Dana on fedor meeting: "It didn't go well".

[*ChuteBoxe*]

In an exclusive comment to CBSSports.com on Friday, UFC president Dana White said that his recent meeting with representatives of Pride heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko did not bring UFC any closer to signing the superstar free agent.

When asked how the Emelianenko meeting went, White said "it didn't go well," but declined to discuss details.

"I don't like to talk about contract negotiations with the public -- but it didn't go well," White said. "These guys are crazy."

The complete interview conducted by CBSSports.com contributor Sam Caplan will be published on CBSSports.com early next week.

While White did not give details, he indicated in the forthcoming interview that the meeting was not successful. That contradicted initial reports that people close to Emelianenko thought the meetings went well.

Since then, Emelianenko representatives have indicated to other publications that the negotiations are basically stuck where they've been for months -- with UFC offering big money, but insisting on exclusive rights to Emelianenko.

Emelianenko's camp is said to be happy with the money UFC is offering, but is adamant that Emelianenko must be allowed to fight for other promotions in addition to UFC, particularly in his native Russia.

[Geo]

Emelianenko's camp is said to be happy with the money UFC is offering, but is adamant that Emelianenko must be allowed to fight for other promotions in addition to UFC, particularly in his native Russia.

screw him for now,he'll come around  sooner or later when he realizes that the sport and time is starting to pass him by,no other promotion is gonna come close to giving him the coin or the recognition he was used to with pride

[Al-Gebra]

screw him for now,he'll come around  sooner or later when he realizes that the sport and time is starting to pass him by,no other promotion is gonna come close to giving him the coin or the recognition he was used to with pride

he's not playing it smart . . . biggest payday now is the UFC . . . and it won't be the same if he ever loses outside it.

[americanbulldog]

In an exclusive comment to CBSSports.com on Friday, UFC president Dana White said that his recent meeting with representatives of Pride heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko did not bring UFC any closer to signing the superstar free agent.

When asked how the Emelianenko meeting went, White said "it didn't go well," but declined to discuss details.

"I don't like to talk about contract negotiations with the public -- but it didn't go well," White said. "These guys are crazy."

The complete interview conducted by CBSSports.com contributor Sam Caplan will be published on CBSSports.com early next week.

While White did not give details, he indicated in the forthcoming interview that the meeting was not successful. That contradicted initial reports that people close to Emelianenko thought the meetings went well.

Since then, Emelianenko representatives have indicated to other publications that the negotiations are basically stuck where they've been for months -- with UFC offering big money, but insisting on exclusive rights to Emelianenko.

Emelianenko's camp is said to be happy with the money UFC is offering, but is adamant that Emelianenko must be allowed to fight for other promotions in addition to UFC, particularly in his native Russia.

Can Ed Fishman be a solution for the unsigned free agents. 

[Bluto]

ufc doesnt need fedor
most people never watched him anyway there's plenty of fighters to keep it interesting
joe rogan just needs to stop bringing his name up in his reference the majority of the people watching pay per view have no idea what hes talking about
maybe when the current ufc heavy weight gone back and fourth for a year they can bring him in if its not exciting enough but for now they got their hands full
as it is

[realkarateblackbelt]

Frank Trigg: "Fedor will never fight in the UFC because of his management."

[Al-Gebra]

he'll come . . . they all come when the greenbacks beckon.  he just needs to be smart about it. 

[Fury]

Heroes can offer him the money UFC does.

[realkarateblackbelt]

Why doesn't he just let him compete in Sambo AND the UFC? Isn't that supposed to be one of the major issues? Seriously, outside of Russia who cares about Sambo. Dana wants him exclusive.

[Petrucci]

K1 Heroes looks like the best organization for Fedor imho, because of the similarities i think they have with Pride...Off course, the money involved must be big, but its nothing like UFC is offering, probably this is the fact why they didnt accept it yet....

I dont think its only the management...I think Fedor really dont want to be completely tied to one organization. And i think he should fight for what he wants of his life.
 Maybe he is not that famous in US, or maybe not to the general public but anyone who at least know what an armbar or a triangle is, know him...Its like telling someone who at least one day at his life wanted to study guitar and dont know who Steve Vai or Joe Satriani is, its simply impossible
 He isnt even my favorite fighter, but you cannot deny his potential. The only shame in all this thing is that maybe we are loosing the chance to see more of a guy that MAYBE is the best martial arts fighter to ever walk this earth

[*ChuteBoxe*]

Why doesn't he just let him compete in Sambo AND the UFC? Isn't that supposed to be one of the major issues? Seriously, outside of Russia who cares about Sambo. Dana wants him exclusive.

I agree, it's kinda stupid because you have contracted UFC fighters who compete in BJJ tournaments like Adcc and they are not having any troubles with Dana, yet Fedor can't compete in Sambo tournaments.  I think another issue though is that Fedor wants that same clause that he's always had in his previous contracts that allows him to fight for another org. only if the fight takes place in Russia.

[Al-Gebra]

I agree, it's kinda stupid because you have contracted UFC fighters who compete in BJJ tournaments like Adcc and they are not having any troubles with Dana, yet Fedor can't compete in Sambo tournaments.  I think another issue though is that Fedor wants that same clause that he's always had in his previous contracts that allows him to fight for another org. only if the fight takes place in Russia.

it makes perfect sense if you consider the money involved.  If Fedor is exclusively under K to UFC, then they can manage his image and do the promotion campaign they want to run: Greatest MMA fighter ever to take on ______  That will allow them to recoup their investment.  if, on the other hand, they put him under K and he then loses/gets injured in a russian sambo fight that's going to cut into/destroy their margin. 

they can't k w him for less money either, as part of the hype is the huge amount of money they're paying to import the champion.

[titusisback]

He isnt even my favorite fighter, but you cannot deny his potential.

Yeah, the guy has decent potential... he may just deliver too one day! 

[Petrucci]

Yeah, the guy has decent potential... he may just deliver too one day! 

well, maybe i didnt put it on the right way, i was just saying that he can STILL SHOW he IS the best even fighting on a different organization, with different oponents, on a different country, etc etc etc and all of that after months and months after his last fight
 

[Tre]

Exclusivity is overrated.

When you're brand-new and coming up, then your organization needs guys that'll only compete with you.  But once you're established as *the* dominant brand in your sport, then you don't need the exclusivity.  Pay the guy on a per-fight basis and you lose nothing.

Say what you want, but a gregarious guy like Rampage is going to fill a lot more arenas from his LHW position than Fedor as a HW.