*** Official Yarennoka! discussion thread (Fedors return)***

[polandprzem]

[IX_Equilibrium]

Watching this reminded me of why I never cared for PRIDE.

[polandprzem]

By: Ben Fowlkes Category:

In case you haven’t heard, Fedor Emelianenko won his circus fight with Korean giant Hong Man Choi in the Yarennoka New Year’s Eve show. The outcome was never really in doubt, especially when you consider that Yarennoka changed the rules for this bout to ban knee strikes, one of Choi’s best and only weapons.The fight took less than two minutes and resulted in a fairly comedic but utterly meaningless armbar.

Now that it’s over, I can’t help but wonder what’s going through Fedor’s mind. Is he sitting around some Japanese hotel room right now, watching senseless game shows and trying to avoid looking at himself in the mirror? Does he periodically feel sad for no explainable reason, and does this sadness linger until he checks his bank account balance? What does he tell himself about what he’s become?

It’s not that I don’t understand why a Russian fighter who grew up so poor he had to share a coat with his brother would sell out the first chance he got, which is what Fedor has done, let’s just admit it. As The Million Dollar Man used to say, “Everybody has a price” (yes, most of my life philosophy comes from late 80’s-early 90’s pro wrestling).

But the difference between Fedor and the rest of us is that Fedor didn’t have to sell out to get rich. Fedor had a choice, and now he has to live with the one he’s made.

Whatever rumor you believe about how much the UFC was offering Fedor to sign on and fight Randy Couture, you have to think it was a lot of money. We’re talking somewhere in the millions, after contracts and bonuses and sponsorships are factored in. But Fedor turned that down, or rather, his management team did. They turned it down so he could fight in M-1, which was probably a better deal for his management team, and which currently only exists in the form of a Fedor rental operation.

In other words, Fedor is being used. That’s not so bad, I suppose. Every fighter gets used to some extent. It’s been that way from Jack Dempsey to Mike Tyson. But Fedor is doing it at the expense of his legacy, his reputation, and maybe his dignity.

Honestly, does anyone consider a victory over Hong Man Choi — a man with only one previous MMA bout — to be a serious accomplishment for someone who is supposed to be the world’s best heavyweight? In the post-fight press conference Fedor again mentioned how much he’d like to fight Randy Couture, but by walking away from a UFC contract he’s already essentially turned that fight down.

At some point, Fedor has to stop and ask himself how much money is enough. How much is it worth to squander great potential in matchups that amount to little more than practical jokes? How much is it worth to be remembered as the guy who might have been great? I hate to say it, but right now it looks as though greed — either on the part of Fedor, his management team, or both — is destroying what could have been a legendary career, and that’s the worst part.

If Fedor wasn’t so talented, it wouldn’t matter. He could take part in any number of matches that blur the line between pro wrestling and pro fighting, and I wouldn’t say a word. He could fight a circus bear and it would be just good clean fun.

But this is Fedor. This is “The Russian Last Emperor”. This is the one-word name that has come to mean something in the world of MMA. If things don’t change very soon, how much longer will we be able to say that?

http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/01/.../#comment-9982

Good article

Well sport is all about busines these days.
Now it's a matter of a decision for sportsman how far he is commited to the sport and how much to the benefits he gets. (accually income)

[Evan]

Watching this reminded me of why I never cared for PRIDE.

Very much the same for me.

They had the exact same problems and good things as any given PRIDE event. Fairly amazing.

All it lacked was some fighters from Brazil.

[desflood]

By: Ben Fowlkes Category:

In case you haven’t heard, Fedor Emelianenko won his circus fight with Korean giant Hong Man Choi in the Yarennoka New Year’s Eve show. The outcome was never really in doubt, especially when you consider that Yarennoka changed the rules for this bout to ban knee strikes, one of Choi’s best and only weapons.The fight took less than two minutes and resulted in a fairly comedic but utterly meaningless armbar.

Now that it’s over, I can’t help but wonder what’s going through Fedor’s mind. Is he sitting around some Japanese hotel room right now, watching senseless game shows and trying to avoid looking at himself in the mirror? Does he periodically feel sad for no explainable reason, and does this sadness linger until he checks his bank account balance? What does he tell himself about what he’s become?

It’s not that I don’t understand why a Russian fighter who grew up so poor he had to share a coat with his brother would sell out the first chance he got, which is what Fedor has done, let’s just admit it. As The Million Dollar Man used to say, “Everybody has a price” (yes, most of my life philosophy comes from late 80’s-early 90’s pro wrestling).

