Tony
25-02-2008, 08:42
FEDOR NON-EXCLUSIVE TO PRIDE, SAYS WHITE
UFC Prez Looking to Lock Up World’s Number-One Fighter; Reveals More PRIDE Details
By Loretta Hunt ([email protected])
When the March 27 bombshell dropped that Ultimate Fighting Championship owners Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta had unequivocally purchased PRIDE Fighting Championships, the biggest question was obvious – what would happen to the fighters?
In particular, UFC president and mouthpiece Dana White was not-so-quick to tout that his business partners (White owns a share of the UFC along with the Las Vegas casino-owning brothers) had acquired the services of PRIDE Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko. Maybe White’s silence on the matter should have been read into a little deeper.
So what is the world’s top-ranked mixed martial artist’s current status?
“We’re still working on that right now,” White chimed in today during a teleconference for Saturday’s UFC 70 “Nations Collide” in Manchester, England. “His contract wasn’t an exclusive with PRIDE and we don’t do non-exclusive contracts.”
While White’s admission and the fact the Russian sambo champion participated and won handily at this past weekend’s BodogFIGHT “Clash of the Nations” in St. Petersburg should be an indication, MMA’s most ambitious promoter refuted Emelianenko being tagged a “free agent.”
“He has a contract with PRIDE,” White reconfirmed, though the 37-year-old publicly proclaimed he had a problem with the mega-star fighter appearing elsewhere.
White even went as far as to say he would take legal measures to ensure Emelianenko stay off any other roster besides his own.
“He’s not a free agent and absolutely we’d slap an injunction on him,” White said.
There is no indication White and/or the Fertittas took legal action against Emelianenko last weekend when he competed in his homeland. Emelianenko, 30, celebrated his 26 career win this past Saturday, taking out Olympic wrestling silver medalist Matt Lindland with a first-round armbar submission two seconds shy of the three-minute mark.
Afterwards, the Stary Oskol native was invited back to the Kremlin Palace by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who attended the event at the Ice Palace.
Other PRIDE-related notes White shared today:
• White said all PRIDE contracts will be honored, though he indicated any non-exclusive contracts would be altered.
• Double title-holder Dan Henderson – who captured his second consecutive belt from former PRIDE Middleweight (under 205 lbs) Champion Wanderlei Silva at Feb. 24’s PRIDE 34 – would not be stripped of either of his titles, said White. “We wouldn’t strip him [Henderson], but I have no idea how that would work out.” White had stated in a previous interview that Henderson would be considered a U.S. middleweight (under 185 pounds) in the future by the promotion.
• PRIDE 2005 Middleweight (under 205 lbs) Grand Prix Champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua will be staying in PRIDE, though the Brazilian Chute Boxe fighter’s representation had stated that their young prospect had recently renewed his contract to fight two times in PRIDE and two times in the UFC. “I have no idea what that means,” White said of the claim. “It’s not the truth."
• White said he believed Wanderlei Silva had four fights left on his PRIDE contract, deflating rumors Silva was a free agent as well.
• White predicted he’d secure a major deal for PRIDE in both US and Japan within a year, reiterating he will control the building of PRIDE stateside.
• A PRIDE USA event is still planned, while PRIDE’s Los Angeles and Las Vegas offices would “probably” remain open. White had no a date or venue ready to announce for the event.
• White did not confirm nor deny statements made by PRIDE representative Takada this Monday to Japan’s Nikkan Sports newspaper that the previously scheduled PRIDE Lightweight Grand Prix’s kick-off date had been moved to July 16. “How solid that date is how fast we can get the infrastructure up and running,” commented White.
• Contrary to an advertisement released recently by the PRIDE organization, no UFC fighter would appear in the 16-man tournament. “Not true,” said White to the ad that featured UFC welterweights Diego Sanchez and Matt Hughes. “You won’t see a UFC versus a PRIDE fighter before the big show we are planning.”
• White stated PRIDE’s U.S. telecast would undergo changes, including its commentating staff. When asked, White said PRIDE commentator and fighter Frank Trigg would no longer appear on the telecast, and that American producer Jerry Millen’s fate with the new owners remained questionable. White said new talent is currently being sought after.
