UFC not likely for Fedor

IronChef · Post #1 » by **IronChef** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 5:51 pm

Interesting Fedor interview here from inside MMA:

http://www.mmabay.co.uk/fedor%20on%20ufc.html

Key points:

- UFC deal unlikely as he doesn't like their terms or the manner in which they were offered
- Josh Barnett is his favourite fighter to watch
- 3 toughest fights were Cro Cop, Nog, and Arlovski
- Is interested in fighting Brock
- Not worried about building his legacy

Post #2 » by **Headliner** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:22 pm

This will not be taken in any other way then he wants to avoid Brock.
If Dana lays a good deal on the table and he avoids, the UFC machine will fight hard to break his aura.

Nemesis21 · Post #3 » by **Nemesis21** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:22 pm

IronChef wrote:Interesting Fedor interview here from inside MMA:

http://www.mmabay.co.uk/fedor%20on%20ufc.html

Key points:

- UFC deal unlikely as he doesn't like their terms or the manner in which they were offered
- Josh Barnett is his favourite fighter to watch
- 3 toughest fights were Cro Cop, Nog, and Arlovski
- Is interested in fighting Brock
- Not worried about building his legacy

Interesting, on sherdog they have a ten questions with Lorenzo Fertitta section and Lorenzo says they offered a good contract but Fedor's manager didn't like it.

http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/1/ ... itta-18516

IronChef · Post #4 » by **IronChef** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:25 pm

From what I hear the problems has been the UFC contract not allowing him to compete in Sambo competitions, and also their policy regarding owning fighters names and likeness rights.

Cammo101 · Post #5 » by **Cammo101** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 8:01 pm

IronChef wrote:From what I hear the problems has been the UFC contract not allowing him to compete in Sambo competitions, and also their policy regarding owning fighters names and likeness rights.

Lorenzo Fertitta said on Sherdog that the UFC would not stop him from doing the Sambo competitions. Supposedly Fedor has refused to even meet with the UFC face to face. It seems to me like he has no interest in joining the UFC, regardless of their contract particulars.

IronChef · Post #6 » by **IronChef** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 8:12 pm

Cammo101 wrote:
Lorenzo Fertitta said on Sherdog that the UFC would not stop him from doing the Sambo competitions. Supposedly Fedor has refused to even meet with the UFC face to face. It seems to me like he has no interest in joining the UFC, regardless of their contract particulars.

Well, we don't have full details, only what's been said. That could be true, but, from what I've heard, the contract they last offered before he signed with Affliction banned Sambo competitions outright (and any other non-UFC competitions), while they've softened the stance now to only not allowing Sambo competitions within 120 days of a UFC fight. And I understand the UFC wanting to protect it's investment, but I hope they can figure something out though because I'd like to see him in the UFC.

IronChef · Post #7 » by **IronChef** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 8:13 pm

Headliner wrote:This will not be taken in any other way then he wants to avoid Brock.
If Dana lays a good deal on the table and he avoids, the UFC machine will fight hard to break his aura.

I don't think many serious fight fans would really believe that Fedor is avoiding Brock.

Cammo101 · Post #8 » by **Cammo101** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 10:15 pm

IronChef wrote:
Headliner wrote:This will not be taken in any other way then he wants to avoid Brock.
If Dana lays a good deal on the table and he avoids, the UFC machine will fight hard to break his aura.

I don't think many serious fight fans would really believe that Fedor is avoiding Brock.

No, but once he beats Barnett he has no compelling fights left outside of the UFC. If he decides to beat up second tier guys instead of challenging himself in the UFC, then it will be taken negatively. But, clearly he is not scared.

funkatron101 · Post #9 » by **funkatron101** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 4:58 am

Cammo101 wrote:
IronChef wrote:
Headliner wrote:This will not be taken in any other way then he wants to avoid Brock.
If Dana lays a good deal on the table and he avoids, the UFC machine will fight hard to break his aura.

I don't think many serious fight fans would really believe that Fedor is avoiding Brock.

No, but once he beats Barnett he has no compelling fights left outside of the UFC. If he decides to beat up second tier guys instead of challenging himself in the UFC, then it will be taken negatively. But, clearly he is not scared.

