Although Fedor Emelianenko has been signed to a three-fight, one-year deal, Strikeforce officials will still permit the heavyweight fighter to compete overseas, including in Japan.
Strikeforce executive Mike Afromowitz confirmed that Emelianenko (30-1), who signed with Strikeforce on Monday, will be permitted to fight outside the organization while under contract.
Emelianenko, a former longtime heavyweight champion of the now-defunct PRIDE Fighting Championships in Japan, competed in New Year's Eve shows in Japan every year from 2003 to 2007.
The 32-year-old fighter has often said the year-end tradition is one of his favorite parts of the fight game.
However, it's too soon to know if Emelianenko could compete in Japan this year on New Year's Eve. Although no specific date has been set, Emelianenko is expected to make his Strikeforce and Showtime debut "this fall," according to Strikeforce officials, possibly as soon as October. That debut is expected to take place in the U.S.
DREAM, an organizations born from the ashes of PRIDE, is the new promoter of New Year's Eve shows in Japan. The organization hosted its first NYE show in 2008 and is expected to do so again this year.
In fact, Strikeforce is expected to announce a formal partnership with the Japanese-based organization's parent company, Fighting Entertainment Group, in the coming weeks. It's not known if the two promotions would partner for a Dec. 31 show, but it does open the door for a potential Emelianenko vs. Sergei Kharitonov (16-4) bout.
On Monday Strikeforce announced a deal with Emelianenko that will put the famed Russian fighter on cards co-promoted by M-1 Global, which is run by Emelianenko's manager, Vadim Finkelstein. While Emelianenko and UFC officials were negotiating for a deal as recently as this past week, the co-promoting demands ultimately tripped up a potential contract offer from the world's most recognizable MMA brand.
The UFC ultimately caved into demands that tripped up previous negotiations, such as granting Emelianenko permission to compete in Russian Sambo tournaments and wear M-1 branded fight gear during UFC fights. However, neither side was willing to cave on the co-promoting issue, which ultimately led to the Strikeforce deal.