But the difference between Fedor and the rest of us is that Fedor didn’t have to sell out to get rich. Fedor had a choice, and now he has to live with the one he’s made.

Whatever rumor you believe about how much the UFC was offering Fedor to sign on and fight Randy Couture, you have to think it was a lot of money. We’re talking somewhere in the millions, after contracts and bonuses and sponsorships are factored in. But Fedor turned that down, or rather, his management team did. They turned it down so he could fight in M-1, which was probably a better deal for his management team, and which currently only exists in the form of a Fedor rental operation.

In other words, Fedor is being used. That’s not so bad, I suppose. Every fighter gets used to some extent. It’s been that way from Jack Dempsey to Mike Tyson. But Fedor is doing it at the expense of his legacy, his reputation, and maybe his dignity.

Honestly, does anyone consider a victory over Hong Man Choi — a man with only one previous MMA bout — to be a serious accomplishment for someone who is supposed to be the world’s best heavyweight? In the post-fight press conference Fedor again mentioned how much he’d like to fight Randy Couture, but by walking away from a UFC contract he’s already essentially turned that fight down.

At some point, Fedor has to stop and ask himself how much money is enough. How much is it worth to squander great potential in matchups that amount to little more than practical jokes? How much is it worth to be remembered as the guy who might have been great? I hate to say it, but right now it looks as though greed — either on the part of Fedor, his management team, or both — is destroying what could have been a legendary career, and that’s the worst part.

If Fedor wasn’t so talented, it wouldn’t matter. He could take part in any number of matches that blur the line between pro wrestling and pro fighting, and I wouldn’t say a word. He could fight a circus bear and it would be just good clean fun.

But this is Fedor. This is “The Russian Last Emperor”. This is the one-word name that has come to mean something in the world of MMA. If things don’t change very soon, how much longer will we be able to say that?

http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/01/.../#comment-9982

MMA article of the year, IMHO. It says exactly what everybody wants to say when they're not articulate enough to say it. Too bad Fedor will never read it

[polandprzem]

Fedor on his blog said he will return to Japan and will have 3,4 fights ...

Do not know what that means.
is he training in japan?

[Evan]

He lives and Trains in Russia but mainly fights in Japan.

I am sure M-1 won't be too pleased to hear he doesn't plan on fighting in the US anytime soon...

[Evan]

MMA article of the year, IMHO. It says exactly what everybody wants to say when they're not articulate enough to say it. Too bad Fedor will never read it

Ben is becoming one of my favorite writers but he doesn't write much.

[LEONARD]

Fedor has said that he wants to fight more in the US too...

Conclusion: nobody knows who, when, or where he'll fight in the next few years...just hope for the best...

[Evan]

Fedor has said that he wants to fight more in the US too...

Conclusion: nobody knows who, when, or where he'll fight in the next few years...just hope for the best...

Pedro Rizzo!

LEONARD's gonna kill me after all of this Fedya bashing.....

[Evan]

Its Fedor Bashing day it seems....

*********************************

From one top heavyweight directly to another
Former UFC heavyweight champion Sylvia was very candid in his response about the man generally regarded as the top heavyweight in the world, Emelianenko. Sylvia was not pleased about Emelianenko's recent decision to join the brand new M-1 Global instead of the UFC.

"I think he's being a (p-ssy)," said Sylvia.

Sylvia went on to say that he respects Emelianenko's skills -- just not his choice of opponents.

[polandprzem]

Well Emalienenko got few years left. He is not getting younger.

All in all I wish to see great fights this year.


btw. I found a great polish site of the MMA. many posters on it. It's getting realy popular sport in here. People got the knowledge. To me it's a matter of producing a time and finding motivation to read all of this.
Right now I do not know what to concentrate on

btw.btw. - I was on that forum site 2 years now and I didn't knew thay had the MMA sextion ...

[Evan]

I would love to see more Polish fighters in MMA. The more international it gets the better.

[polandprzem]

Its Fedor Bashing day it seems....

*********************************

From one top heavyweight directly to another
Former UFC heavyweight champion Sylvia was very candid in his response about the man generally regarded as the top heavyweight in the world, Emelianenko. Sylvia was not pleased about Emelianenko's recent decision to join the brand new M-1 Global instead of the UFC.

"I think he's being a (p-ssy)," said Sylvia.

Sylvia went on to say that he respects Emelianenko's skills -- just not his choice of opponents.

Even my love to Fedor is not that great not to say taht Silva said it right ...

