready to announce by then, hopefully.”