The Russian Perspective: Fedor Emelianenko Never Approached the UFC, Says Vadim Finkelchtein
Copyright Alexander Taran. Copyright Strikeforce.After the collapse of Affliction Entertainment in August 2009 ended the co-promotion between Affliction and M-1 Global, Fighters.com Heavyweight Champion “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (31-1) and his M-1 Global management team never approached UFC President Dana White about Emelianenko joining the UFC, M-1 Global President Vadim Finkelchtein recently told Fighters.com through a translator.
Apparently, Emelianenko and Finklechtein had heard enough after a sour experience negotiating with White and the UFC after the UFC’s parent company, Zuffa, LLC, purchased PRIDE, the Japanese MMA promotion Emelianenko had been fighting for, and White’s repeated public insults toward Emelianenko and the rest of the “crazy Russians.”
“Fedor is bigger than the UFC all over the world,” Finkelchtein repeated to Fighters.com, a claim hard to verify, but likely true in three key markets: Russia, Japan, and South Korea. “In Korea, little children know Fedor’s name,” Finkelchtein added.
But, when White came requesting Emelianenko fight in the UFC after Affliction’s collapse, Emelianenko and Finkelchtein graciously decided to press the reset button on the relationship. Besides, Affliction had switched allegiances seemingly overnight to partner with the UFC and left M-1 Global without a partner with which to co-promote Emelianenko’s fights.
But, Finkelchtein now regrets that decision. Emelianenko and Finkelchtein laid out their requirements for Emelianenko to fight in any promotion, even the UFC. Their demands were much the same as during the previous negotiations, and did not include a request for 50% of the UFC (as White has claimed). It’s important to Finkelchtein for everyone to recognize that Emelianenko is not a free agent, and was not during the negotiations with the UFC. Emelianenko is contractually obligated to M-1 Global, as well as a stakeholder in the MMA promotion. Any fights featuring Emelianenko must be co-promotions with M-1 Global, per Emelianenko’s contract with M-1 Global.
White and the UFC evidently never recognized M-1 Global’s legal rights to promote Emelianenko’s fights, negotiating as if Emelianenko was a free agent. It is Finkelchtein’s right to enforce Emelianenko’s contractual obligation to M-1 Global, just as it was White and the UFC’s right to sue “The Natural” Randy Couture (17-10) when Couture tried to wriggle free from his contract to fight Emelianenko in 2007 and 2008. White defended his legal rights to promote Couture; and, Finkelchtein will defend his legal rights to promote Emelianenko.
So, when White and the UFC refused to co-promote Emelianenko with M-1 Global, Emelianenko and Finkelchtein wondered what the UFC had called them for. They felt like, “If you want Emelianenko, here are the terms; if not, stop wasting our time.”
But, then White took his frustrations to the media and made claims about the UFC’s offer to Emelianenko and Emelianenko and Finkelchtein’s demands that are false, according to Finkelchtein and M-1 Global.
“We don’t want anything to do with the UFC,” Finkelchtein told Fighters.com. “They can do their business, we’ll do ours.”
In Finkelchtein’s mind, he never asked to do business with the UFC, nor does he need the UFC to make money promoting Emelianenko’s fights. So, why would White ask Emelianenko to fight for the UFC, then insult Emelianenko and Finkelchtein and lie to the media when White refused to meet the demands White knew were required? It was as if White set them up.
Finkelchtein is aware that his and Emelianenko’s story hasn’t been reported in the MMA press, and expressed frustration to Fighters.com. “I sent answers to Sherdog, but they weren’t published,” Finkelchtein claimed.
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Dana White is a masterful promoter and manipulator of the press but his lies and unfairness do get exposed – not enough though to make a big difference to the success of the UFC. It’s up to the other MMA organizations to do something about it. Perhaps they should focus on building their markets outside of the US and offer their best fighters to compete for World Titles in each weight class division. The UFC would then be isolated and the fighters would have better choices.
dana is a dush bag, i wouldod the same a fedor did i would not want to work for and ass hole like him,it just goes to show how meny fighters sell ther sole for fame,
Fedor did The right thing, he is the bigger man ,and never spok crap abot dana not once, but dana and his foul mouth, fuck him and the fuking ufc, ufc will fall, and then dana will b like wtf!! pleas help me, fack ypu and ya fuking ufc ass hole!!
I agree with what you say about Dana and about Fedor. Fedor is an exemplary athlete and a great person. He and GSP are my favourite MMA fighters. Read my post more carefully and you will see that I’m not promoting the UFC. I will also follow Fedor’s example and not resort to “ad hominem” attacks.
I’m sick and tired of Dana White and UFC’s antics. MMA is at a standstill and it won’t grow to the next level with the likes of Dana and Zuffa. The sport will go the way of spectacle, alienate potential consumers and remain 2nd rate frill entertainment.
And don’t give me that Dana made MMA what it is today, garbage. He made the UFC what it is. And from a business standpoint there are some leaders, like Dana, who can bring the product to the masses from a grassroots base, but fails to unite consumers, competitors, and talent for the future of the sport and the UFC.
Fedor belongs in an org that houses the “best” (meaning, marketed and trusted as). But the UFC made a business structure that takes advantage of under represented fighters and uses contracts that puts a cap on and control, their potential revenue. Fedor and M-1 are pushing that envelope. Hopefully other fighters and management companies will be as brave as M-1 and stand up to the Goliath that is the UFC.
What a big load of BS that M-1 is talking. M-1 is a dirty company and I had heard aleast 5 different storys about The deal with Fedor and The UFC. I know most of you are die hard Fedor lovers but look past the BS M-1 is feed you. With out Dana White and the UFC no one would even know who the hell Fedor is America. M-1 is protecting there investment in Fedor. Why do you think he signed with Strikeforce. To keep Fedor a big fish in a little pond. To protect his record and his #1 ranking.Why do you think the last real fight Fedor had was almost 5 years ago? With out it Fedor is nothing and M-1 is nothing. With even one loss M-1 can’t demand to do promotend charge 1.2 million to consult.. Ask the guys at affliction if they would do business with M-1 Again. Sopt letting you love for a fighter blind you from seeing the truth that M-1 is full of BS. Fedor is not bigger than the UFC if he was he would not be in America fight for Strikeforce. He would still be in Russia or Japan fighting again more BS for M-1. Wake up people
Fedor seemed quite content to fight in Japan for Pride. Don’t forget… until Zuffa (UFC) bought and shutdown Pride, the two organizations were in keen competition for the best fighters. Many top MMA fighters at the time considered Pride to have the edge.
Pride held more than sixty mixed martial arts events. As one of the most popular MMA organizations in the world during its ten years of operation, Pride broadcast to about 40 countries worldwide. Pride also held the largest live MMA event audience record of over 70,000 people.
Fedor dominated Pride and has since beat Orlovski and Silvia (two former UFC champions) in the first round.
Dana will not co-promote events for a number of reasons but he will definitely not agree to a one-time fight of the UFC heavyweight champion (currently Lesnar) because he knows Fedor is likely to win and then he can no longer make ridiculous statements about Fedor and the “crazy Russians”.
BTW, Dana has used the “they are too difficult to deal with” schtick with respect to the Japanese as well. Anyone who pays attention can see the game he is playing. Trouble is, from a business perspective, he is playing better than anyone else right now.