Fedor should have found a way to fight in the UFC.

[moreorless87]

Seems the endless Fedor greatness threads could have easily been given greater credibility if Fedor had found a way to fight in the UFC.

Everyone that beat him fought in the UFC.

Should have been easy money with his list of victims.

Would have made a fortune ppv's, merchandise, interviews etc.

Despite all the reasons he did not find a way to fight in the UFC... at some point it would only make the MOST sense to fight in the UFC.

Does anyone else think Fedor should have found some way to fight in the UFC to cement his legacy?

Two issues really...

1.When Fedor was still ontop of the sport the UFC was not the centre of the HW division, he was fighting guys like Sylvia, Arlovski, Barnett, Werdum, Bigfoot, etc. It was really only when he lost his spot at the top and the UFC bought SF that their HW division became the place to fight if you were #1.

2.Fedor signed with M-1 in 2007 long before any big UFC contracts were being talked about, you look at what guys like Crocop, Nog, Shogun and Wanderlei got from the UFC and yeah it wasn't peanuts but still it wasn't anything like as much as Fedor earnt. Him and M-1 realised the value of not being under UFC control as orgs like Afflcition and SF who wanted credibility would pay a lot for his services. Most importantly as well his M-1 deal was garneted, it couldn't just be torn up like the majority of UFC contracts after a loss can be(see Werdum post JDS loss) so obviously well suited to someone on his retirement run.

So really the whole situation in 2009 didn't involve Fedor much, it was M-1 and the UFC looking for a deal but not finding one and working with Coker instead. Fedor was basically being subcontracted out to US orgs by Vadim, his actual earnings were mostly coming from M-1.

 

[777R]

The UFC should have found a way to offer him a good contract

I should have brought that up also.

 

[TSO]

Anderson was not a fraud nor was Wanderlei, Shogun, Rampage, or Hendo. Hendo was first a UFC fighter then spent most of his career in Pride or Striekforce.

Also, Overeem is not a fraud and neither is Barnett or Cro Cop or Big Nog.

Though I agree that Fedor should not have ducked Reem in SF or ducked the UFC

Overeem is kinda the worst fraud in MMA dude.

 

[777R]

Two issues really...

1.When Fedor was still ontop of the sport the UFC was not the centre of the HW division, he was fighting guys like Sylvia, Arlovski, Barnett, Werdum, Bigfoot, etc. It was really only when he lost his spot at the top and the UFC bought SF that their HW division became the place to fight if you were #1.

2.Fedor signed with M-1 in 2007 long before any big UFC contracts were being talked about, you look at what guys like Crocop, Nog, Shogun and Wanderlei got from the UFC and yeah it wasn't peanuts but still it wasn't anything like as much as Fedor earnt. Him and M-1 realised the value of not being under UFC control as orgs like Afflcition and SF who wanted credibility would pay a lot for his services. Most importantly as well his M-1 deal was garneted, it couldn't just be torn up like the majority of UFC contracts after a loss can be(see Werdum post JDS loss).

So really the whole situation in 2009 didn't involve Fedor much, it was M-1 and the UFC looking for a deal but not finding one and working with Coker instead.

Did Fedor fight at 205 before (don't remember), if he could have made that weight he could have made the lhw division shockingly concussive.

 

[TSO]

Yes this does seem this way. Was strange that Fedor looked like his feet were in mud against Mittrione. Very strange.

He always looked like that. Most of his wins were comebacks, he's just no longer fighting cans in a fixed fight organization run by the Yakuza.

 

[777R]

Two issues really...

1.When Fedor was still ontop of the sport the UFC was not the centre of the HW division, he was fighting guys like Sylvia, Arlovski, Barnett, Werdum, Bigfoot, etc. It was really only when he lost his spot at the top and the UFC bought SF that their HW division became the place to fight if you were #1.

2.Fedor signed with M-1 in 2007 long before any big UFC contracts were being talked about, you look at what guys like Crocop, Nog, Shogun and Wanderlei got from the UFC and yeah it wasn't peanuts but still it wasn't anything like as much as Fedor earnt. Him and M-1 realised the value of not being under UFC control as orgs like Afflcition and SF who wanted credibility would pay a lot for his services. Most importantly as well his M-1 deal was garneted, it couldn't just be torn up like the majority of UFC contracts after a loss can be(see Werdum post JDS loss) so obviously well suited to someone on his retirement run.

So really the whole situation in 2009 didn't involve Fedor much, it was M-1 and the UFC looking for a deal but not finding one and working with Coker instead. Fedor was basically being subcontracted out to US orgs by Vadim, his actual earnings were mostly coming from M-1.

True. Still such a shame.

 

[TSO]

That was hilarious when Dana said he offered him a boat load of cash. Maybe it was a large sum compared to other UFC fighters but it was peanuts compared to what Fedor and M1 Global were making.

That wasn't even the main reason for the fallout. M1 insisted on the UFC/Zuffa pay them and they pay Fedor but that's illegal here in the states.

 

[TheAmericanGazelle]

Fans always want to blame SOMEONE in the situation between Fedor and the UFC.

Sometimes, you can make sincere offers and simply can't come to an agreement because your needs are so different.

