Mike Chiappetta: The UFC's Attempt to Rush Fedor Emelianenko Negotiations Hurt Their Chances to Sign the Deal
by Kid Nate on Aug 1, 2009 10:10 PM EDT
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Speaking to Luke Thomas on MMA Nation today on 106.7 The Fan, AOL Fanhouse MMA writer Mike Chiappetta said that the UFC's urgency to sign a deal possibly set the deal back.
I'm too lazy to transcribe, but here's the gist of what Mike said:
Fedor's been a free agent for a week and a day, it's reasonable that he and his team would want to take some time and field the offers that they have coming in. There are a lot of people interested in promoting Fedor, including I'm sure some people that we are not aware of, people who are new to MMA or are getting back into the game. They want to take some time and think about Fedor's future. This is after all a two or three year commitment and he wants to make sure he's doing the right thing for himself and his future.
This is an excellent point and it really brings home just how unusual these negotiations have been. The UFC brass has been especially impetuous, even by Dana White standards. It is pretty amazing that they have managed to get the fans this riled up and angry at Fedor for not rushing into a deal, no matter how lucrative it is.
The question I'm wrestling with right now is this -- have Dana and the UFC managed to make Fedor an even hotter property? Coming off of UFC 100, there is unprecedented interest in the UFC and MMA. While ESPN has not been giving the Fedor negotiations attention, the dramatic increase in traffic to the MMA media has got to have some impact on the marketplace.
If the UFC has succeeded in making Fedor an even hotter property, they'll be the ones to suffer the consequences. Many in the comments are dismissing Fedor's importance, but if he didn't matter the UFC wouldn't be offering him the world.
If Fedor signs with Strikeforce and gets on CBS, he's a game changer. If Fedor aligns with a major boxing promoter (say Golden Boy) and they get him on HBO, he's a game changer. If Fedor goes to Japan and fights Satori Ishii on live network TV, he's a game changer.
If Fedor signs with the UFC, they have the top fighter in each division according to the USAT/SBN Consensus MMA rankings. At that point UFC = the major leagues of MMA.* Until they have Fedor, or he loses, they're just the best promotion by a very wide margin. If they get Fedor on board, they become a black hole at the center of MMA, pulling all who want to be considered among the world's top fighters into their orbit.
*It can be argued that DREAM and WVR/Sengoku have lightweight divisions that are comparable with the UFC's but no single fighter has put together a case to match that of B.J. Penn's for being the best lightweight fighter in the world.
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I don’t know anything about Russians, but I’ve dealt extensively with the Chinese. In China, you can never just lay a contract on the table and cut a straight forward deal. In fact, no matter how favorable an offer you approach them with, they’ll always insist on some from of negotiation. You’ve got to give presents, go to dinner, get drunk, etc. They constantly change the terms. They pretend they want one thing when they really want something different. They call you “strong” and really they mean you’re fat, they call you “honest” and really they mean you’re stupid. Things you thought you’ve agreed upon are suddenly contested, and things you think they’d never concede on get agreed to for a minor concession on you part. In short, you can’t assume that someone from a different culture has the same tactics and motivations as you do. It would be disappointing, but not surprising if the UFC entered into negotiations without taking the time to understand who they were dealing with. Many fans are making the same mistakes by calling Fedor and Vadim “morons” or “crazy” just because they don’t understand why they are approaching the negotiations in they way they are. One of the perils of doing international business as an America is that it’s virtually certain that the people you are doing business with know more about your culture than you know about theirs.
by Jahbulon on Aug 1, 2009 9:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
and unlike China
Russia was basically at war with the U.S. from 1945 to 1989. There’s got to be some built up hostility there.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
by Kid Nate on Aug 1, 2009 9:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Apparently Dana doesn’t negotiate that way, and he is in a position to not have to. Maybe the Russians should have researched how to negotiate with Dana White.
A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.
by iiowyn on Aug 1, 2009 9:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It definitely works both ways. I’ve seen Chinese companies lose tons of business with western companies because they came with a completely ridiculous offer (a common practice), and the westerners walked away because they didn’t realize the Chinese were willing to come way down on it.
So it is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you can win a thousand battles without a single loss.
If you only know yourself, but not your opponent, you may win or may lose.