[polandprzem]

I would love to see more Polish fighters in MMA. The more international it gets the better.

Yup - internationality gives more color to it and some kind of emotions.
We've got good fighters. But the promotion is weak. And many fights are illegal.
In poland many guys prefer to fight on the streets or on soccer stadiums (hools).
In poland is not that safe at night in cities.
Many young people drinking on discos in clubs and then they are changing into 'fighters'.

The MMA would have to go abroad and look for talents. I mean like nba scouts are finding in europe the MMA should also look for such way of additon new blood.

[LEONARD]

Pedro Rizzo!

LEONARD's gonna kill me after all of this Fedya bashing.....

Nothing wrong with Rizzo...he just smashed Monson who fought for the UFC belt less than a yr ago...the great Tim Sylvia couldn't finish him.

and people still talk about Fedor fighting Monson as a legit fight...so I'm cool with Rizzo...

Well Emalienenko got few years left. He is not getting younger.

All in all I wish to see great fights this year.

He's only 31...

[polandprzem]

31 is old


good niteee

[LEONARD]

MMA Math doesn't work with me but Rizzo is better than anyone else he has fought in a long time.

But why can't he make a move to fight Josh then worry about second hand garbage like Rizzo?

Duuuuuuuuuuuuuude....I'm not using MMAmath...Rizzo is a legit opponent, even at this point in his career. Just ask Monson's face...


I don't see how styles makes much of a difference as far as being legit goes. Rizzo could probably KO/cut Fedor easier than Monson could sub him actually...and Rizzo probably wouldn't be a quick sub win for Fedor either.

and I'd love for Barnett to be his next fight, but that's not the talk just yet, for whatever reason. Barnett is off in japan doing pro wrestling or some BS like that...

[Evan]

I reconsidered my comment and deleted it before you posted.

[Evan]

lol...I didn't even know Monson fought since AOW!

http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/f...?FighterID=262

[Evan]

31 is old

This is the age when fighters reach their prime.

[oligarchy]

The difference in the two fights is that Monson WANTED to trade with Rizzo. He did NO such thing with Tim. It was shoot, then attempt to shoot again, and again, and again.... Tim also looked better on the ground than the ADCC champ.

We can argue the style differences because:
Tim's takedown defense >> Fedor's

Who's better on the ground between Fedor and Monson? I don't know, maybe advantage Fedor. Anyway, Monson WOULD get him to the ground and would get to work his ground game though. That's why people think it's a legit fight.

Rizzo would get taken down by Fedor and submitted quickly, or probably knocked out.

[Evan]

Agree with Monson, much more of an elite fighter than Rizzo regardless of what happened in their match up and in my opinion is a more of a difficult match up for Fedor. Facing Monson is the type of fight that will shut many people up or at least cool them down to a degree for the time being. Me included, but not if he fights Rizzo.

All of this backlash is simply people being frustrated. People want to see elite athletes suceed at high compe ion and get upset when their careers get derailed.

This happened with Mike Tyson when he left his old training crew and signed with Don King.
Randy Moss when he went to Oakland
Alex Rodriguez when he went to Texas

Tons more but you get the idea of what I am saying.

A couple years of questionable match ups have caught up with Fedor. Each and every single fight can be SOMEWHAT justified since he fought Cro Cop in 05 but taken as a whole its bizarre and weak. I honestly don't see how anyone can possibly consider him a top of the pile fighter anymore even in the current sorry state of MMA heavyweights. Except for sherdog writers who break out the knee pads for him since they blew it with the UFC. But is he a top fighter? Probably…but we simply haven't a clue anymore. He needs to prove it now.

He can get his career back on track pretty fast but it all depends on Fedor and his management. His team needs to quit focusing on Randy which is an impossible fight and they know it. If you owe a record or book publisher 1 more album or book you can't simply walk away regardless of how long its been. Same with Randy who is refusing to fight. (LEONARD you're going to owe me that $20!!!)Josh is out there and maybe he will indeed sign with Elite XC but M-1 should be making strides to lock him up for 1 fight sometime in the next 18 months. Again, they need to shut fans like myself up or their stock in him keeps depleting.

Personally I don't even care about him facing Randy but it would be nice, I would love to see him face Timmeh now.

[oligarchy]

He won't face Tim or Randy anytime soon

[Evan]

Nope. I dont' think he will ever face Randy. Randy has a nasty long legal battle ahead and will probably never fight again.

Timmeh...very possible down the road. 09-10 perhaps.