http://www.themmapost.com/2008/03/randy-co...ack-to-ufc.html Dana White has offered UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture a fight with UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira on more than one occasion but so far Couture hasn't been interested. What entices him is the notion of Fedor Emelianenko signing with the UFC. If Fedor comes to the UFC, Randy is willing to return. Well, no pressure, Dana. No pressure.
Why dont Dana want to sign Fedor anyway? Couture wants to fight him and the fans want to see the fight..
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (speeds @ Mar 9 2008, 07:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I hope the UFC signs Fedor and then tells Randy to go f*** himself.</div> I'd prefer to have Randy come back and watch him get decked by Fedor.
Doesn't Randy want a new contract, even if the UFC signs Fedor? I wish Randy would stop being a little bitch and fight Nog and then fight Fedor, then retire. He's making this a hell of a lot more difficult than it has to be.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Big Frame @ Mar 9 2008, 07:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Why dont Dana want to sign Fedor anyway? Couture wants to fight him and the fans want to see the fight..</div> the UFC has negotiated with Fedor's management, they want Fedor to be available for Russian Sambo tournaments and some of Fedor's Red Devil team members to get UFC contracts apparently and the UFC won't allow fighters to compete in other tournaments without their consent. Given Fedor's history of hand problems, they'd rather he didn't increase his risk of being injured in a non-UFC event. As for signing Red Devil team members, the UFC probably would sign some but probably not as many as is being asked? not sure about that.
His management supposedly wants televised/main card PPV fights for other Red Devil team members during events when Emelianenko is fighting, which goes way beyond just giving some of them contracts. They also wanted the contract to be non-exclusive, meaning if Fedor wanted to go and fight for another federation (DREAM, for example) while under contract with the UFC, he'd be able to. As far as I know, both of these demands were non-starters with the UFC. Things might be different this time around. Emelianenko's camp doesn't have the same leverage anymore.
actually with Elite XC having the CBS deal, Dreams starting up and Cuban showing anyone with a pair of MMA gloves willing to fight on HD Net, there is more competition for Fedor. Thing is Fedor will face mostly cans in those other orgs. and will that sell? slice vs Fedor =