The Champions of MMA

Within the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) arena, there are two names, which commonly crop up in most discussions – Fedor Emelianenko and Randy Couture. These two fighters are widely acknowledged as the most popular fighters of their generation, with Fedor gaining global recognition and formally ranked as the overall top ranked MMA fighter in the world.

Ukrainian Fedor was born in 1976 into a family, which saw all 3 sons involved in MMA at varying levels. He specialized in the martial arts of Sambo, which was a combat style created in the old Soviet Union, and Judo, for which he won medals competing in the national championships of Russia. Despite lacking in natural strength and talent in his early years, Fedor more than made up with his dogged determination to improve and mental strength.

Due to his then financial situation, or lack of it, Fedor entered the MMA industry in 2000. He was just 25 years old then and trained in his formative MMA years as part of the Russian Top Team. This relationship eventually soured after winning the PRIDE Heavyweight title, where he first fought in 2002 at PRIDE 21. At PRIDE 25 in March, 2003, Fedor finally won his first Heavyweight title as a huge underdog against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. It was a unanimous decision and entered Fedor into the history books as only the second ever PRIDE Heavyweight Champion.

Throughout his blossoming MMA career, Fedor has only encountered one professional loss while garnering 27 wins and a single no contest. This happened against Tsuyoshi Kohsaka in 2000, on the back of a controversial incident where the fight was stopped due to an early injury to Fedor. Displaying his famed resolve and unrivaled fighting skills, the Ukrainian has since then remained unbeaten in all fights, including taking his revenge over Kohsaka a few years later in 2005 at PRIDE Bushido 6. His last professional victory came in April 2007 where he defeated Matt Lindland via an armbar submission at the Clash of the Nations BodogFIGHT.

In a display of his single-mindedness, Fedor has refused to join the UFC after its takeover of PRIDE. In protracted negotiations that saw both sides locked in a war of words, Fedor accused UFC President Dana White of hypocrisy. It was also possible that UFC contract demands of exclusive rights to all fighters’ brands and images did not sit well with the 2007 World Combat Sambo Champion. This endeared him further to fans as they looked up to Fedor going up against Dana, whom many felt had continually disrespected MMA fighters. Fedor has since signed to UFC competitor M1-Global, where his next scheduled fight would be on New Year’s Eve in Japan, against the man-giant Korean kick boxer, Hong-Man Choi.

Prior to this development, the UFC had tried to sign Fedor, as part of a bid to pit him against their current Heavyweight Champion, Randy Couture. While Fedor is regarded as the most popular MMA fighter worldwide, Randy Couture is the poster-boy of the UFC. An iconic figure of the organization and the top MMA exponent in the United States, Randy caught the imagination of MMA fans the world over when he captured the UFC Heavyweight title from Tim Sylvia. This came after his return from retirement and was achieved in difficult circumstances owing to his age (Couture was 43 then).

Randy’s legend has also solidified on the back of being the only UFC fighter in history to become a champion after entering its Hall of Fame. Widely regarded to be one of the most popular MMA fighters of all time, Randy has also cemented his fame by being the only UFC fighter to win titles in two different weight divisions, as well as the only person to win five UFC championships.

Randy has all the pre-requisites of an American sports star. He served his country in the U.S. Army, was an Olympic team representative and multiple college All-American. The U.S. fans love their patriots, and Randy Couture is a man many Americans can identify with.

To illustrate his enduring popularity with MMA fans - when Randy Couture announced his resignation from the UFC in October 2007, citing disgust with his treatment by the UFC and lack of justifiable financial reward, many fans leapt to his side. Fans felt that their champion had been dealt a bad hand as he received even less money compared to other UFC contestants such as Chuck Liddell. The UFC also offered Fedor a $10 million contract, which Randy could never hope to receive, even as their champion. His decision to resign has since then, prompted many industry observers to sound the death knell for the UFC.

Both Fedor Emelianenko and Randy Couture display all the characteristics of world-class champions – immense physical and mental resolve, dedication to their discipline, vast inner talent, and the personalities and charisma to match. While one rules the roost in his home country and current hotbed of MMA, the other has reached the pinnacle of the sport globally. The mark of champions burns brightly on both men.

The Champions of MMA – Fedor Emelianenko and Randy Couture

Within the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) arena, there are two names, which commonly crop up in most discussions – Fedor Emelianenko and Randy Couture. These two fighters are widely acknowledged as the most popular fighters of their generation, with Fedor gaining global recognition and formally ranked as the overall top ranked MMA fighter in the world.

Ukrainian Fedor was born in 1976 into a family, which saw all 3 sons involved in MMA at varying levels. He specialized in the martial arts of Sambo, which was a combat style created in the old Soviet Union, and Judo, for which he won medals competing in the national championships of Russia. Despite lacking in natural strength and talent in his early years, Fedor more than made up with his dogged determination to improve and mental strength.

Due to his then financial situation, or lack of it, Fedor entered the MMA industry in 2000. He was just 25 years old then and trained in his formative MMA years as part of the Russian Top Team. This relationship eventually soured after winning the PRIDE Heavyweight title, where he first fought in 2002 at PRIDE 21. At PRIDE 25 in March, 2003, Fedor finally won his first Heavyweight title as a huge underdog against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. It was a unanimous decision and entered Fedor into the history books as only the second ever PRIDE Heavyweight Champion.

