hayor... i think will end up another fail movie

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.

Update: Fedor-Barnett Bout in Jeopardy

Affliction Entertainment and M-1 Global are looking for a new opponent to face Fedor Emelianenko at Affliction “Trilogy” on Aug. 1 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

Multiple sources have told Sherdog.com that the California State Athletic Commission will not license Josh Barnett after a positive test result. Calls to Affliction Entertainment were not immediately returned. The CSAC said a comprehensive statement would be issued Wednesday.

Barnett said he had not been notified of any issues with his eligibility as of Tuesday evening.

“I took my test three weeks ago. I would have thought I would have heard something by now,” Barnett told Sherdog.com.

However, the former UFC heavyweight champion said he had not checked his phone messages recently and later added, “No matter what happens with this, I can assure you I will clear my name. This will not be something that I am defined by.”

Dear Brock: Get well soon! Sincerely, Fedor



Top ranked (an oft-maligned) heavyweight wrecking ball Fedor Emelianenko extends his well wishes on TeamFedor.com after learning that current UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar was forced to withdraw from his title defense against Shane Carwin due to a bacterial infection. "The Last Emperor" is often paired up with the pasty-face Goliath in a fantasy-matchmaking scenario despite the unlikelihood they'll ever compete against one another. Still, that hasn't stopped the WAMMA champ from hoping Lesnar gets back on the road to recovery and into the MMA spotlight once again.

Jason Frank goes from Power Ranger to MMA fighter



A few years ago actor Jason David Frank was used to hearing the familiar sound of fans yelling, "Go, go Power Rangers!" but now he's ready to hear the roar of a different crowd.

The former action star from the hit series "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" has officially made the move to mixed martial arts, and while training with UFC lightweight Melvin Guillard, he hopes to make his real fighting experience as successful as he did on television.

Frank signed on with Suckerpunch Entertainment recently and hopes to make his professional debut in the very near future.

"I was supposed to fight in 2007, but it fell through. In truth, I've wanted to put the work in until I'm ready," Frank said in an interview from the Suckerpunch website. "I know I have a target on my back. Everyone is going to want to beat up the Green Ranger. But I am no Kimbo; I've been training for a very long time. I wanted to get in there before, but I got injured. But I'll be ready when the time comes."

The actor-turned-fighter is adding a ground game to what he believes is already an impressive stand-up resume, but he knows it's a long road to not only becoming a mixed martial artist, but a successful mixed martial artist.

"My style was missing the ground fighting. I have my blue belt in BJJ from Gracie Baja now, but we needed to have that ground game integrated into Tose Kune Do. There was a blank there. So we added wrestling, BJJ, etc., to it," Frank said. "Melvin Guillard has really helped add the wrestling. I needed to get with someone who could put it all together for me, and that was Saul Soliz. And he's done it. He's a good, hardcore trainer."

Proud of his time as the Green Ranger on the popular television show, Frank is ready to move onto new goals, and he hopes to conquer MMA the same way he did television.