If you know neither yourself nor your enemy, you will always endanger yourself.
by Jahbulon on Aug 1, 2009 9:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
the problem is that dana wants fedor more than fedor wants the ufc…or so it seems. He doesn’t seem to care about his legacy or fighting the best, and that would appear to be the main advantage of signing with the ufc. Sure it’s about the money too, but every organization is going to offer him more than he, or really any fighter, is worth.
by crinow on Aug 2, 2009 7:33 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I dont buy that argument
This has been in the works for years and this was Fedor’s last fight with Affliction regardless. He would have been a free agent tomorrow, Trilogy or not.
If his management wasn’t already working for his next contract after Trilogy, that’s just another reason they are doing him wrong.
by Paradoxx on Aug 1, 2009 9:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Fedor is not a gamechanger alone. Fedor-Werdum would probably draw a similar or lesser rating on CBS than Shields/Lawler did. Basically, Fedor is a draw if he has a massive marketing machine behind him and then goes up against a guy like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, or Chuck Liddell. Against anyone out there, he’s a trojan horse rather than a game-changer.
by Michael Rome on Aug 1, 2009 9:23 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Fedor on CBS is MUCH MUCH MUCH
more marketable than Shields/Lawler. Its not even close.
Fedor will be very easy to market in the U.S.
He’s already gotten feature coverage in the New York Times, the LA Times, and TIME. If he signs a deal to fight on CBS in prime-time, he’ll be on all the CBS sports shows, ESPN, CNN/SI, etc etc etc.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
by Kid Nate on Aug 1, 2009 9:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
With no fight footage?
A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.
by iiowyn on Aug 1, 2009 9:43 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
(crickets)
(that happens when you make an irrefutable point)
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
by subo on Aug 2, 2009 12:47 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
my understanding is that M-1 co-owns the Affliction footage
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
by Kid Nate on Aug 2, 2009 7:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
They have the rights to show it overseas from what I have read.
A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.
by iiowyn on Aug 2, 2009 12:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
There’s no fight footage, no english. The mainstream press has never done much to move the buyrate or ratings numbers for MMA shows, it’s always incidental.
He’s not easy to market. He’s a nightmare to market against anyone besides big name American stars that can talk a big game. Being “the best” means next to nothing for ratings or buys.
He’s killed every company he’s been in since Pride, this is worth remembering.
by Michael Rome on Aug 1, 2009 9:46 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I said easier to market than Shields/Lawlor
not easy to market.
I’ve been in PR for 15 years. I salivate at the idea of getting to sell Fedor. The unflappable, indestructable Russian enigma.
The fight footage is definitely a factor. But are we sure that M-1 doesn’t control the Affliction fight footage? They did co-promote after all.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
by Kid Nate on Aug 1, 2009 9:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Who is he going to fight? I’m not talking about ranked opponents, I’m talking about stars. You don’t become a star by beating a Werdum, Overeem, or Rogers. You become a star by beating a star. With the Tito and Kimbo signings, the UFC has all the major stars. Who is left for Fedor to build a name off of?
by Jahbulon on Aug 1, 2009 9:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Fedor will be the name they build off of
Fedor is a star.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
by Kid Nate on Aug 1, 2009 9:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not in the same sense that Chuck, Tito, Randy, Kimbo, Lesnar, and GSP are stars. If you were to rank the top stars in MMA in North America, I’m talking popularity and drawing power not ability, how high is Fedor on that list? Top 10? Top 20?
by Jahbulon on Aug 1, 2009 9:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Impossible to say. Worth 100,000 buys against top 5 heavyweights outside the UFC, Randy-Arlovski outside the UFC when he was champion probably would have been 250,000. Inside the UFC, against the right opponent, he can be a megastar. Until then he is an anchor/landmine that keeps on sinking promotions.
by Michael Rome on Aug 1, 2009 9:59 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I think we could easily come of with a list 20 to 30 fighters who would sell more tickets and attract more eyeballs than Fedor.
by Jahbulon on Aug 1, 2009 10:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
One thing that bugs me about trying to gauge Fedor’s value in PPV buys is this idea that there’s only one fight being bought. Is the business model for UFC PPV still that the headliner match is all that matters? Obviously it’s a big chunk of the buyrate, but especially since cards with strong co-main events (wtf is a co-main event anyway?) getting stronger and stronger, does it make sense to break the bank on one guy? It seems like the UFC wants to move towards a model where people tune in because it’s UFC.
by Stanlee on Aug 1, 2009 11:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It seems like the UFC wants to move towards a model where people tune in because it’s UFC.
