Fedor Emelianenko To Become a Free Agent
Heavyweight sensation Fedor Emelianenko will reportedly become a free agent next week, according to a new ESPN Magazine article which discusses the former Pride champion’s departure from M-1 Global:
“Apy Echteld, one of Emelianenko’s agents, confirmed what a source close to the situation previously told The Magazine: M-1 Global and Emelianenko will part ways some time in the next week, making the Russian a free agent. Divorce negotiations are ongoing right now, with a formal announcement likely for in the next few days. ‘Officially, yes, Fedor will be a free agent,’ Echteld says.”
This means that Emelianenko could soon be available to fight against the legally troubled Randy Couture, though the article points out obvious obstacles to the long-awaited matchup taking place:
“Of course, the UFC would have to be willing to re-open negotiations with Emelianenko’s management. Previous talks dragged on for almost a year before falling apart amid plenty of name-calling and finger-pointing from both sides. UFC president Dana White was vocal in pinning the blame on Emelianenko’s team, saying he never once spoke or met with the fighter.”
Things end on a positive note however, as both sides of the table appear to be open to making the dream match a reality:
“Would the head of the UFC be willing to enter the Fedor fray again? ‘Absolutely, 100 percent, in a heartbeat,’ says White. ‘People think he’s the best—I don’t, not even close. But if it’s somehow possible, I would make it happen… As much as we’ve gone back and forth on this, I would sign Fedor and do everything possible to get Randy in the octagon with him. I’d do anything, because a., it’s a great fight and b., I think Randy would smash Fedor’”
“We’re open to a discussion,” says Echteld. “If everybody is willing to put a little wine in the water, then we have something to work with. There is space for this to happen.”
At this point in the game, it seems cruel to tempt fans with the possibility of Fedor vs. Couture actually happening, so hopefully this news turns into something much more tangible in the weeks to come.
So now what? The UFC is gonna get fedor, but Randy’s gone.. Honestly who cares any more
WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHO CARES. THATS AWESOME.
CornFlakes I hope Randy realy is gone but Dana will work it out. I think Nog should fight Randy and that win should fight Fedor. I really think Randy will get his arm broken by either one of these guys. PS Randy is a B!tch and i hope he never fight again. He lied to the fans and went Hollywood on us. F him and his new movie agent!!!
Exactly, it is AWESOME news! Fedor can sign with the UFC, that will then bring Randy back! Those 2 can then finally fight - winner can then take on Noguera for the belt! The heavyweight division would be solid then! We could also see a fight between Randy and Lesnar. I want to see that ever since Lesnar was talking crap saying Sylvia should be embarrassed for letting Randy come in and beat him - this is very exciting news - just hope Dana doesnt screw this up again!
I DON’T KNOW WHY EVERYONE IS HATING ON RANDY NOW. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT. IF HE COMES BACK ALL PROPS TO HIM. HE IS A BAD ASS AND HE HAS SHOWN IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
You beat me to this one Eric! haha. I was writing up an article and you posted! THis is awsome news though!
At this point Dana is going to be seriously motivated to make this fight finally happen. The HW division needs something major and Brock Lesnar is not it, yet. Randy needs to shut up and get back in the ring; when you come out of retirement at 40 years of age and are given a four fight deal, that’s four guaranteed paydays, you should show some f’n gratitude and loyalty.
Randy is the man and he knows that the fans want to see him fight fedor. He will go anywhere he needs to make the fight with Fedor. I just hope the UFC is able to land a contract with Fedor this time around. Great news!
Sorry bout that Fixxer, but don’t sweat, that happens to me all the time as well. I actually wrote that up late last night because I don’t sleep like the rest of the world. Any how Kris should be in the process of figuring out a posting system, so soon this may not be an issue.
How funny. I was worried at first cause Randy has signed with HDNet, but the way the courts are looking at it, I think Randy will have to fight in the UFC at the very least 1 more time. Couture/Emiliananko has to happen and soon. I am sure that Zuffa/Dana White know(s) this and are trying to make it happen NOW. I am also sure that HDNet is(are) in talks with Fedor as we speak as well. Whereever it happens, it will happen, and that is what is important.
Yeah, I was just giving you a hard time
haha.
I really cant see Randy getting back in the cage the UFC have craped on him from a great height this time round they’ve tried to destroy his name and his buisness. I no it all started over suprise suprise his pay check but when they couldnt come to an aggrement the UFC acted like a petulant child and threw all there toys out the pram which to be honest i was stunned at because Randy has always been loyal to the UFC.
plz dana sign fedor and kiss an make up with randy then let randy take him to skool, if randy wont fight with the ufc again let herring kick his arse, fedor is a bum any1 who thinks hes the best heavyweight in the world is crazy
HDNET is going to be after Fedor hard and they probably have the advantage on other promotions ecspecially since they’re already trying to work a deal with Couture. Fedor has made it known that his #1 gaol righ tnow is to fight Couture and Couture has said the same thing. With Fedor already having heat with Dana White and Couture in the midst of a fall out with the UFC, Fedor will probably sign with HDNET. If he does signe there, fights Randy, then what? Who else does HDNET have for him to fight after? For that reason alone, I think I would rather see Fedor sign with the UFC. There lots of potential good match ups for him there even if the fight with Randy never happens. You have Silvia, Arlovski, Herring, Kongo, Kerr, & Lesnar at HW and others at LW that would love to fight Fedor if given the opportunity like Liddell, Rampage, Shogun & Wand and possibly Anderon Silva and Hendersen as well.
