Dana White Talks Fedor Emelianenko and M-1 Global … Again

It might be a new year, but the broken record that is the UFC and M-1 Global keeps on spinning. The question was once again posed to UFC president Dana White over the weekend and the outspoken-one remains confident they will ultimately get their guy. Actually, make that GUYS.

White mentioned that he had “recently” had conversations with Vadim Finkelchtein, M-1 Global’s Dana White, however wasn’t quite ready to say they were making progress towards bringing Fedor Emelianenko to his Octagon, only reiterating that he’s still open and trying.

“I wouldn’t say he never would be [fighting in the UFC],” White said on Saturday. “It’s not that I don’t want to talk to M-1. I want to get this [expletive] done. I want him, and I want Fedor. I want to do it. And I never say never. They can call me right now, and we can start talking and figure this thing out.”

The highly publicized courtship of Emelianenko has been well documented. MMA’s baddest man has hit the free agent market on multiple occasions over the past few years, however shunned the UFC in favor of smaller promotions every time.

The bolder that continues to separate the two sides is M-1 Global’s insistence the UFC allow them to co-promote any event that involves their fighter … fighters.

Since their first round of negotiations, Emelianenko’s M-1 mate, Gegard Mousasi, has taken the MMA world by storm and White is the latest to get sucked in. While their main focus remains on Fedor, White has no reason to believe the Strikeforce light heavyweight champion couldn’t be included in an Emelianenko deal as well.

“I’d love to get Mousasi in here,” White said. “He should be. He deserves to be. I like [Mousasi] a lot. I’d love to get him in here and try him out with some of the other guys.”

Speaking of Strikeforce, White may just be stirring the pot as he is fully aware both sluggers are under contract with his MMA rivals. So while they’re still around, you won’t be seeing Team M-1 Global anywhere near an Octagon.

Which leads me to my next question, why would Finkelchtein meet with the UFC if things are copacetic at Strikeforce?

What seeds are being planted?

Is it 2009 again?

On a side note, if you are banking on the legitimacy of Fedor and Vadim’s Twitter accounts, DON’T. Nyet Twitter for either of the two comrades according to SI.com’s Josh Gross.

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