It is called branding, and it is the entire focus of the UFC.
A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.
by iiowyn on Aug 2, 2009 2:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
And why M-1 Global wants so bad to co-promote with them.
Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ. -- I blog at TangleBones - you should follow me on Twitter here.
by jemaleddin on Aug 2, 2009 8:17 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
A star?
Distant, round-ish, and prone to destroying things around him?
I’ll buy that.
Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ. -- I blog at TangleBones - you should follow me on Twitter here.
by jemaleddin on Aug 1, 2009 10:14 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
So far we’ve had goldenboy, bodog, affliction, showtime, and others completely flop and lose millions promoting Fedor. There are certain appealing aspects, but the day of the big Russian heel draw are days of the past. Especially since he doesn’t carry himself the right way for that sort of thing. He’d need to be against someone extremely sympathetic for it to really work. You look at how he was the popular guy people rooted for to win in his Affliction fights and you immediately realize what they did wrong. But unless you have a guy like a Randy on the opposite side, you’ve got nothing except multi-million dollar gaping holes in your balance sheet with little to no return for them, and no loyalty at all from the other side.
Fedor is not a drawing star in the US. He would be with the UFC, but let me tell you, if they brought him in to debut against Shane Carwin, that is a 400,000 buys fight at most. He’s only going to be a big draw against big names.
by Michael Rome on Aug 1, 2009 9:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
sorry kid but.....
I hang out with a lot of people that just watch ppvs and don’t follow the scene like we all do and nobody gives a shit about him. He is a draw to hardcore mma guys and that’s all unless we talk Japan where he is similar to a god.
Here in America where it matters however my friends remember him as the one that knocked that dude out in mid air. If he was on CBS he would get less then shields Lawler because some people saw Lawler for elitexc in his battles with Scott smith which were very marketable fights.
Basically anyone who says Fedor will be a drawing factor with the ufc isn’t thinking intelligent. The ufc can basically put anyone on the other side of him and make it marketable. Hell for his first fight don’t even make him the main event, sort of like anderson vs Forrest which could be a headliner but isn’t.
"What do you want from me?..... A Slap?"
by xtremecouture on Aug 1, 2009 10:25 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
Fedors countdown didnt even register a nielson rating on fox sports net…
Fedor isn’t a game changer.
by mmalogic on Aug 1, 2009 11:45 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
agreed, Fedor is definitely not a game changer…
by Reaser16 on Aug 1, 2009 11:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The UFC is already a black hole
Fedor is the exception.
No other fighter on Earth can hope to be ranked #1 in the minds of most without going through the fighters at their weight classes that are already signed to Zuffa. Not feather, bantam, light (seriously, BJ, Maynard, Sherk, Florian, Stevenson, Sanchez, Guida, Edgar), welter, middle or light heavy. Between the standardized rules, elbows on the ground, the cage and drug tests, the UFC is the only legitimate place for a #1 fighter to be.
Fedor is the exception. He will be the last exception.
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
by subo on Aug 2, 2009 12:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
“Fedor is the exception. He will be the last exception.”
True that one. I have quite a few friends who have gotten into MMA the last 2 or 3 years…they ALL know who Fedor is. They don’t know his history or anything, but they know he is supposedly the baddest man ever, and they saw him murder two UFC champs.
Other than that? All they know is UFC (one knows Strikeforce). After Fedor retires it is over.
Until congress gets involved and hits them with an antitrust exemption.
BOOSH
by Farthammer on Aug 2, 2009 1:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t agree at all with the above assessment at all.. The bottom line is that the negotiations failed “before” they ever started. It’s pretty obvious on the fact that Fedor and or his management are only fielding offers to drive up the bargaining price. It’s really simple.. “supply & demand”. But the bottom line here isn’t that the deal wasn’t reached.. It’s pretty obvious by now that they “don’t” care about the offer. The only thing left of relevance about this whole situation is that the deal didn’t happen for whatever reason.. End story.. Let’s all move on to something more fruitfull..
by MMAuthority on Aug 1, 2009 9:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I was directing my comment towards the topic and not Michael Rome.. :)
by MMAuthority on Aug 1, 2009 9:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Bad article.
