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One fight deal for Fedor could be the only option

by LR 3/14/2008 7:03:00 AM

I hate this idea just as much as the fans do, but it’s definitely a possibility. MMAFightLine is reporting that Fedor and the UFC are currently discussing the possibility of a one-fight deal to take place in the Octagon:

Sources close to negotiations between the UFC and Fedor's management have informed MMAFightline.com that the two sides are currently discussing a possible one fight deal that would bring Fedor to the cage, presumably to face Randy Couture.

It is unknown whether Couture would end his lawsuit and come back to the UFC to face Fedor if the UFC were able to offer such a fight, but Couture has stated on numerous occasions that this is the only fight that makes sense at this stage of his career.

It should be noted that nothing is eminent at this point and negotiations are in the general discussion phase. If made, however, the deal would be unprecedented. The UFC is notorious for locking up fighters in long term deals and not allowing them to leave as champions. We'll have more on this story as it develops.

Many fans are a bit surprised by this turn of events, especially considering the fact that Fedor could potentially have a great run in the UFC with Nogueira currently holding the interim title. The problem that many fans forget is that Fedor has a huge problem with being bounded to any one promotion. He loves to keep his options open to fighting in Japan and close to home in Russia, and nobody seems to have an answer on how to lure him away from that.

On the other side of the argument, Fedor signing a one-fight deal kills the UFC’s chances of using him for marketing more fights and making massive revenue on his status. It could also hurt the UFC’s credibility as having such a great Heavyweight division, especially if he comes into the cage and crushes Couture. The only logical explanation is that Couture is stating this will be his last fight in mixed martial arts and Fedor will be his last opponent. If Couture loses, he went out fighting the best fighter in the world in his weight class. If he wins, there is potential for him to keep fighting or he will simply go out on top with a legacy as being one of the greats in mixed martial arts.

If Fedor happens to win, the UFC will likely try to extend Fedor’s contract, but of course, I’m sure his management team will try to stop that from happening. He’ll have some big money bouts left in Japan, unless the UFC can produce some more bouts from him in the UFC. I’m sure big Tim Sylvia would like a shot. Bottom line is that Fedor crushing Couture and then leaving the UFC on that note will make fans wonder and want to see Fedor more. It’d be a good exposure move for Fedor possibly getting more fights in the States, but it sure wouldn’t help the credibility of the UFC’s division with Nogueira having the title and Couture being manhandled.

Fedor could be a huge name in the UFC, but a one-fight deal isn’t going to allow the UFC to do so. Either way, Couture vs. Fedor could happen in the cage and it will expose Fedor to a casual fanbase that may be very impressed.

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Tags:

Fedor Emelianenko | Randy Couture | UFC

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Comments

March 14. 2008 09:05

Maybe for once Dana White isn't just running his mouth. Perhaps he really feels that Randy can beat Fedor in the Octagon. I really think that's what it comes down to. As much as we all hate on Dana, he still is a fan of the sport, and wants to see the best fights take place in the Octagon. And if he doesn't seal the deal, he's probably accepted the fact that the fight will take place outside of the UFC. So, I guess it comes down to the lesser of two evils. Sign Fedor for one fight and make the fight happen in the UFC, or let him walk and let them fight outside of the UFC. It's going to be interesting to see what happens over the next few weeks.

J Schmitt

March 14. 2008 11:20

I'm sure that if this fight were to ever happen there would be a clause in the contract that would prevent Fedor from ever competing within the United States of America under any logo but the UFC's.

I doubt very much that the UFC is worried about Fedor in Japan. They want to make sure that Fedor doesn't use the UFC to springboard to another organization within the U.S.A.

Anonymous

March 14. 2008 11:37

I think I said this would be a decent idea in another post

Bstalf21

March 14. 2008 15:47

A one fight deal also eliminates a few other problems:

Vadim, Fedor's manager, has a long history of being very difficult to deal with. He has had issues with the last three companies (Pride, Bodog, M-1) that Fedor has had a contract with.

Vadim had been demanding, the last time he negotiated with the UFC, that the UFC agree to run shows in Russia in which he would be the co-promoter (I.E. He wanted a cut of the gate like he did with the Bodog event in Russia). A one fight deal would eliminate that.

Vadim also wanted several other of his Red Devil fighters to be able to part of the deal.Again, not unlike the Bodog event in which several Red Devil fighters were employed.

The last time out, Vadim used a copy of a UFC offer to convince Mitchell Macwell to spend millions on financing an M-1 in which Fedor was the centerpiece and Vadim had a major paying job in. M-1 is now in the process of legally seperating itself from Fedor and Vadim.

Any long-term deal with Fedor is going to require that Vadim makes a lot of extra money outside of Fedor's fighting contract.

Jeremy

March 23. 2008 03:30

I am a huge fan of Fedor but I should say that every great fighter has an achilles heel. If anyone could exploit Fedor's weekness it would be Randy Couture. Yes chances are so much greater that Couture would lose but Couture has a sort of fluke effect or I should say unorthodoxy that even Fedor may be going "Holy Shiza, I wasn't prepared for that", although he would say it in Russian Suka! Suka! Suka! I think at this stage too many people around Fedor are trying to protect his reputation as unbeatable and they are shying away at fights that might threaten this. Dana shouldn't worry about the UFC's reputation because they hold the best fighters. If anything a win for Fedor may convince him that the cage isn't all that bad and he will sign a future UFC contract albeit a flexible one.

Brent