In the Battle Between Fedor and Brett, the UFC May Be the One To Lose

When Fedor Emelianenko faces off against Brett Rodgers on Saturday, the UFC could be the biggest loser. Or they might win. It depends on how you look at it so lets try to break it down.

The entire country will be able to watch Emelianenko on network TV Saturday. He will be fighting Rodgers on CBS, in what should be a very short spectacle.

Short though it may be, it will once again put Fedor on national television. Once again it will not be under the UFC banner.

Strikeforce, a company destined for the "Round File," will temporarily usurp the seeming monopoly on North American MMA that the UFC currently possesses. Despite UFC President Dana White's multitude of MMA organizational accomplishments, getting the UFC brand onto network TV has never been among them.

The lack of UFC events on network television has also not been much of a priority for the UFC. Truth be told, there really isn't much need for the UFC to venture out into those old, stale, has-been waters. Sticking with Spike and Pay-Per-View has proved to be an unbeatable formula.

Don't let that fool you though. White and the rest of UFC management will be paying close attention to what happens Saturday night. At least until Emelianenko clobbers Rodgers.

They will be watching because there is actually something on the line for the UFC. No they are not going to crumble or catapult, but a win for Rodgers would most certainly be a win for Dana and the UFC.

A victory over Fedor adds further credibility to the UFC. Tarnishing the reputation of Fedor would justify Dana's continued failure to sign him. Though it might seem that Rodgers would have a lot to win by defeating Fedor, it is doubtful he would leave Strikeforce until his contract is up and/or Strikeforce goes under. As a result, any benefit Rodgers might receive would probably only be monetary.

It is highly doubtful that Rodgers could win such a contest though. While he is 10-0 and has yet to taste defeat, he is still far too inexperienced to handle an opponent such as Fedor. At 30-1 Fedor is still hitting his stride. His only loss coming by way of stoppage due to cut.

While being cut is a fair way to lose, most fans would be hard pressed to identify the opponent that caused that damage. That is because few people in the world give whoever that was even passing credit.The  Japanese do not like to watch bloody athletes. Had the same fight taken place in the United States, it is highly unlikely that it would have been called.

In any event, should Rodgers pull off a miracle and beat Fedor, the UFC will be exonerated for not having signed Emelianenko. With his own champion on ice, little else would bring a smile to Dana White's face the way such a result would.

One can only hope, for Dana's sake, that he enjoys a good frown.