Fedor: "If I fought for the UFC, he (Dana) would try to sell me as the greatest..."

TheMercenary · 01-07-2009, 09:19 AM

On Dana White comments:

Quote:

Question: If you fought for the UFC, do you think Dana would be referring to you as the number one heavyweight in the world?

(LAUGHS) I THINK IF I FOUGHT FOR THE UFC, HE WOULD TRY TO SELL ME AS THE GREATEST MMA FIGHTER THAT EVER LIVED.

Question: During a recent radio interview, UFC president Dana White once again made some negative remarks about you. He especially tried to discredit your victory over Tim Sylvia, saying: "Tim Sylvia!? Everybody knocked Tim Sylvia down in the first round… Randy Couture knocked Tim Sylvia down in the first round too and took his back. Randy just couldn't choke him out or he would have choked him out the same exact way Fedor did!"

Could you respond to that statement?

I THINK IF DANA WHITE SAYS SOMETHING NEGATIVE ABOUT HIS CHAMPIONS THEN HE IS ONLY SAYING SOMETHING NEGATIVE ABOUT HIS OWN ORGANIZATION. I HAVE VICTORIES OVER MANY OF THE UFC'S CHAMPIONS. IF HE SAYS SOMETHING BAD ABOUT ME OR THEM THEN HE ONLY MAKES HIS ORGANIZATION LOOK WEAK.

Question: White has said many negative things about you in the past. Is it at a point where he has burned a bridge with you, or would you still consider fighting in a promotion he's involved with under the right circumstances?

I DO NOT PAY TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO WHAT DANA WHITE SAYS IN THE MEDIA. HE IS TRYING TO SELL ONE THING AS GOOD AND MAKE YOU NOT BUY ANOTHER THING BY SAYING IT IS BAD. I JUST WANT TO FIGHT THE BEST FIGHTERS IN THE WORLD. I AM LUCKY THAT THE BEST HEAVYWEIGHT FIGHTERS IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW ARE WITH M-1 GLOBAL AND AFFLICTION. IF THE SITUATION IS RIGHT AND THERE IS SOMEONE REALLY GOOD IN THE UFC THAT WILL FIGHT ME THEN I WOULD BE FINE WITH FIGHTING THEM.

On Arlvski and Roach comments:

Quote:

Question: During a recent press conference to promote "Day of Reckoning," Andrei Arlovski questioned the sincerity of a statement you made last month regarding the your loss at the Combat Sambo Championships. His exact quote was the following: "After his loss in the Sambo tournament, I think he's messed up a little bit. He says it's not important, but c'mon, let's be serious. He was unbeatable, like, five years, six years in Sambo, and he's not beatable in MMA. When you lose something, of course it's (expletive) important. For me, it's really hard to believe that he doesn't care about it. Of course he cares. He's not like 100 percent sure of himself."

Can you respond to that statement?

MAYBE ANDREI IS TRYING TO CONVINCE HIMSELF THAT I HAVE BEEN WEAKENED IN SOME WAY. BUT IT IS NO MATTER. WE ARE NOT FIGHTING SAMBO WITH ANDREI. THE ONLY 100% I AM SURE ABOUT IS THAT I WILL BE 100% READY TO FIGHT MMA AGAINST ANDREI. AND THAT IS THE ONLY THING I CARE ABOUT RIGHT NOW.

Quote:

Question: One of Arlovski's trainers, famed boxing trainer Freddie Roach, questioned some aspects of your standup from a technical boxing perspective, most notably your footwork. Do you feel Roach's criticisms are relevant to MMA?

THE BEAUTY ABOUT MMA IS THAT EVERY FIGHTER HAS HIS OWN UNIQUE STYLE AND PREFERENCES. BUT IT IS NOT A BEAUTY CONTEST. WE FIGHT TO SEE WHICH FIGHTER'S APPROACH PREVAILS. BUT AGAIN, WE ARE NOT BOXING AND WE ARE NOT FIGHTING SAMBO. WE FIGHT MMA.

On Lesnar & Anderson Silva fights:

Quote:

Question: M-1 USA Vice President Jerry Millen made the statement that in a fight with Brock Lesnar, he would not make it past the first round against you. Do you agree with that assessment?

I DO NOT LIKE TO MAKE PREDICTIONS. ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN IN A RING. LESNER HAS SOME NATURAL TALENT. IT WOULD BE AN INTERESTING FIGHT FOR FANS TO SEE.

Question: White has proclaimed Anderson Silva the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Do you have any interest in fighting Silva and if so, how do you see that fight going down?

IF THIS WAS FIGHT THAT THE FANS WOULD WANT, WHY NOT? I NEVER MAKE PREDICTIONS ON HOW A FIGHT WILL TURN OUT.

Quote:

Question: Ideally, how many times would you like to fight in 2009?

GOD WILLING, IT WILL BE NICE TO FIGHT 3 TIMES IN 2009 AND HAVE ONE MORE FIGHT NEW YEARS EVE.

Fedor: 'The best should fight the best for the sport of MMA'