Dana White says Fedor Emelianenko will fight in the UFC, Brock Lesnar fight imminent



Prior to this past Saturday's UFC 100 event, an underground movement took root and called for mixed-martial-arts fan who would attend the show to begin "Fedor!" chants throughout the night.

The thought, of course, was to make UFC executives well aware of the fans' desire to have Fedor Emelianenko, the world's top-ranked heavyweight and arguably the greatest MMA fighter in the division's history, fighting in the octagon.

The chants were never heard, but after UFC 100, UFC President Dana White said he wants Emelianenko in the UFC, that it's eventually going to happen, and that a fight with Brock Lesnar is imminent.

Lesnar, the former World Wrestling Entertainment superstar and NCAA Division I national wrestling champion, picked up his third consecutive UFC victory and first-ever title defense with a dominant second-round TKO of interim title-holder Frank Mir in UFC 100's main event.

With Lesnar's current streak of wins over Heath Herring, then-champ Randy Couture and now Mir, many are looking to possible future opponents for the seemingly invincible ground-and-pound machine.

Emelianenko, the former longtime PRIDE heavyweight champion, is the man many see as most likely to topple Lesnar. At 30-1, with back-to-back Affliction wins over two former UFC champions (Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski) and a 26-0 record (with one no-contest) over the past nine years, many fans are clamoring for the Russian fighter to take on the top talent in the world's premier fight organization.

"This Fedor thing has gone on and on and on," White said in the post-UFC 100 press conference. "Eventually, Fedor's going to be here. I want Fedor. I want him to come to the UFC and everything else.

"This guy (Brock Lesnar) just won the heavyweight title, and we'll end up getting that deal done. And then we'll do Brock vs. Fedor, and it'll be a huge fight."

How soon could we such the fight?

"Who knows," White said. "He's obviously contractually obligated to fight (with Affliction). Once that's over, we'll figure it out."

UFC officials have met with Emelianenko and his representatives multiple times. However, the meetings proved far from productive and often left each side blaming the other for the inability to get a deal done. The UFC said Emelianenko's demands were too outrageous, not necessarily from a monetary standpoint (though Emelianenko is believed to make at least $2 million per fight) but because a deal would essentially require the organization to enter the Russian market as business partners with Emelianenko's manager, Vadim Finkelchtein. Emelianenko's people say the UFC's contract demands are too restrictive without any allowances, for example, for Sambo competitions and would dictate all aspects of the fighter's career.

Concessions will be need to be made, and that's often led White to predict a slim chance of a deal coming to fruition. In fact, White has often criticized the fighter, going so far as saying Emelianenko "sucks" while mocking past recent opponents such as kickboxer Hong Man Choi and Matt Lindland, who normally fights at middleweight.

However, White's tune has changed, and on Saturday, he spoke rather definitely about the fighter's future in the UFC.

Of course, that future could hinge on Emelianenko's upcoming Aug. 1 fight at "Affliction" Trilogy." There, Emelianenko meets another former UFC champ, Josh Barnett, who many rank among the division's top three or four.

However, don't expect Barnett to get the same invitation to the UFC is he knocks off Emelianenko.

Why?

"No one's beating down my door to get Barnett," White said.

Sauce: http://mmajunkie.com/news/15488/dana-white...ht-imminent.mma

Report: Atencio Says New Deal With Fedor Close

With Fedor Emelianenko only weeks away from his last and final fight on his current Affliction contract, as the WAMMA champ will take on Josh Barnett August 1st, speculation as to where the Russian star will end up next continues to grab MMA headlines. (Even more so after Brock Lesnar nearly got booed out of the building at UFC 100, and judging by the raucous response the heavyweight received after flipping the bird to the crowd, even the dudes cronking in the cans must have also let the champ have it…)

Responding to recent statements from UFC President Dana White, who has jumped aboard the ‘lets get Fedor in the UFC train’, Affliction VP Tom Atencio was quoted saying in an interview with Fightline.com, that he believes the  Russian heavyweight will remain with the organization.

    They’re going, they’re good,” Atencio said regarding contract talks with Emelianenko. “We’ve almost finalized it, but we just haven’t signed the papers. That’s really where we’re at. Everything is moving forward, it has nothing to do with anything but the fact that we’re just trying to make everybody happy, as I always do.

Atencio also states in the interview that they are looking to sign Fedor to a new deal which will retain the former Pride champ’s services until 2012. Further, Atencio concedes that “as a fan” he would like to see Fedor in the UFC, (wink-wink) but that he “doesn’t see it happening,” citing the UFC’s refusal to work with other organizations as a deal breaker.

Well, we shall see. ‘As fans’ we here at MMA Fix just want to see Fedor and Lesnar swap unpleasantries in some sort of enclosed space. (Ideally with cameras filming it and with several hot chicks carrying signs indicating what round it is.) We don’t really give a damn if it’s in a ring or an Octagon. Hell, they could fight on a wrestling mat in a 7-11 parking lot. Just make sure we can see it.

I have no doubt in my mind fedor will murder brock lesnar...

anyone with a decent guard (ppl good on their backs) will give brock trouble.
Antonio Nogueira can beat brock lesnar... but he must be healthy and on form lah, not the sick and blind antonio Nogueira we saw fighting mir (nog was as sick as a dog, he had staph infection during that fight). Nog will be able to submit brock in his back.

As for fedor, cannot even compare...

Striking-Fedor
BJJ-Fedor
Sambo-Fedor
Speed- Fedor
Chin-Fedor
Punching power- Fedor

Ask anyone who ever got punched by fedor, they'll tell u that's the hardest they ever got hit. Fedor's takedown defence is also a hundred times better than mir and randy couture's..... I don't think lesnar can take fedor down.... and if he does, fedor can easily sweep or submit him from the bottom. Fedor owns in all areas..... i don't see fedor losing this fight.

walau dont be such a fedor lover boy la. always fedor this fedor that u think he will come give u a "bj" meh.

walau dont be such a fedor lover boy la. always fedor this fedor that u think he will come give u a "bj" meh.

HAHAHAHA...LMFAO

quite disappointing to see Frank lose to that WWE guy.
Herb Dean should have let the match last longer...Mir still looking gd, although he's bloody.

GSP match was quite boring, cause I'm more of a KO fan.
But I gotta admit that his wrestling skills is superb.

Mike Bisping deserve that K.O LOL

he think he can outbox brock because like he always brag he beat nogueira ,maybe he think he gain super striking power.
rampage striking is superb too.
1800G

walau today watch the dream10 , melvin manhoef ,all going his way until armbar coming.