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FightingIrish · 06-22-2007, 12:23 PM

Quote:

The UFC considers the signing of famed PRIDE heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko (26-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) to be “inevitable” and is confident a deal could be reached soon, according to a UFCjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, MMA news, UFC rumors, UFC gossip, fighter interviews and event previews and recaps - UFCjunkie.com) source close to the organization.

Ever since Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta (primary owners of Zuffa LLC, the UFC’s parent company) announced the purchase of the Japanese-based fight organization earlier this year, some of PRIDE’s best fighters have been signed to fight exclusively in the UFC. However, the one fighter most wanted by fans — and UFC officials alike — is Emelianenko, the PRIDE 2004 Grand Prix winner and a heavyweight champ since 2003.

UFC president Dana White stated in a recent newspaper interview that he was close to signing Emelianenko to a UFC deal.

Our source says that the general consensus inside the UFC is that it’s a done deal:

“Everyone [associated with the UFC] expects the deal will get done. They think it’s inevitable. They expect Fedor to be in a UFC fight before the end of the year.“

If true, the arrival of Emelianenko would mean an instant impact on the UFC’s heavyweight division. Once considered paper-thin, the UFC’s crop of heavyweights has suddenly risen to respectability. Current 43-year-old champ Randy Couture battles Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 74 in a title shot. Despite the loss to Gonzaga, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic remains a top contender. Andrei Arlovski, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Tim Sylvia and Fabricio Werdum could all be in the title picture, as well.

Emelianenko, though, would bring an unparalleled resume to the UFC. With a near-perfect 26-1 record, he suffered his lone loss in a 2000 RINGS event against Tsuyoshi Kohsaka. The bout was stopped just 17 second in because of a cut caused by a glancing elbow from Kohsaka (Emelianenko later avenged the loss in a 2005 PRIDE Bushido event).

Since the loss, it’s been pure domination of some of the sport’s top heavyweight fighters, including a 2005 unanimous-decision win over Filipovic. Emelianenko rematch with Filipovic could be one of the biggest — if not the biggest — fights in MMA history.

Great news, i hope to see Fedor soon.