Throughout his blossoming MMA career, Fedor has only encountered one professional loss while garnering 27 wins and a single no contest. This happened against Tsuyoshi Kohsaka in 2000, on the back of a controversial incident where the fight was stopped due to an early injury to Fedor. Displaying his famed resolve and unrivaled fighting skills, the Ukrainian has since then remained unbeaten in all fights, including taking his revenge over Kohsaka a few years later in 2005 at PRIDE Bushido 6. His last professional victory came in April 2007 where he defeated Matt Lindland via an armbar submission at the Clash of the Nations BodogFIGHT.

In a display of his single-mindedness, Fedor has refused to join the UFC after its takeover of PRIDE. In protracted negotiations that saw both sides locked in a war of words, Fedor accused UFC President Dana White of hypocrisy. It was also possible that UFC contract demands of exclusive rights to all fighters’ brands and images did not sit well with the 2007 World Combat Sambo Champion. This endeared him further to fans as they looked up to Fedor going up against Dana, whom many felt had continually disrespected MMA fighters. Fedor has since signed to UFC competitor M1-Global, where his next scheduled fight would be on New Year’s Eve in Japan, against the man-giant Korean kick boxer, Hong-Man Choi.

Prior to this development, the UFC had tried to sign Fedor, as part of a bid to pit him against their current Heavyweight Champion, Randy Couture. While Fedor is regarded as the most popular MMA fighter worldwide, Randy Couture is the poster-boy of the UFC. An iconic figure of the organization and the top MMA exponent in the United States, Randy caught the imagination of MMA fans the world over when he captured the UFC Heavyweight title from Tim Sylvia. This came after his return from retirement and was achieved in difficult circumstances owing to his age (Couture was 43 then).

Randy’s legend has also solidified on the back of being the only UFC fighter in history to become a champion after entering its Hall of Fame. Widely regarded to be one of the most popular MMA fighters of all time, Randy has also cemented his fame by being the only UFC fighter to win titles in two different weight divisions, as well as the only person to win five UFC championships.

Randy has all the pre-requisites of an American sports star. He served his country in the U.S. Army, was an Olympic team representative and multiple college All-American. The U.S. fans love their patriots, and Randy Couture is a man many Americans can identify with.

To illustrate his enduring popularity with MMA fans - when Randy Couture announced his resignation from the UFC in October 2007, citing disgust with his treatment by the UFC and lack of justifiable financial reward, many fans leapt to his side. Fans felt that their champion had been dealt a bad hand as he received even less money compared to other UFC contestants such as Chuck Liddell. The UFC also offered Fedor a $10 million contract, which Randy could never hope to receive, even as their champion. His decision to resign has since then, prompted many industry observers to sound the death knell for the UFC.

Both Fedor Emelianenko and Randy Couture display all the characteristics of world-class champions – immense physical and mental resolve, dedication to their discipline, vast inner talent, and the personalities and charisma to match. While one rules the roost in his home country and current hotbed of MMA, the other has reached the pinnacle of the sport globally. The mark of champions burns brightly on both men.

Fedor Meeting Goes Poorly

A UFC source who spoke to FIGHT! Magazine contributor Sam Caplan said that the big Thursday meeting with Fedor did not go well. According to UFC Junkie, there were a variety of sources that said a deal was tentative:

A variety of reports today stated...that a tentative deal worth about $2 million per fight had been reached. However, Caplan reports that his source gave no indication that a deal was imminent.

Caplan's report, along with the little that Dana White admitted to knowing, culminate in a less than favorite report regarding the possibility of having Fedor in the company anytime soon. This is despite the fact that White acknowledged Fedor would receive an immediate title shot if he signed:

During Thursday’s UFC 75 media conference call, UFC President Dana White said that if Emelianenko signs with the organization, he could be next in line for a title shot with current champ Randy Couture. White, though, gave no indication that a deal was close, and even joked that the conference call members should “put in a good word” for him.

"Could be" in Dana White language usually means "is definite" and there are few things in mixed martial arts less definite than the deservedness of Fedor Emelianenko, a man who has beat the two fighters that can lay claim to a shot at Fedor's belt (Nogueira, Cro Cop). Couture-Fedor would probably draw one of the largest buy rates in the history of the sport and would be yet another boost for the unfazeable progress of mixed martial arts.

White: Fedor Won't Relate To UFC Fans

Dana White, while talking about the most talented free agent (and martial artist) in the universe, said that he just wouldn't relate to UFC fans. Now whether this is simply an excuse for the lack of contract or White actually believes this, no one knows. But what is known is that the man simply recognized by his first name, Fedor, needs a place to fight. Never has one man been so dominant. Even Matt Hughes suffered a legendary defeat at the hands of BJ Penn at UFC 46. Fedor has no such blemish.

White compared Fedor's potential entrance to that of Cro Cop, citing over and over again that for whatever reason, Fedor is simply not ready:

The hard core fans who know who Fedor is are a minority. Believe me when I tell you that. My (UFC) fans don't know who he is. I'd have to build him up. You can't just say 'Fedor's here,' and open the doors and expect people to come in. It doesn't work that way.

I even had to build up Cro Cop. It's taking a while for us to do that. After we introduce him to our fans, then you can do that kind of a thing.

Okay, so there's probably something to be said for the bloodthirsty fans who come to the events just to see a knockout. But for every one of those, I'd bet that there are two fans who have taken the time to understand the intricacies of the ground game and other minutia of the sport. It is growing rapidly and newer fans will take the time to learn MMA the right way. Whether or not White thinks Fedor can relate to these fans (it obvious he doesn't), he has a duty to the fans to bring Fedor in. When Zuffa purchased PRIDE, White made it clear that his intention was to huddle the world's best under one tent. Until Fedor is under that tent, White hasn't done anything.