Quote of the Day: M-1 Global's Vadim Finkelstein Talks About Fedor Emelianenko Potentially Signing With the UFC
by Anton Tabuena on Mar 13, 2010 8:00 AM EST
in MMA News
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It depends on UFC. We would like to cooperate with them. Everything depends on them, their diplomacy. It would be possible if they are flexible... I don't want to compete with UFC, I want to co-operate with them. I think it could be a winning solution for everybody - for us, for them, and for MMA fans.
That's his character, [Dana White] just loves to call names. He didn't say bad things about M-1 only, there were a lot of situations where he was harsh. It makes me glad when Dana White talks about us. I respect the UFC, they've done a lot for the development of MMA, so I can pardon them such attacks. We respect him and let him grumble.
--Fedor Emelianenko's Manager, and M-1 Global CEO, Vadim Finkelstein talks about Fedor Emelianenko potentially signing with the UFC after his two remaining fights with Strikeforce.
HT: Five Knuckles, fozo
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+1 Seriously
At this point we need to treat Fedor signing with the UFC like we treat Jose Canseco. Just totally ignore the topic unless something REALLY happens.
Why are you getting your hopes up
we all know that as long as co-promotion is on the M-1 table, it’ll never happen. Vlad talks about the UFC being flexible but yet wants to remain close minded with his side of the negotiations.
It’s a shame that guys like that, make more money than me.
by WestbergIDFC on Mar 13, 2010 12:36 PM EST up reply actions
Here comes Finkel again trying to talk all nice and polite to try to look like mister innocent. He did all this the last time they were shopping. They’ll dangle the carrot in Dana’s face and pull it away to get him to cuss them out on camera. Then when they think everyone’s against Dana for being the jerk they’ll try to get them on the hook.
They have been doing this song and dance since 2007, once they get the UFC to agree to on of their demands they come up with a newer wilder demand. I think that even if the UFC did agree to let them put their name up like it was a co-promotion that they would come up with something else to demand that would stop the deal. If they wanted to be in the UFC they would of been there years ago. M-1 global doesn’t want to do business with the UFC and they never have, they have more leverage and get more out of dealing with all the other companies.
Heck Vadim even admitted it in this interview he likes when Dana talks about Fedor, it’s free press coverage of the M-1 brand. They get the attention they want just by playing the negotiation game over and over again(see Tito Ortiz).
They’re the North Korea of MMA! Trying to use one big bomb to get their way:)
by Kwisatz Haderach on Mar 13, 2010 6:08 PM EST up reply actions
Wishful thinking
The Lesnar-Fedor matchup needs to happen soon! Not next year or the next. They both need to be up there in their games to make this exciting. Like Couture vs Coleman. This fight would have been exciting if it took place 10 years ago. However, with M-1 and their strict co-promotion rule, I won’t hold my breath on seeing Fedor with the UFC.
by mmachiro on Mar 13, 2010 8:16 AM EST via mobile reply actions
like it will happen..
UFC would pay Fedor crazy money I’m sure. But they won’t pay Finkelstein or promote a show that has a nother promotions name on it. We all know that.
I wouldn't bet on it
I love fedor, he is the best heavyweight out there for sure, but there is just no reason for the UFC to co-pomote a fight like this, the problem is finkelstein who’s preventing the biggest fight in history from taking place. Both Fedor and Lesnar are coming of age, Brock is turning 33 and Fedor 34, they don’t have many years left. It needs to happen for sure.
Yeah, it seems the real issue is co-promotion...
…and I just don’t think the UFC wants (or even needs to, really) to bend on that issue.
Why in the hell
would a successful company split 1/2 of their profits with a company that can’t manage 2 fighters? Bud Light should co promote with me because I make beer in my kitchen! That is asinine. Why destroy a good business model so we can see 1 guy lose?
If M1 has anything to actually offer, they should put on a PPV and sell it. Everyone here thinks Fedor will draw, which is laughable. If M1 could get 200,000 buys they would be going it alone. They can’t. They are incapable of marketing their best product and have damaged the image of that product.
Hardcase is correct, the UFC should not bend on their business model or ever turn over production to a network.
Yeah, seriously, there’s NO reason for them change their business model based on one fighter.
I’d like to see this story followed up on in some way. Really seems like Finkelstein is just tweeking Dana’s and Tom Coker’s nipples here. Unless M-1 is willing to finally put the co-promotion issue to rest (which I doubt, based on his statements), or if he knows something we don’t and thinks Dana will finally give on that (which I highly doubt), then this is probably just a calculated bluff to get Strikeforce to pay even more money for Fedor. And if Strikeforce calls that bluff, I really wonder what will happen next.