That was basically the case with Fedor and the UFC. Neither side needed the other, and they simply had incompatible needs.

That said, the only major HWs in and around his era that he didn't fight were Randy, Mir, and Barnett, and he nearly fought Barnett. That's not too bad, considering most of his career the talent was split among multiple organizations.

 

[Halifax]

You obviously never watched that tournament. Chuck had a very hard fight with Overeem and then had to fight a rested Rampage immediately after.

ROFL.

I think you are the one who did not watch the tournament.

Think about what you said for a second. Let's me guess, you watched that tourney all in one shot right?

You do know that Tournament was spread over multiple cards right?

Chuck beat Overeem on August 10 2003. Next fight was vs Rampage on November 9th 2003. They both got 3 months of rest , prep and study for that fight.

Thank you for putting an exclamation point on the fact that you are just spouting nonsense and do not know wtf you are talking about.

 

[AnotherOldGuy]

He got mauled by guys who he should have beaten easily if here were the great. Instead he was exposed as the greatest fraud in a long list of frauds produced by PrideFC.

In other news, Usain Bolt was, at the younger age of 30, exposed as a fraud in the 100m sprint world championships this year.

And did you see Gretzky or Jordan or Shaq in their last year in the NHL or NBA respectively? Clearly they were never that good; their last year really exposed them. And look at Babe Ruth's last year stats.

Its amazing how many athletes people think were great were exposed at the end of their careers.

 

[777R]

He always looked like that. Most of his wins were comebacks, he's just no longer fighting cans in a fixed fight organization run by the Yakuza.

Very little movement compared to the style we're used to seeing.
They way he fought Matt, was a sitting duck with only a punchers chance.

 

[TSO]

ROFL.

I think you are the one who did not watch the tournament.

Think about what you said for a second. Let's me guess, you watched that tourney all in one shot right?

You do know that Tournament was spread over multiple cards right?

Chuck beat Overeem on August 10 2003. Next fight was vs Rampage on November 9th 2003. They both got 3 months of rest , prep and study for that fight.

Thank you for putting an exclamation point on the fact that you are just spouting nonsense and do not know wtf you are talking about.

Yeah, I remembered that wrong. It seemed off when I typed it and went back to check and was just waiting for the shitstorm.

 

[moreorless87]

Did Fedor fight at 205 before (don't remember), if he could have made that weight he could have made the lhw division shockingly concussive.

By that stage especially yeah I think he almost certainly could have although I don't think there would really be a reason to considering he was getting paid so well at HW.

When the Pride Openweight GP was first getting talked up there were rumours that we would see Fedor fight Shogun in the opening round although obviously both guys were injuried in the end and unable to fight.

 

[TrueFightFan]

That wasn't even the main reason for the fallout. M1 insisted on the UFC/Zuffa pay them and they pay Fedor but that's illegal here in the states.

Are you Dana? That is not "illegal" it is called copromotion.

 

[Readybodisready]

He didn't have the balls to. He knew he'd get destroyed by JDS, Cain, Brock and then the Strikeforce heavyweights who didn't kick his ass yet.

It was much safer to fight Hong Man Choi, MW Lindland, car mechanic male groper Brett Rogers, past prime Sylvia who would afterwards get KTFO by a middle aged pure boxer. Even Arlovski was a pick em because of his glass chin that could crack at any second of any fight. They even cherry picked Werdum and Hendo(another MW) because he thought they'd be easy wins. He thought wrong.

 

[TSO]

In other news, Usain Bolt was, at the younger age of 30, exposed as a fraud in the 100m sprint world championships this year.

And did you see Gretzky or Jordan or Shaq in their last year in the NHL or NBA respectively? Clearly they were never that good; their last year really exposed them. And look at Babe Ruth's last year stats.

Its amazing how many athletes people think were great were exposed at the end of their careers.

If Bolt was racing against older guys like Hendo, or if Jordan couldn't score against Bird or Magic you'd have made a good point here.

 

[TrueFightFan]

Were there also big merchandising and ppv opportunities in M1?

I have no idea, curious if you knew anything about this?

I don't know about those items but he would enter as part of M1 Global and they would pay themselves through that company. They got to choose their sponsors and did collect a part of the PPV.

 

[TSO]

Are you Dana? That is not "illegal" it is called copromotion.

No, its illegal for the people paying to pay anyone but the athlete. Its to protect people against what happened to like every boxer before the late 80s.

 

[Readybodisready]

Also Fedor magically lost almost 20 pounds of muscle once he started fighting in America("I looove amerricaaaa!" - Shogun Rua)

He knew the drug testing was even more strict in the UFC. You knew!(watergate)

 

[777R]

In other news, Usain Bolt was, at the younger age of 30, exposed as a fraud in the 100m sprint world championships this year.

And did you see Gretzky or Jordan or Shaq in their last year in the NHL or NBA respectively? Clearly they were never that good; their last year really exposed them. And look at Babe Ruth's last year stats.

Its amazing how many athletes people think were great were exposed at the end of their careers.

You know, I've never seen anyone wearing a Fedor shirt, but I think if he fought even once in the UFC, it could have been one of its best sellers and benefited him well financially.