Overeem, Rogers, Monson, and Werdum come to mind. There is a real possibility that Fedor only has 3 or 4 more fights before he retires. Fedor vs Brock is the only real interesting challenge here. He has already beaten Nog and Cro Cop, and a lot of these other guys don't have the PPV draw potential yet.

CapeCrusader · Post #10 » by **CapeCrusader** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 5:03 am

Dana is a businessman so he'll get Fedor over here. He's probably trying to play hardball with him now. But at the end of the day...a Brock vs Fedor will make Brock/Fedor/Dana soooooooooooooo much money.

Cammo101 · Post #11 » by **Cammo101** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 7:52 am

funkatron101 wrote:Overeem, Rogers, Monson, and Werdum come to mind. There is a real possibility that Fedor only has 3 or 4 more fights before he retires. Fedor vs Brock is the only real interesting challenge here. He has already beaten Nog and Cro Cop, and a lot of these other guys don't have the PPV draw potential yet.

Those are 4 guys that Fedor would walk through, and truthfully, I don't see there being a whole lot of interest in any of those fights. The only fights for Fedor that are going to interest the masses are either Brock or Couture.

Post #12 » by **CPT** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 9:58 am

With a few more wins in big fights, I could see Overeem being a pretty credible opponent for Fedor.

Same goes for Rogers, just because he is still undefeated and has that mystique going for him.

Unfortunately, only one of those two guys will likely make it that far, because I imagine they will be fighting each other long before Fedor.

Werdum....meh. He's good, but that's no huge fight.

Monson....LOL

As for this interview, even though it was only last week or so on Inside MMA, it's already kind of dated. I'll be much more interested in what he has to say after Affliction 3, because his contract will be up, and he'll have what happened at UFC 100 to think about.

funkatron101 · Post #13 » by **funkatron101** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 3:06 pm

Monson is on a 6 fight win streak, and just beat Kharitonov. His last loss was a decision against Barnett. It may not be a blockbuster matchup, but Monson is no slouch.

I honestly believe the four guys I mentioned offer a bigger challenge to Fedor than over 90% of the UFC heavyweight roster. Brock and MAYBE Carwin or Cain Velasquez would give Fedor an interesting matchup. I say maybe because lets face it, despite both looking like studs, neither have fought a lot of top tier competition. Randy would be on name only, but at this point I wouldn't expect it to go past 3 minutes.

Fedor doesn't seem to fight for the fans. He just wants two things: A challenge and money. If Affliction can stay afloat, he will get just enough of both, without having to sacrifice his passion for Sambo, nor give up his likeness.

I say all this despite the fact that I would love to see him in the UFC.

Cammo101 · Post #14 » by **Cammo101** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 3:31 pm

funkatron101 wrote:Monson is on a 6 fight win streak, and just beat Kharitonov. His last loss was a decision against Barnett. It may not be a blockbuster matchup, but Monson is no slouch.

I honestly believe the four guys I mentioned offer a bigger challenge to Fedor than over 90% of the UFC heavyweight roster. Brock and MAYBE Carwin or Cain Velasquez would give Fedor an interesting matchup. I say maybe because lets face it, despite both looking like studs, neither have fought a lot of top tier competition. Randy would be on name only, but at this point I wouldn't expect it to go past 3 minutes.

Fedor doesn't seem to fight for the fans. He just wants two things: A challenge and money. If Affliction can stay afloat, he will get just enough of both, without having to sacrifice his passion for Sambo, nor give up his likeness.

I say all this despite the fact that I would love to see him in the UFC.

LOL at Fedor fights for the challenge. Hiding from the UFC is not fighting for the challenge. The UFC is where the challenges are, and he seems to want nothing to do with it. Couture and Lesnar are the only Heavyweights in the world with a chance against Fedor. Monson and the rest of those guys are nice fighters, but not elite.

funkatron101 · Post #15 » by **funkatron101** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 4:02 pm

Cammo101 wrote:LOL at Fedor fights for the challenge. Hiding from the UFC is not fighting for the challenge. The UFC is where the challenges are, and he seems to want nothing to do with it. Couture and Lesnar are the only Heavyweights in the world with a chance against Fedor. Monson and the rest of those guys are nice fighters, but not elite.

There is a reason why Randy has shut his mouth about fighting Fedor, when before it was all he talked about. If he beats Nog, then maybe his confidence will spark that discussion again. If he loses to Nog, expect him to retire for good. I am a big fan of Couture's, but his stock isn't high right now. He isn't the top dog.

