Is the Randy/Fedor fight just assumed to not happen now?

[Shevchenko]

Right now for Fedor imo is Arlovski and Barnett, if he beats those two guys then he needs to go to the UFC if he wants to start fighting "the best", though honestly there isn't much for him there anyways, Mir and maybe Lesnar though I think those two stand a less chance thean Arlovski/Barnett.

The likes of Cain, Gonzaga, Dos Santos, Carwin all have potential, but then again there are probably a few potential future heavyweight champions in the rest of the world that haven't made a big name for themselves. If I'm not mistaken UFC just hired two more young heavyweights.

If Fedor does beat Arlovski and Barnett(if it happens should happens in May-June), and Cro Cop makes a big return from his surgery knocking out people they could put Fedor/Mirko II together in Japan, I think Fedor would rape Mirko badly now but who knows it's a big money fight in Japan.

By that time all these "potential" heavyweights will be found out to who is actually good and who is destined to be mid-level.

[Shevchenko]

Right now for Fedor imo is Arlovski and Barnett, if he beats those two guys then he needs to go to the UFC if he wants to start fighting "the best", though honestly there isn't much for him there anyways, Mir and maybe Lesnar though I think those two stand a less chance thean Arlovski/Barnett.

The likes of Cain, Gonzaga, Dos Santos, Carwin all have potential, but then again there are probably a few potential future heavyweight champions in the rest of the world that haven't made a big name for themselves. If I'm not mistaken UFC just hired two more young heavyweights.

If Fedor does beat Arlovski and Barnett(if it happens should happens in May-June), and Cro Cop makes a big return from his surgery knocking out people they could put Fedor/Mirko II together in Japan, I think Fedor would rape Mirko badly now but who knows it's a big money fight in Japan.

By that time all these "potential" heavyweights will be found out to who is actually good and who is destined to be mid-level.

[Shevchenko]

Right now for Fedor imo is Arlovski and Barnett, if he beats those two guys then he needs to go to the UFC if he wants to start fighting "the best", though honestly there isn't much for him there anyways, Mir and maybe Lesnar though I think those two stand a less chance thean Arlovski/Barnett.

The likes of Cain, Gonzaga, Dos Santos, Carwin all have potential, but then again there are probably a few potential future heavyweight champions in the rest of the world that haven't made a big name for themselves. If I'm not mistaken UFC just hired two more young heavyweights.

If Fedor does beat Arlovski and Barnett(if it happens should happens in May-June), and Cro Cop makes a big return from his surgery knocking out people they could put Fedor/Mirko II together in Japan, I think Fedor would rape Mirko badly now but who knows it's a big money fight in Japan.

By that time all these "potential" heavyweights will be found out to who is actually good and who is destined to be mid-level.

[Shevchenko]

Right now for Fedor imo is Arlovski and Barnett, if he beats those two guys then he needs to go to the UFC if he wants to start fighting "the best", though honestly there isn't much for him there anyways, Mir and maybe Lesnar though I think those two stand a less chance thean Arlovski/Barnett.

The likes of Cain, Gonzaga, Dos Santos, Carwin all have potential, but then again there are probably a few potential future heavyweight champions in the rest of the world that haven't made a big name for themselves. If I'm not mistaken UFC just hired two more young heavyweights.

If Fedor does beat Arlovski and Barnett(if it happens should happens in May-June), and Cro Cop makes a big return from his surgery knocking out people they could put Fedor/Mirko II together in Japan, I think Fedor would rape Mirko badly now but who knows it's a big money fight in Japan.

By that time all these "potential" heavyweights will be found out to who is actually good and who is destined to be mid-level.