Does anyone know how well DREAM is doing financially? Can they match or beat out Strikeforce in paying Fedor?
Exactly. The UFC has no reason to give in to that, particularly when M-1’s concept of co-promotion is apparently renegotiable at every turn.
by Kwisatz Haderach on Mar 13, 2010 6:11 PM EST up reply actions
I wonder if Vadim
even knows what cooperate even means?
@fjbar on twitter...formerly El Mexicutioner
This is leverage to get a better deal with strikeforce. No one believes that the UFC would or should co-promote.
Josh Gross is the M-1 of mma media
by cagefightonacid on Mar 13, 2010 1:09 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
i think no one believes ufc should co promote with m-1 but i’d be down see an end of the year
ufc v strike force card
or like how pride was setting up to do a yearly tourny with one weight class a year
id love to see the 4 major promotions do that with 2 or 4 fighters from each promotion
by Richard Doughty on Mar 13, 2010 1:27 PM EST up reply actions
What Finkelstein and M-1 are saying to UFC:
“We want to take full advantage of your publicity, your exposure and your reputation – and contribute absolutely nothing other than letting Fedor fight for you.”
When one considers how they’ve dealt with StrikeForce, I wouldn’t be surprised if they wanted to dictate Fedor’s availability purely on their own terms. Good luck trying to sell that to Zuffa. UFC is Zuffa’s house and they have no reason to bend over and take it up the ass for one fighter.
by Monday Morning Martial Artist on Mar 13, 2010 8:50 AM EST reply actions
" I wouldn’t be surprised if they wanted to dictate Fedor’s availability purely on their own terms."
This is M-1s definition of cooperation.
by Dropkick434 on Mar 13, 2010 10:55 AM EST up reply actions
It pains me to comment on this because in all likelihood its just another ploy to get “more” (money, exposure, etc) out of CBS/Showtime/Strikeforce however…
Maybe M-1 has finally realized that they’ll never get the kind of partnership exposure they want out of ANY US MMA promotion and have decided to settle for the one thing they can get. Money.
Lots and lots of money. The UFC can hands down pay more for their services than any other organization. It’s just the reality of things. If this is the case then maybe we see Fedor fighting in the UFC in 2011.
The important thing is that the UFC (Dana White) doesn’t get bogged down in arguing over image/licensing rights, video archive bs, and all that stuff. I hope he realizes that the majority of fans just want to see Fedor fight the best competition and could give a crap less about him being exclusively in one video game or another.
Okay guys, we all know it aint right and Finkie is a money hungry rat but dont we want it to happen? Slap a small M1 logo on there which no one will notice or care about anyway and get the fight done. In my perfect world Fedor takes the last deal Dana presented him with. Maybe with some extra cash to get it done. How do you go out and pay crazy millions for Pride but cant get Fedor, the #1 fighter in the world in your organization? It just pisses me off.
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."
the trouble is, as they showed with the April Strikeforce card, M-1 is clearly willing to bail on a fight and screw over the promotion just to angle for a better deal… M-1 was reportedly unhappy with Strikeforce’s interpretation of “co-promotion” after the Rogers fight so they had Fedor hold out and if Mousasi had gone along with the plan he’d be on the shelf as well. If you give them everything they ask for, after the first fight they’d demand a renegotiation anyway.
I wonder if the real reason Strikeforce hasn’t made the Fedor/Overeem fight is because Fedor doesn’t want to get bound by a Champion’s clause. It’s rather difficult to see how this kind of constant maneuvering would go over in the UFC.
I bet a lot of money the UFC contract language wouldn’t allow for these shenanigans even if they do give Fedor some flexibility.
by Dropkick434 on Mar 13, 2010 10:58 AM EST up reply actions
What he said.
The UFC PR team along with their access to Fedors Pride footage = Emelianenko’s & M-1’s best chance to make the big $$$ in U.S.A.
I doubt even with co-promotion that M-1 and company are making more in Strikeforce than they would with Fedor just making his show and (possible) win money along with spnsor cash with Zuffa. Hell they would have even had more leverage with getting some of their other fighters into the UFC so they could rape the financially for all they are worth in place of not getting to co-promote.
Fedor is nearing the end of his career and needs to cash out big. Winning or losing fights he can reach that goal better in the UFC than anywhere else.
clearly not about the insults
“so I can pardon them such attacks. We respect him and let him grumble.”