• Japanese PRIDE card rosters would be announced quicker than the one-week lead times the Japanese-run organization had been accustomed to.
UFC Prez Looking to Lock Up World’s Number-One Fighter; Reveals More PRIDE Details
By Loretta Hunt ([email protected])
When the March 27 bombshell dropped that Ultimate Fighting Championship owners Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta had unequivocally purchased PRIDE Fighting Championships, the biggest question was obvious – what would happen to the fighters?
In particular, UFC president and mouthpiece Dana White was not-so-quick to tout that his business partners (White owns a share of the UFC along with the Las Vegas casino-owning brothers) had acquired the services of PRIDE Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko. Maybe White’s silence on the matter should have been read into a little deeper.
So what is the world’s top-ranked mixed martial artist’s current status?
“We’re still working on that right now,” White chimed in today during a teleconference for Saturday’s UFC 70 “Nations Collide” in Manchester, England. “His contract wasn’t an exclusive with PRIDE and we don’t do non-exclusive contracts.”
While White’s admission and the fact the Russian sambo champion participated and won handily at this past weekend’s BodogFIGHT “Clash of the Nations” in St. Petersburg should be an indication, MMA’s most ambitious promoter refuted Emelianenko being tagged a “free agent.”
“He has a contract with PRIDE,” White reconfirmed, though the 37-year-old publicly proclaimed he had a problem with the mega-star fighter appearing elsewhere.
White even went as far as to say he would take legal measures to ensure Emelianenko stay off any other roster besides his own.
“He’s not a free agent and absolutely we’d slap an injunction on him,” White said.
There is no indication White and/or the Fertittas took legal action against Emelianenko last weekend when he competed in his homeland. Emelianenko, 30, celebrated his 26 career win this past Saturday, taking out Olympic wrestling silver medalist Matt Lindland with a first-round armbar submission two seconds shy of the three-minute mark.
Afterwards, the Stary Oskol native was invited back to the Kremlin Palace by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who attended the event at the Ice Palace.
Other PRIDE-related notes White shared today:
• White said all PRIDE contracts will be honored, though he indicated any non-exclusive contracts would be altered.
• Double title-holder Dan Henderson – who captured his second consecutive belt from former PRIDE Middleweight (under 205 lbs) Champion Wanderlei Silva at Feb. 24’s PRIDE 34 – would not be stripped of either of his titles, said White. “We wouldn’t strip him [Henderson], but I have no idea how that would work out.” White had stated in a previous interview that Henderson would be considered a U.S. middleweight (under 185 pounds) in the future by the promotion.
• PRIDE 2005 Middleweight (under 205 lbs) Grand Prix Champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua will be staying in PRIDE, though the Brazilian Chute Boxe fighter’s representation had stated that their young prospect had recently renewed his contract to fight two times in PRIDE and two times in the UFC. “I have no idea what that means,” White said of the claim. “It’s not the truth."
• White said he believed Wanderlei Silva had four fights left on his PRIDE contract, deflating rumors Silva was a free agent as well.
• White predicted he’d secure a major deal for PRIDE in both US and Japan within a year, reiterating he will control the building of PRIDE stateside.
• A PRIDE USA event is still planned, while PRIDE’s Los Angeles and Las Vegas offices would “probably” remain open. White had no a date or venue ready to announce for the event.
• White did not confirm nor deny statements made by PRIDE representative Takada this Monday to Japan’s Nikkan Sports newspaper that the previously scheduled PRIDE Lightweight Grand Prix’s kick-off date had been moved to July 16. “How solid that date is how fast we can get the infrastructure up and running,” commented White.
• Contrary to an advertisement released recently by the PRIDE organization, no UFC fighter would appear in the 16-man tournament. “Not true,” said White to the ad that featured UFC welterweights Diego Sanchez and Matt Hughes. “You won’t see a UFC versus a PRIDE fighter before the big show we are planning.”
• White stated PRIDE’s U.S. telecast would undergo changes, including its commentating staff. When asked, White said PRIDE commentator and fighter Frank Trigg would no longer appear on the telecast, and that American producer Jerry Millen’s fate with the new owners remained questionable. White said new talent is currently being sought after.
• Japanese PRIDE card rosters would be announced quicker than the one-week lead times the Japanese-run organization had been accustomed to.