[tha wreck]

Originally Posted by SocraticMethod

Mostly because the UFC doesn't want to have to say, "Our HW champion just got beat in Sambo by some guy 95% of our fans have never heard of."

maybe that. but i think they dont want their champ hurt competing in something other than their own interests. are you guys that dumb? professional sports contracts always have clauses FULL of shit their athletes aren't allowed to do (riding a motorcycle, skydiving, etc.). usually shit that the athletes love to do. it's business, it happens, get over it. owners protect their investments

[SocraticMethod]

Originally Posted by tha wreck

maybe that. but i think they dont want their champ hurt competing in something other than their own interests. are you guys that dumb? professional sports contracts always have clauses FULL of shit their athletes aren't allowed to do (riding a motorcycle, skydiving, etc.). usually shit that the athletes love to do. it's business, it happens, get over it. owners protect their investments

That type of provision is how the Yankees terminated Aaron Boone's contract after he blew out his knee playing basketball in the off-season.

[SouthPaw10]

If Fedor loses to Arlovski I could see him coming to the UFC.

But Since that will not happen I guess Fedor won't be fighting in the UFC for a long time

[SocraticMethod]

Originally Posted by tha wreck

maybe that. but i think they dont want their champ hurt competing in something other than their own interests. are you guys that dumb? professional sports contracts always have clauses FULL of shit their athletes aren't allowed to do (riding a motorcycle, skydiving, etc.). usually shit that the athletes love to do. it's business, it happens, get over it. owners protect their investments

That's the type of provision the Yankees used to get out of Aaron Boone's contract when he blew out his knee playing basketball in the off-season. Also why Jeff Kent insisted that he got hurt falling off his boat while washing it, and not on his motorcycle. Ideally, though, even if there's an escape clause in the contract, you'd rather your marquee players/fighters NOT get hurt doing that stuff in the first place. You get out of paying them when they're injured that way, but you don't recoup what you lose in terms of the money they aren't bringing in for you.

I think both aspects weigh into it. You don't want to risk one of your guys getting hurt, and you don't want them to get beat by someone outside your company. If Fedor signs and Lesnar beats him, wahoo for the UFC - they market Lesnar as the guy who beat Fedor. If he loses in a different combat sport or different MMA org, now he loses the aura of invincibility, and you don't benefit from having the guy that took it away. If he gets hurt in a sambo tourney, you void his contract, but you don't make the money he would have brought in over the duration of that contract.

[se7enthsign]

Originally Posted by SocraticMethod

I think both aspects weigh into it. You don't want to risk one of your guys getting hurt, and you don't want them to get beat by someone outside your company. If Fedor signs and Lesnar beats him, wahoo for the UFC - they market Lesnar as the guy who beat Fedor. If he loses in a different combat sport or different MMA org, now he loses the aura of invincibility, and you don't benefit from having the guy that took it away. If he gets hurt in a sambo tourney, you void his contract, but you don't make the money he would have brought in over the duration of that contract.

This is true, but it only really applies to the champion. That is why the UFC manhandled Randy Couture but were more than happy to let Tim Sylvia go. If Randy wanted to break his contract right now, the UFC would probably let him...of course no one cares about that fight anymore.

As for Sambo, I think it is all about injury, not whether he wins or loses. If Rashad Evans participated in a wrestling tournament, came in third, and returned to the UFC, he would still be the undefeated champion. Fedor would be the same, and since Sambo is not popular in the US, most people wouldn't know anyway. On the flipside, if Anderson Silva goes off and gets mauled by Roy Jones Jr. on HBO, the UFC might not be too happy.

The main sticking point is, and has always been Vadim Finklestien's insisting on the UFC co-promoting with M-1. He's using Fedor as his pawn to gain exposure for his own MMA organization. As long as the UFC refuses to co-promote, he will not allow Fedor to fight for them, even if the UFC gives in on all other conditions. Personally, I think the day Fedor even has a glimmer of hope of appearing in the UFC will be the day that Fedor, himself, speaks to Dana or Lorenzo.

[curttheboywondr]

this fight was never huge to me but now it means even less. everyone was acting like randy back at HW was the equivalent to the second coming of the Christ. now that its been shown he's not the best HW in the world(something that a lot of sherdoggers said about him, not me) its not a huge fight.