Vadim and company are doing this for money. Period.
certified warlord
oh i know that, I just like to point out little things like this to keep myself amused.
If dana says something that smells like hypocritical it’s an affront against humanity, but whenever the other promoters change their tune or one of the silly rumors about how evil the UFC/Dana is gets disproved no one makes a peep.
You mean like years of people blaming Dana for not wanting to let Fedor fight Sambo being the reason they couldn’t get him signed only to find out that it was never an issue at all?
Look at it from this perspective
this whole thing is purely business, why would the UFC bend to the whim of a group of people that they can’t trust? Would it make sense to do all the hard work, just to let someone come into your house and take the furniture. Maybe this will make more sense, are you going to go into Burger King and order a Big Mac?
This is one of two things, IMO
A) It could be pure talk from the Fink, either to generate a huge response from fans in an effort to gain more leverage in renegotiations with SF, or as a means of once again pointing a finger at UFC. After all, even though UFC offered (supposedly) a mega-contract to Fedor, they weren’t willing to co-promote and M-1 therefore “blamed” UFC for the deal not getting done.
B) This is really wishful thinking on my part, but maybe M-1 is realizing SF isn’t the answer, or maybe the thought of demolishing Verdum doesn’t appeal to Fedor as much as testing himself against Lesnar or the young rising prospects in UFC.
It’s very unlikely he comes to UFC. But if he’s ever going to do it, he needs to do it in the next year. His skillset is, IMO, the greatest of all time. He appeared just a bit slower than usual against Rogers, and while it could’ve been for a variety of reasons, I fear age may be starting to slowly creep in. If we ever see the greatest heavyweight of all time in the best orgainzation in the world, I’m only interested in seeing him fight while he’s still “got it.”
I could not agree with you more....
Fedor is my favorite heavyweight of all time, BUT I do not want to see him go to the UFC this late in his career. Fedor’s “heyday” was the Pride era. I do believe he would have success in the UFC but he will eventually lose to the new breed of heavyweights. Bigger, stronger, faster wrestlers would have the best chance of beating him.
I think the Rogers fight showed that Fedor is getting older and slower. Hey, it happens to all the great fighters, but it also gives the haters and chance to question his legacy.
Fedor had a run like no other. He destroyed THE premiere heavyweight division in Pride. Now, the UFC owns the heavyweight division. The UFC’s heavyweights are the new breed.
4 or 5 years ago Fedor would have wrecked any heavyweight on the planet. That was then…. people get older and they have to pass the torch.
Nostalgia will never outlive reality.
Very true
I think he’s still athletic enough to win a fight against the Lesnars, Carwins, and Velazquez’s of the world. Although he’s got a lot of mileage, he hasn’t taken nearly the same amount of damage that guys like Wanderlei or Big Nog have, and for that reason, I’d have to pick him to win any fight until he loses.
The sad thing is that the new breed of fans may never know just how devastating Fedor was; my roommate claims to be a “lifelong” MMA fan, but really started watching a couple of years ago. He tries to argue that Mir would “destroy” Fedor; not because he has any knowledge or insight into a weakness or stylistic disadvantage of Fedor, but rather because Fedor looks soft…
Sadly, unless Fedor does come over to UFC and crack some skulls, his true greatness may never be known by the majority of fans who didn’t have the pleasure of watching him during the Pride days.
All this talk is just bringing back painful memories of last summer:) At some point after Fedor went to Strikeforce, I think I unconsciously started resigning him to the past. He’ll be the greatest heavyweight of all time for a long way to come in my opinion. And I believe he can still compete with the UFC’s best, and I definitely would love to see him in the Octagon. But if he comes to the UFC in six months, or a year, and loses a fight or two, it’s only going to piss everyone off that we didn’t get to see him there in his prime. I doubt it will affect his legacy within the sport and the obsessive fans, though he’ll never get a proper introduction to newer UFC fans. If he manages to destroy Brock, Cain, JDS, Mir, Carwin or whoever, then sure, game on, but I just don’t think I’m going to ever see it.
by Kwisatz Haderach on Mar 13, 2010 6:40 PM EST up reply actions
I'll HT you when I get to a pc.
sorry bout that. :)
by Anton Tabuena on Mar 13, 2010 10:32 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
anything could happen...
but we will never see fedro in the UFC. not gonna happen. ever.
"Live fast, die."
