UFC plays down Fedor talk, M-1 Global says "The Last Emperor" is no longer an active fighter
Posted on June 26, 2012, 05:50 PM by Anton GurevichFedor Emelianenko has officially announced his retirement at last weekend's M-1 Global: White Nights fight card in St. Petersburg, Russia, but the rumors about The Last Emperor's return are already circulating around the World Wide Web.
Speaking exclusively to HDNet Fights, Emelianenko detailed his decision to retire from Mixed Martial Arts competition. The Russian legend declared it's "the right time" to walk away from the sport, but still claimed that everything is possible.
Today (via MMA.tv), UFC President Dana White once again clarified that he's not interested in Fedor Emelianenko's services. Answering on question whether the Ultimate Fighting Championship might still be interested in Emelianenko, White replied with "Isn't he retired?".
The answer to Dana White's question, at least for now, is a clear "yes". M-1 Global Director of Operations, Evgeni Kogan, refused to play a matchmaker on Twitter, stating that he respects Fedor Emelianenko's decision to retire.
As my 2 Euro cents, I would say that Fedor Emelianenko's "anything is possible" comment was blown out of proportion. Emelianenko is not going to fight again anytime soon. Combat Sambo and exhibition fights (like the one he did with Shinya Aoki) are now the only option to see Fedor in action. This is not a Rocky movie, and Fedor Emelianenko is far from being Sylvester Stallone (or vice versa). Fans and the media must respect Fedor Emelianenko's decision to retire with his head held high.
Comments
Well this is the official statement, as we've known for years it is M-1 who controls Fedor and makes his decisions.
Sad to see him go and it is disgusting to see the corrupt M-1 was still with him in his final active days of fighting.
It is one of the great tragedies of MMA.
Oh wow.... :(
F**K M 1 Global!!!! I boycott watching any of their fights through their website and affiliates !!!!!!!
Fedor is m1. He is an owner and is one of the highest paid mma athletes ever because of it. Sure he didn't fight the best recently but he got paid better than almost anyone in the ufc doing it. So grow up y'all. His kids have plenty because of his business techniques.
М-1 коррумпированная организация? Ты чудо в перьях.
Time for Alexander to step up his game. I'd love to see what he could do in the UFC
Don't know, is it M1 or M1 AND Fedor!
It is a sad ending imo indead !
M1 dosent contol Fedor.Fedor owns M1 Global 20 percent atliest like Dana White owns 9 percent of UFC
Fedor owns 7 percent of M1 Mokoko
If that is true then Fedor really can't be said to "own" M-1 any more than I can be said to own Nestle. 7% is an investment not ownership.
and fedor made more money betting against himself then any of us will see in our lifetimes, think about that for one second lol, his brother is a gangsta after all.
How do you know Fedor bet against himself? If that is true than his losses wouldn't be real losses. Is this wishful thinking on your part or is there evidence for this. If true, his life story will make an even better movie than it already does.
1 fight in the UFC Fedor, that's all we ask. Fedor vs Brock, make it happen!
I would LOVE to see Fedor in the UFC but the only way I would believe it might actually happen is if Fedor and his familly left Russia in the middle of the night and bought a house in Las Vegas and even then I wouldn't believe it until after his first fight.
even for real mma fans how could u want to see brock vs fedor... 2 of the most over rated fighters fighting in the most ever rated fight?
i dont get it. brock barley finished over .500 in mma had not even 10 fights and doesnt like to be punched in the face. fedor made his name fighting "exhibition' fights and nobodys i mean look at his last 5 fights the only good pple he fought he lost too and bigfoot isnt even that good and he dominated him?
It's a shame we will never see him fight in the UFC. That would have been something to see him paired against the UFC's best HW fighters.
Yup. I would bet that even now he has an even shot against any of the top HWs in the UFC. It really is too bad it never happened. Had it happened when it should have he would have destroyed the Sylvia's (yeah I know) Coutures and Brocks that were there.