Unless you've been hiding under your limited edition PRIDE rock, you should be aware of the mainstream reports concerning the UFC's newest attempt to bring the number one heavyweight to their organization. Earlier today, Fedor's management acknowledged the negotiations but indicated that while the offer proposed to them was good, they still sought a co-promotion deal between the UFC and the Russian-based M-1. If you're wondering who M-1 is, you can probably continue wondering and not be any worse off. The idea of the UFC co-promoting with M-1 is not something that the UFC would ever be likely to consider, especially considering that M-1's prior co-promotion deals have ended in the destruction of other organizations.
Here, Carmichael Dave, a CBS radio host and one of Dana White's favorites in the media, posts on Sherdog about the details of the UFC's offer to Fedor. Place your hand under your jaw before it drops:
- The UFC offered Fedor a 6 fight, 30 million dollar contract. That's 5 mil a fight
- The UFC offered Fedor an immediate title shot
- Lesnar/Fedor would be the biggest PPV in MMA history (we assume), and the UFC offered M-1 Global a cut of the PPV on top of Fedor's purse.
- Fedor was free to wear as many M-1 logoed items as he wished.
- The UFC also relented on allowing Fedor to compete in combat sambo.
Apparently, for good or bad, M-1 refuses to sign a deal unless the UFC agrees to co-promote.
While the Sherdog messageboard is good for a lot of things, factual news isn't usually one of them, but coming from Carmichael Dave, this is almost certainly the truth, and if I were to guess, it was intentionally leaked by the UFC to put pressure on Fedor's management. Considering the speed at which MMA fans are turning on Fedor and his management, the desired effect should be felt by Vadim and Fedor. Considering the improbable requests that they have stuck to for years, it seems unlikely that it will have any effect.
As a side note, imagine being a UFC star making under $100,000 per fight (before sponsors and bonuses, that is) and seeing that deal? While I'm not one to complain about fighter pay (it is still a very young sport in the grand scheme of things), a situation like this seems like the perfect fuel to quickly jack up the pay of many fighters in the UFC.