These people are so absurd
Copromote? Why? What if he loses his first fight in the UFC? Fedor isn’t god, hes another fighter like everyone else
Sign a freaking normal contract already and stop thinking you are special M-1
Fedor may have the Mayweather syndrom
so much was written about his “almost” perfect 30-1 record and the pressure to remain unbeatable was built to such extent that he might refuse to ever fight for the UFC no matter what the conditions are and just quit . He’s probably already taken care of financially for life , its not like he parties with limos and hookers everyday like Chuck Liddell.
I’m saying this because of the way his managers shit all over the Overeem fight and asked for Barnett who is a much easier opponent (at least in my eyes).
The fact is after Werdum Fedor has to more fights – Overeem and Barnett . Then it’s either UFC or saying goodbye to your top 1 heavyweight in the world status . That’s what I’m thinking anyway…
by JoelMan on Mar 13, 2010 10:15 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
One day Fedor will turn on his handlers
That will be a glorious day.
Walking the line between intelligence and ignorance since 1985
@deowade
but people don’t find that out until it’s too late…
by cagefightonacid on Mar 13, 2010 1:22 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
An obvious bargaining ploy
There’s a public relations turning point for athletes when clamoring for their athletic talent turns disgust over their greed. Alex Rodriquez experienced this when he was the highest paid player in MLB and announced during the World Series that he would not resign with the Yankees and wanted more money.
Most people think it was actually ARod’s agent Scott Boras who decided on this obnoxious strategy. No matter, the public reaction was intense against ARod.
Fedor is reaching or has reached that point. Fans are now saying STFU and fight!
The thing about the A-Rod example is that even though he alienated a lot of fans, he still got what he wanted.
by Worldisart on Mar 13, 2010 11:34 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
He is just like the Sopranos
They aren’t looking to test skills, they are looking to bust out a sporting goods store.
.
FiveKnuckles.com: How did you come to meet Fedor Emelianenko?
Vadim Finkelstein: I called him in 2003, we set up a meeting. I made him an offer to co-operate, he agreed, and since that time we started to work together
“An offer to co-operate”, is that Russian for “an offer he couldn’t refuse”?
Not worth it
Fedor comes with too much baggage, too much drama and bullshit. at this point, I’d rather he just keep his posion away from the UFC
fedor and m-1 global
This is becoming a circus, fedor and m-1 global signed with Strikeforce to force the UFC to pay more for his services later. M-1 Global was trying to leverage their way into the UFC. Well, Fedor fanboys, explain your favorite fighters actions now. Also, Dana White isn’t wrong about the Crazy Russians comment anymore. Have fun destroying Strikeforce M-1.
UFC's best Fedor strategy
Is it to just let him and M-1 devalue him so much as fighter that in a few years he’s no longer that important?
I’m starting to think there is no possible way to bring him in to the UFC in a way that wouldn’t be bad for the UFC.
They seemed to get genuinely close during those discussions last year…but I think those will be the last serious discussions they will ever have. Oh they’ll talk…but just to string M-1 along and f*** with them.
Fedor does not want to be a UFC fighter and be under the structure that would mean. He doesn’t want to, doesn’t have to and won’t. The UFC knows that.
It’s sad…alot of great fights he could have – Cain, Lesnar, Couture, Carwin, Mir. All 5 of those would be enjoyable, but it ain’t gonna happen. After all he might go 3-2 in those 5 fights, but that isn’t how he or his managers play this game. :(
Fedor does not want to be a UFC fighter and be under the structure that would mean. He doesn’t want to, doesn’t have to and won’t. The UFC knows that.
To be honest who knows what Fedor knows or wants, heck for him the structure of a UFC contract wouldn’t be all that bad. He would know who and when he had to fight well in advance, would be looking at 2 or 3 guaranteed big paydays a year and we know they would be willing to work around Sambo and his yearly hand injuries. I mean when it comes down to the big stars the UFC will work with them and take care of them. Now for M-1 Global the structure of a UFC contract would be terrible, it’s pretty much iron clad for it’s duration and the UFC just won’t play the same kinds of games M-1 can get away with dealing with smaller organization. Heck they were pulling these kinds of things back when Fedor was in Pride too, the UFC has contract lawyers that hold guys to the deals they make and that is the “structure” that M-1 doesn’t like.
You know what I’m actually thinking now. These guys M-1 are never going to budge.
You sign freaking Fedor. take the co-promotion Dana. You put Fedor throught the absolute ringer. Make him fight Brock.
Make Fedor only fight the guys best suited to beat him. Throw him Brock, JDS, Carwin, Mir,Cain or whatever combo you can come up with.
Say sure Fedor you want it ok? Make him pay for co promoting. If he loses a couple times dump him.
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