Why do you think Fedor does Sambo? It certainly isn't for the money. He loves the challenge.

This hiding talk and proclaiming that only UFC guys are worthy of facing him are making you sound like a UFC fanboy.

Cammo101 · Post #16 » by **Cammo101** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 4:48 pm

funkatron101 wrote:
Cammo101 wrote:LOL at Fedor fights for the challenge. Hiding from the UFC is not fighting for the challenge. The UFC is where the challenges are, and he seems to want nothing to do with it. Couture and Lesnar are the only Heavyweights in the world with a chance against Fedor. Monson and the rest of those guys are nice fighters, but not elite.

There is a reason why Randy has shut his mouth about fighting Fedor, when before it was all he talked about. If he beats Nog, then maybe his confidence will spark that discussion again. If he loses to Nog, expect him to retire for good. I am a big fan of Couture's, but his stock isn't high right now. He isn't the top dog.

Why do you think Fedor does Sambo? It certainly isn't for the money. He loves the challenge.

This hiding talk and proclaiming that only UFC guys are worthy of facing him are making you sound like a UFC fanboy.

If thinking Fedor would run through Overeem and Monson makes me a fan boy, then there are millions of UFC fanboys. Those guys you listed have only a small punchers chance of beating Fedor.

Couture is clearly on the downside, but he has the skillset to challenge Fedor. There is no one outside of the UFC who can beat Fedor. There are however, guys in the UFC who could. I am no UFC fanboy, just someone smart enough to realize where the talent is.

funkatron101 · Post #17 » by **funkatron101** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 5:03 pm

Cammo101 wrote:If thinking Fedor would run through Overeem and Monson makes me a fan boy, then there are millions of UFC fanboys. Those guys you listed have only a small punchers chance of beating Fedor.

Couture is clearly on the downside, but he has the skillset to challenge Fedor. There is no one outside of the UFC who can beat Fedor. There are however, guys in the UFC who could. I am no UFC fanboy, just someone smart enough to realize where the talent is.

Nice contradiction there.

PS. There are millions of UFC fanboys. You know the ones, they refer to MMA as "Ultimate Fighting."

The UFC has a lot of top talent, but their Heavyweight division has always been thin.

IronChef · Post #18 » by **IronChef** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 5:50 pm

Cammo101 wrote:LOL at Fedor fights for the challenge. Hiding from the UFC is not fighting for the challenge. The UFC is where the challenges are, and he seems to want nothing to do with it. Couture and Lesnar are the only Heavyweights in the world with a chance against Fedor. Monson and the rest of those guys are nice fighters, but not elite.

"Hiding from the UFC" is laughable. The only challenges that are in the UFC he hasn't been able to get elsewhere are Randy, and Brock. Couture doesn't have a chance against Fedor, not even a little, imo.

Cammo101 · Post #19 » by **Cammo101** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 5:54 pm

funkatron101 wrote:
Cammo101 wrote:If thinking Fedor would run through Overeem and Monson makes me a fan boy, then there are millions of UFC fanboys. Those guys you listed have only a small punchers chance of beating Fedor.

Couture is clearly on the downside, but he has the skillset to challenge Fedor. There is no one outside of the UFC who can beat Fedor. There are however, guys in the UFC who could. I am no UFC fanboy, just someone smart enough to realize where the talent is.

Nice contradiction there.

PS. There are millions of UFC fanboys. You know the ones, they refer to MMA as "Ultimate Fighting."

The UFC has a lot of top talent, but their Heavyweight division has always been thin.

It is cage fighting. Anyone has a chance. In theory, I have a punchers chance at beating Fedor. If Fedor fought the guys you listed 10 times, none of those guys would win more than 1. Lesnar and Couture are the only 2 with a legit chance and it has nothing to do with the fact that they are in the UFC.

funkatron101 · Post #20 » by **funkatron101** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 6:21 pm

Cammo101 wrote:It is cage fighting. Anyone has a chance. In theory, I have a punchers chance at beating Fedor. If Fedor fought the guys you listed 10 times, none of those guys would win more than 1. Lesnar and Couture are the only 2 with a legit chance and it has nothing to do with the fact that they are in the UFC.

Affliction doesn't use a cage. It's called MMA.