If Fedor signs then Randy will come home. He fights for the competition and the Loyal fans. He has stated that at this point in his career he wants to fight the best and it is said to be Fedor. He will go to where the fight is and make MMA history with that incredible matchup.
Tom Randy is a lier and let a hollywood agent f with his head. Dana and the UFC has been more then good to him. They gave him 6 title shoots the last coming after losing 2 in a row in a lower weight class and sitting out a year! I think the UFC has been more then loyal to Randy. And Randy was sh!ting on Dana before Zuffa called Randy out and showed the whole world the signing bounce the Randy cashed but said he had not been offerd. I know Randy got he head messed up by his new agent (who by the way would get a pennie on any deals randy signed before he was hired) but randy let the @ss mess with head. Dana my be a a-hole but he is not a lier i can’t say the same for Randy!
hope this happens but i think fedor will end up back in japan.i dont see the ufc backing down in contract talks and fedor can get top money on his own terms elswhere hope im wrong tho.
JohnBoy,
Fedor is the best HW in the world and argubly the best fighter P4P on the planet!!! (either him or Anderson Silva). He’s the real deal!! He’s beaten everyone there is to beat. There are guys fighting right now in the UFC that Fedor has already walked through! Nogueira who is now the UFC Interim HW Champ has been beaten twice by Fedor. The first time came with Nogueira was considered the best fighter P4P and he got taken apart by Fedor. Then again in the rematch. Fedor beat Cro Cop back when everyone was saying he was unstopable. He’s also beaten Josh Barnette who is at worst the #4 HW in the world. I believe he’s also beaten Herring as well and everyone all on his jock now after he just beat Kongo. The list goes on and on! This guy has fought a whose who of fighters and has beaten them all!!
“I think Randy would smash Fedor”, this is Dana White basicly saying he’s not going to sign Fedor.
if i was fedor noway would i sign with the ufc. does anyone dana with the ugly bald head called him a punk and said he was not tough enough for ufc. sign with cubin many more are on their way there after what they did arlovski i hope all the fighters change company’s.
The UFC has always said that they want Randy. They’ve always been behind Randy. It was Randy who came out and BLASTED the UFC 1st talking about how he does not want to be with them anymore. And now, if they get Fedor, he’s going to be crying to come back. Well the UFC already said it, they’d welcome him back. Now, do we all want to see him CRAWL back to the organization that had “disrespected him” in the first place? Like I said, I’m over it.
of course dana wants to sign fedor now another org. has expressed the intent to make this fight happen.
JAI
fedor has not fought any top HW for at least 2 years now, hes been fighting nobodys and i think thats the only reason randy wants to fight him so much, for some strange reason fedor is classed as the top HW but u cant live on past wins he hasn’t done owt for years randy nos that and wants to take anvantage of him and if they fight he will kick his arse i just dont rate fedor anymore sorry if that upsets people but i think he has to prove himself again and to do that he needs to come fight in the ufc. on other HW herring looked top in his last fight and i think he is going to be hard to stop now
A dream can finally come true. Dana make it happen. I know you will.
If Fedor is signed by Dana, we’ll see Randy’s true colors. Fedor would again get offered more than Randy is currently making. If Randy returns, then we know it was about Fedor. If he doesn’t or wants to renegotiate (for I believe a 3rd time) then we know where his priorities are. I still see Fedor going to HDNet and fighting Randy there.
Go HD NET!
Sign fedor, randy, timmy, arlovski, fedor’s bro,
Tito, and the growing list of UFC malcontents!
I’ll be the first to order!
i’m with cornflakes on this one. this subject is to me is like barry bonds and steroids: i just don’t really wanna hear about it anymore. anyway, i don’t think it would be the dream fight everyone makes it out to be. i think it’ll be like lidell vs. silva - something that was long overdue and is finally happening when neither one of these fighters is in their prime anymore. it would’ve been great and meaningful a couple of years ago, but let’s move on to the fighters of the future.
Come on some company needs to get this to happen, UFC, DREAM, HDNET FIGHTS come on!!!! cross-promotion
who ever get this fight on the air theres big money to be made..but thats the problem if they want to make mma a legitimate sport then it sould be all about the fight not about the company that puts it on!
RANDY WILL BE FORCED TO FIGHT WITH UFC SINCE HE IS UNDER CONTRACT FOR TWO MORE FIGHTS. anD FEDOR DONT WANT TO COME TO THE UFC BECAUSE HE KNOWS THAT EVEN IF HE BEATS RANDY (WHICH HE WONT) HE WILL HAVE TO FACE MUTIPLE OTHER OPPONETS THAT CAN DESTROY HIM JUST AS EASILY. FEDOR IS NO CHUMP JUST TO SMALL FOR HW IN THE OCTAGON. AND SILVIA IS MOST LIKELY GOING TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE UFC BECAUSE OF MONEY.
FEDOR deserves his money. so does randy cotoure.
i think randy would lose, but who knows…
i think lesnar will be great in a short time.
i want to see lesnar vs kimbo.
i want to see KIMO VS KIMBO!!!