Fedor Emelianenko to Spurn UFC, Will Sign with K-1/Heroes

by The Prophet, ProphetFighting

Despite denials from everyone involved over the past week or two, it appears now that consensus best MMA fighter in the world Fedor Emelianenko will turn down a more lucrative deal with the UFC to sign with the Japanese K-1/Heroes promotion. Not that K-1/Heroes is offering chump change--indications are that Fedor will sign a five fight deal worth a cool $1,000,000 a fight.

The UFC was prepared to top any dollar figure, but wasn't willing to budge on several non-financial demands. Fedor wanted to compete in Russian Combat sambo tournaments once a year and wanted to gravy train his brother and a number of other fighters as well. Additionally, Fedor's manager/agent--a straight out of central casting Cold War era James Bond villian named Vadim Finkelstein--was insisting that whichever organization signed Fedor promote a live event in Russia. Since Finkelstein owns the Russian M-1 MMA promotion you can see where that demand came from.

While the K-1/Heroes deal was first reported over a week ago, the UFC made a last ditch effort to mend fences with Fedor's people. That was easier said than done since the "F-bomb" loving president of the UFC, Dana White, had just a few days earlier described Fedor's handlers as "crazy Russians". The UFC will spin this as Fedor "turning down" a unification fight with the winner of the upcoming Gabriel Gonzaga/Randy Couture fight.

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