UFC Press Conference News and Notes- 7/31

James Deuce · 07-31-2009, 05:11 PM

Quote:

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- Dan Henderson will no longer fight Rich Franklin at UFC 103 and will instead get the first shot at UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva's title at an event to be determined.

- Franklin instead will fight new signee Vitor Belfort in the main event of UFC 103, which takes place Sept. 19 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

- If Silva doesn't get too busted up, or injured, the bout between Henderson and him will be very soon. Said Dana.

- Whoever wins in the Marquardt vs. Demian Maia fight, they will most likely get a title shot after Henderson does.

- Former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz, one of the biggest pay-per-view draws in UFC history, has returned to the organization.

- UFC president Dana White today suggested he gave his best effort but that ultimately even offering Emelianenko "the most amazing deal" wasn't enough.

- "How are they going to help us co-promote?" White said. "They're going to help us? That [expletive] might work in Russia (but) not here."

- "I was so confident we were going to get this done," he said. "I went in (to the negotiations) with the mindset that we were going to get this done.

"I'm ready to make a deal. If they want to make a deal, they can call me right now."

- Dana agreed to let him fight in Sambo, yet M-1 still declined.

Sucks about the Fedor news. Fedor has 3 fights left with m-1, so if he can get those out of the way, perhaps it will be more likely for Fedor to sign. Or M-1 will put on their solo show, it will bomb, and they will realize they should stop doing MMA shows.

Here is the video of the conference:
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Kimura · 07-31-2009, 05:30 PM

I only see Fedor signing for the UFC when he is well past his prime like W.Silva, Cro Cop and Nogueira (well he was somewhat past his prime).

King of the Kill · 07-31-2009, 05:59 PM

Wooo, Ace is gonna get destroyed by Vitor.

CCS · 08-04-2009, 03:09 PM

Vitor vs Franklin: Hopefully Belfort wins and eventually moves down and faces Anderson Silva. For some reason I think he could give Silva a run for his money and I know for a fact that if Anderson got cocky and started trying to show off Vitor would knock his bitchass out cold.

The return of Tito Ortiz: Sweet! Tito is one of the guys who got my into MMA to start with. Hopefully he comes back and is able to hold his own with the top level LHW's. I dont think he'll ever be a championship contender again, but I at least hope he can be a good midlevel fighter.

Henderson vs Silva: Hopefully Hendo makes Silva his bitch. Nuff said.

Flash_Back · 08-04-2009, 04:21 PM

Fedor has since signed for Strikeforce.

Quote:

White blasts 'joke' Fedor

DANA WHITE has savaged Fedor Emelianenko's decision to snub a deal with the UFC in favour of joining rivals Strikeforce.
The UFC president was locked in talks with The Last Emperor and representatives from Russian promotion M1-Global after the collapse of Affliction left him a free agent.

But even after White reportedly offered Emelianenko a five-fight, £2million-a-bout contract and agreed to let him continue to compete in Sambo tournaments in his native Russia, a deal could still not be reached.

The UFC say that the stumbling block was M1-Global's insistence on co-promoting events Emelianenko took part in.

The breakdown in talks has seen the 32-year-old pen terms on a three-fight deal with Strikeforce, with his cage debut set for later this year.

And the former Pride champion's actions have left White fuming.

Speaking to mmaweekly.com, he said: "Fedor is a f***ing joke.

"He turns down a huge deal and the opportunity to face the best in the world to fight nobodies for no money!

"How are they [M1-Global] going to help us co-promote?

"They're going to help us? That s*** might work in Russia [but] not here.

"How do you deal with something like this?

"We did everything possible for this deal. We didn't hold back. It's crazy to turn down a deal like this.

"We went above and beyond. We have been able to sign the best fighters in the world over the last 10 years, so to not be able to sign this guy [wasn't our fault]."

White added: "I feel sorry for the real fight fans.

"I wanted to make the deal, but it takes two and it is VERY obvious Fedor doesn't want to fight the best and doesn't give a s*** about the fans."

But Joost Raimond, Chief Operating Officer for M1-Global, revealed he is delighted with the deal his company and Emelianenko have signed with Strikeforce.

Raimond said: "It was a good opportunity. The co-promotion is a substantial part.

"The whole set-up for the deal is to have co-promotion partners, and of course Fedor is an important part of that construction.

"But the co-promotion deal is of great importance.

"The financials behind his deal are based on a large number of factors, which include the co-promotion and co-branding activities, and Fedor is a part of that total deal."

Emelianenko added: "I am looking forward to going back to work and fighting at the highest level."

The Russian is widely regarded as the best heavyweight fighter on the planet and has been courted by the UFC for several years.

He has a 30-1-1 professional MMA record and counts former UFC stars Andrei Arlovski and Tim Sylvia as his most recent scalps.

Dana is not a happy chappy at all.

Anyway, Big news about Tito returning I think that he will get destroyed though if he returns these guys are at it non-stop even if he is still training he wouldn't have been training in the mindset to fight so I think he will just be a shadow of his former self.

Franklin vs Belfort is not one that interests me as a main event.

UFC Press Conference News and Notes- 7/31

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