Fedorm 1 Global Press Conference Confirms It’S Time We Gave Seeing Fedor UFC
(Mike Tyson was not pleased when he learned that simply appearing in this picture entitled M-1 Global to 50% of his future earnings.)
Fedor Emelianenko and his M-1 Global cronies seemed awfully excited to tell us very little during today’s press conference. Considering that their big news was that Fedor would be “headlining” the new EA Sports MMA video game (does that mean he’ll be the final boss that every fighter, regardless of weight class, has to beat? are we talking Fedor Emelianenko’s Punch-Out here?) it’s hard to understand how they thought the reaction to today’s non-answers about everything from UFC negotiations to Affliction cancellation reactions would be anything but a disappointment.
Here’s the summary, for those of you in a hurry. Fedor would absolutely consider fighting in the UFC, but only if M-1 Global can play too. Their reasoning for feeling like they should get to piggyback on the money machine that the UFC has created? Because they have Fedor, and they’ve promoted MMA “all over the world.” Good for them. But can someone please explain why that entitles them to a cut of the UFC’s profits?
If they’re doing so well with their worldwide MMA promotion, why doesn’t Fedor fight exclusively for them? Why would this global juggernaut even need to co-promote? The unpleasant truth for Fedor and his M-1 cronies is that even if he is the “world’s best fighter,” as Jerry Millen, who oozes insincerity even over the phone, repeatedly pointed out, that doesn’t sell tickets by itself.
He needs quality opponents. The UFC has them. He needs an organization that can get asses in seats, pay-per-views on TV, and turn a profit even while paying him outrageous sums. The UFC can do all that. If M-1 Global could, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.
Vadim Finkelchtein revealed that the UFC has made Fedor another offer since the collapse of Affliction, and they of course responded with a counter offer that included the bitter pill of co-promotion. We already know how this story ends. The UFC can stay comfortably atop the MMA food chain even without Fedor, and they know it. There’s no need for them to take on the shadowy M-1 Global as a partner who provides nothing more than one single fighter.
Fedor says he trusts Finkelchtein no matter what his brother Aleks says, and that’s his decision. He seems absolutely committed to doing absolutely nothing unless M-1 Global is involved, which basically means that seeing him against the best heavyweights in the world means more to us than it does to him. So be it. But he won’t get to ride the “world’s best fighter” train forever, especially once he runs out of decent opponents to fight.
(BF)