1. Fedor is not a hotter property. Nobody can afford what Zuffa is offering. If a company could, then they would get into a bidding war with Zuffa and raise his money value. However, Strikeforce offered substantially less, and there is no way DREAM or Sengoku can offer that much. It is highly unlikely a money mark will come in anytime soon to offer money either. This means the UFC’s offer hasn’t changed anything.
2. Fedor will never be a game changer without the UFC. Even with the UFC, he will never sell as well as Tito Ortiz or Brock Lesnar. He doesn’t speak English, he doesn’t look tough, and he doesn’t do many interviews. That alone will make him more of a tim Duncan type at best. Quiety, very talented champion, who is always overshadowed by players who aren’t even as successful.
3. It is highly unlikely at this point that Golden Boy will get involved in MMA. They have seen what has happened with Affliction. They have seen what power the UFC has in the sport. This is not a fight that anybody in their company would be willing to wage. They dabbled in Affliction, saw how bad it failed, and that is likely the most they will ever get involved in MMA (if they are smart).
by AlwaysRelaxing on Aug 1, 2009 9:30 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
there's a difference between a bad article and a series of statements you disagree with
please note that distinction.
but in the mean time, I’m writing, you’re reading.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
by Kid Nate on Aug 1, 2009 9:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Let me outline a situation that is a game changer.
Fedor goes with Strikeforce for 3 fights. At the same time he finishes up, Brock is finishing up his contract. If Brock wins 3 straight from now, the clamoring for that fight will be even more intense. At that point, UFC will have to break the bank to get both fighters or risk losing Brock, whose never been one to show intense loyalty to promotional masters.
Another would be if Randy won his next 2 and left to fight Fedor on CBS. There are potential game-changer fights with Fedor, but they all will take a good amount of luck and timing. Fedor against Overeem, Werdum, Rogers, or Monson means nothing in the United States.
by Michael Rome on Aug 1, 2009 9:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
they don't mean nothing
they’re not Fedor/Couture or Fedor/Lesnar or Fedor/Tito, but they are fights that CBS would air. Without Fedor, Strikeforce is hoping that Gina Carano can carry them onto network TV. If they’ve got the USA TODAY #1 heavyweight in the world, they can get on the air.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
by Kid Nate on Aug 1, 2009 9:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
CBS would air them, they would do less than Kimbo Slice and more than Joey Villasenor. Definitely less ratings growth than Gina Carano. In the fight game real personalities with charisma draw, not the best fighters. WHen you get the two together you have a goldmine.
A CBS deal is a trap in and of itself as we’ve seen. They’d have to spend millions to do a CBS show with Fedor, would likely do a 2.5-2.7, and get almost nothing in return on ads. Tito Ortiz on network TV is a far, far better investment, or at least would have been. The fact that Affliction tried to promote around Fedor speaks to their markish nature about the best fighter in the world more than anything else.
by Michael Rome on Aug 1, 2009 9:57 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I'm a mark and I have no perspective
but Fedor has a personality. An utterly alien one.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
by Kid Nate on Aug 1, 2009 10:00 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
I didn’t mean to imply that, my point was more that you have a company losing millions in Affliction, and their answer is to get guys like Gomi instead of trying to get maybe Gina Carano for a semi-main. They were fucking clueless about the business of this sport and what draws.
I think Fedor has the star power to be a big draw in the U.S. But he needs that big rub fight. The fight millions and millions watch where he demolishes a big U.S. star like Chuck Liddell.
by Michael Rome on Aug 1, 2009 10:05 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
You are a mark. Rec’d for honesty.
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
by subo on Aug 2, 2009 12:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Say hello to the championship clause there Rome, it’s nice to live in this fantasy world where Fedor matters to the majority of the public and hardcore fans dreams fights can happen. But in reality this entire article is incredibly off the mark on many points to say the least.
