Couture Unwilling to fight Fedor in UFC
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Estranged UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture is still determined to fight former PRIDE heavy title-holder Fedor Emelianenko. Just don't expect to see the fight take place in the UFC, Couture says.
The 44-year-old UFC hall-of-famer made the comments in a recent video interview with the m1mixfight.com website.
Even after he resigned from the organization back in October (citing a lack of respect from UFC executives, issues over his pay, and the UFC's inability to sign then-free agent Emelianenko), Couture said he would return to the organization if UFC president Dana White could arrange a fight with the famed Russian.
However, the UFC recently took Couture to court to bar his involvement with outside fight promotions. The litigation has apparently ruined any shot of a Couture-Emelianenko fight taking place in the UFC.
Couture made that perfectly clear when he was asked if he cares where the fight with Emelianenko takes place.
"I care at this point that it's not in the UFC," Couture said with a dejected laugh. "But outside of that, I don't care where it happens so long as it happens."
The Dallas-based HDNet Fights appears to be the frontrunner to get the heavyweight fight. In fact, HDNet Fights owner Mark Cuban recently joined the legal fight to get a declaratory judgment on Couture's contract status.
"By fall... we'll hopefully have the fight going," Couture said.
And while he would prefer to fight close to home, it's not mandatory.
"I prefer to fight here in the U.S.," Couture said. "It's where I'm confortable. For all the marketing reasons, this is the strongest market for the sport probably outside of Tokyo... but wherever it happens, it happens."
With Couture now unwilling to fight in the UFC, a rumor that Emelianenko was close to signing a one-fight deal with the UFC -- to fight Couture -- appears unlikely.
(UPDATE: According to a report from Sherdog.com, Emelianenko is a free agent in every sense of the word. Apparently, a deal between Emelianenko and M-1 Global was never finalized, and Emelianenko signed nothing more than a letter of intent to fight for the organization. He's likely to return a $1.5 million sign bonus this week, after which he'll be a free agent.)
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Estranged UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture is still determined to fight former PRIDE heavy title-holder Fedor Emelianenko. Just don't expect to see the fight take place in the UFC, Couture says.
The 44-year-old UFC hall-of-famer made the comments in a recent video interview with the m1mixfight.com website.
Even after he resigned from the organization back in October (citing a lack of respect from UFC executives, issues over his pay, and the UFC's inability to sign then-free agent Emelianenko), Couture said he would return to the organization if UFC president Dana White could arrange a fight with the famed Russian.
However, the UFC recently took Couture to court to bar his involvement with outside fight promotions. The litigation has apparently ruined any shot of a Couture-Emelianenko fight taking place in the UFC.
Couture made that perfectly clear when he was asked if he cares where the fight with Emelianenko takes place.
"I care at this point that it's not in the UFC," Couture said with a dejected laugh. "But outside of that, I don't care where it happens so long as it happens."
The Dallas-based HDNet Fights appears to be the frontrunner to get the heavyweight fight. In fact, HDNet Fights owner Mark Cuban recently joined the legal fight to get a declaratory judgment on Couture's contract status.
"By fall... we'll hopefully have the fight going," Couture said.
And while he would prefer to fight close to home, it's not mandatory.
"I prefer to fight here in the U.S.," Couture said. "It's where I'm confortable. For all the marketing reasons, this is the strongest market for the sport probably outside of Tokyo... but wherever it happens, it happens."
With Couture now unwilling to fight in the UFC, a rumor that Emelianenko was close to signing a one-fight deal with the UFC -- to fight Couture -- appears unlikely.
(UPDATE: According to a report from Sherdog.com, Emelianenko is a free agent in every sense of the word. Apparently, a deal between Emelianenko and M-1 Global was never finalized, and Emelianenko signed nothing more than a letter of intent to fight for the organization. He's likely to return a $1.5 million sign bonus this week, after which he'll be a free agent.)