Hardcore’s keep making the same mistake over and over when it comes to Fedor, the fact is he is irrelevant to the majority of the UFC public who doesn’t care about Bloody Elbow or anyother mma site. They order the ppv’s buy the merchandise and believe whatever the UFC tells that’s just the way it is.
Also the idea that CBS is going to launch Fedor to superstardom again just shows how people aren’t looking at the big picture. If Strikeforce is that stupid they will be targeted and destroyed by Dana, why would Coker risk that when his entire business model is based on not being on his bad side this would pretty much be a declaration of war and you see how Zuffa always wins these wars.
Finally what the hell is the laughable idea that the UFC isn’t be #1 promotion on the planet without Fedor?, seriously what have you guys been watching the past couple of years. MMA=UFC, there is nothing or no one that they need to dominate mma they have run things since they put Pride under the ground and they are only getting stronger stop the nonsense people.
by Raker on Aug 1, 2009 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
If someone is gonna fight the championship clause and possibly win, it is Brock Lesnar.
A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.
by iiowyn on Aug 1, 2009 11:14 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Ask Randy about fighting the UFC there is a reason why even with the backing of Affliction and Cuban he’s right back in the octagon. Like I said it’s great to talk about fantasy situations but at the end of the day when reality comes back into focus you see just how ahead of the curb Zuffa is when it comes to their business dealing and contracts than everyone else.
by Raker on Aug 2, 2009 4:25 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Anderson may be the next one who tries… Brock isnt going anywhere.
by mmalogic on Aug 2, 2009 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Brock just strikes me as being fickle if he isn’t kept happy. He also has a history of fighting contractual clauses in court.
A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.
by iiowyn on Aug 2, 2009 12:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Let's clear this up:
Fedor is not a free agent. According to Vadim, he’s under contract with M-1 global.
Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ. -- I blog at TangleBones - you should follow me on Twitter here.
by jemaleddin on Aug 1, 2009 10:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I dont understand.Supposedly the affliction fight with Fedor only sold 3,000 tix.And when Pride came to Vegas with Fedor it didnt do all that well.What do all these promotions expect to get out of signing Fedor?The only way he becomes a big sell is if he signs with the UFC.Fedor is a great fighter and he needs to get with “The org.”.Just my lame opinion.
by E.Nightmare on Aug 1, 2009 10:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Apparently Rome was working on a story about Affliction ticket sales when the promotion went tits up. I’d love to know what he was going to report.
by Jahbulon on Aug 1, 2009 10:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I can reveal that here. They sold 6,000 including ones they bought themselves. How many they bought themselves is unanswered.
by Michael Rome on Aug 1, 2009 10:31 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
are you sure that’s accurate?
I heard 3,500 were actually sold.
by mmalogic on Aug 1, 2009 11:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This number includes the amount Affliction bought.
I’m positive its accurate, I have the seating chart with the sold/unsold.
by Michael Rome on Aug 2, 2009 12:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Fuckin' a.
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
by subo on Aug 2, 2009 12:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I like how you guys quoted something from the radio show. :)
-it keeps people more interested in it.. especially if what was said was big or interesting, it would keep them looking forward to the next show..
-plus it gives the guys who didn’t get to tune in, some kind of recap.. (I find it hard to wake up at 7am on a sunday so i get to miss watching the show sometimes.. it’s nice to see a bit of a summary when i do login.)
by Anton Tabuena on Aug 1, 2009 10:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
usually I have to wait for the podcasts to be posted before i could listen to it so i think it’s good that there’s a small recap of things cause it makes me look forward to hearing it even more. :)
by Anton Tabuena on Aug 1, 2009 10:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
"...people who are new to MMA or are getting back into the game"
YAMMA 2: FEDOR BOOGALOO?
by woooburn on Aug 1, 2009 10:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Starring Poppin Taco and Boogaloo Shrimp
BOOSH
by Farthammer on Aug 1, 2009 11:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think that “PPV draw” and “ratings draw” are two different things. Kimbo Slice was a ratings draw, because he got a ton of exposure, and people wanted to see what all the fuss was about. However, he was not much of a PPV draw. Remember the Ray Mercer fight?
We’ve never seen a Fedor fight on free TV, but I’d suspect that giving Fedor a ton of press in mainstream outlets will inspire curiosity, and it’s up to him to deliver in the cage. If he impresses, then the fans will come back. Remember, the same group of people who saw Kimbo get Petruzelli’d saw a TON of Affliction commercials, where Fedor pwned Tim Sylvia. I know a few casual fans, and they are intrigued by that “chubby Russian dude that destroyed Sylvia and Arlovski.” It’s a starting point for promotion, but it isn’t everything.
by madiq on Aug 1, 2009 10:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
This is just stretching to try to find some way to believe one of your favorite fighters will be a draw.
He won’t get a “ton” of free press. He might get 2 mentions on Sportscenter and a magazine piece. Nothing about his history suggests he would be a TV draw whatsoever.
by Michael Rome on Aug 1, 2009 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
If the UFC ends up on ESPN/ABC, how much do you think they would mention Fedro in Strikeforce?
A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.
by iiowyn on Aug 1, 2009 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Rec'd for brutality
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
by subo on Aug 2, 2009 12:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
people forget so often, how Kimbo was known to casuals b/c of his youtube streetfights.
he already had interest in him.my friends would come to me"did u see that guy kimbo,he punched that dude’s eyeball out of his socket"
kimbo was marketable,charismatic(remember his"i fight for bread" phrase), and his fights showed him as a dominant mik tyson figure who had the physique to match
your friends are already subconsciously less receptive to fedor b/c they think of him as some foreign guy who’s really unathletic and chubby looking but somehow beats up ppl.
i mean it’s not gonna set their brains on fire.
by justizzer on Aug 2, 2009 12:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sorry Nate
I usually agree with your opinions, but I think that you’re off the mark here. Fedor is not a game changer, for any of the other orgs. Lets face it. from the casual fans standpoint, Fedor couldn’t outdraw Gina Carano or Kimbo Slice. Fedor doesn’t need the UFC to make money, he needs them to become famous in the US. I’m not sure he cares about the ladder.
by nitro on Aug 1, 2009 10:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Since the entire thing came down to one issue (co-promotion), I don’t think the period of time had any impact.
by Lynchman on Aug 1, 2009 11:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Negotiations with Fedors camp started way before he arrived to the states… sure the “volley” should have been maintained longer by Dana and Lorenzo but they are putting together something big and wanted Fedor to be a part of it.
Lorenzo is a pride nuthugger – so the deal that was offered doesnt even make sense for Zuffa let alone any other organization or wanna be.
At the end with the longer “volley” or not watch where Fedor ends up.
There is NO GAME CHANGER in North America. Every dollar that’s invested into MMA in North America is benefiting Zuffa the most.
by mmalogic on Aug 1, 2009 11:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
KIMBO SLICE can outdraw FEDOR.
Why?
1.) He’s been well-marketed via youtube(and now hopefully, on TUF)
2.) He’s got personality
3.) He speaks English
4.) He is RIPPED
5. Did I mention he speaks English??
by MetsGod on Aug 2, 2009 12:02 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Fedor is irrelevant unless they can find contenders worthy of fighting him. Strikeforce have a few people that fit the bill, if someone like Golden Boy tried to use Fedor to build another competing organisation, who are they going to have him fight? Strikeforce would be mad to let them borrow one of their HWs, who else is there? Monson is the only person I can think of.
by brad23 on Aug 2, 2009 12:46 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Fighters worthy
I agree, Fedor can be a draw if they find contenders worthy.
I think we’re looking at ZERO marketable fighters in the heavyweight class outside of the UFC.
Fedor is the #1 HW in the world…fighting who?
Rogers, Werdum, Monson, Barnett, Overeem, Yvel, Buentello, Arlovski, Sylvia, Ishii, Hunt…etc.
I think if we look at this crop of fighters, they may provide some interest amongst hardcores, but little to none to casuals.
It will take Strikeforce (or whoever) a shitload of marketing and promotion to make this worth purchasing on PPV
It’ll be hard for Coker to justify paying Fedor that much to put on a non-PPV show.
by MickDawg on Aug 2, 2009 2:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t see Fedor being the game-changer you say he is unless he’s in the UFC’s hands. So far they’re the only company that has proven it can sell PPV’s and make draws out of fighters. Fedor has no history of being game-changer by himself.
by filipinomix2oo0 on Aug 2, 2009 1:57 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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