Dana White has said the closest the UFC ever came to signing Emelianenko occurred in 2009, when it was looking to set up a fight between Emelianenko and WWE star-turned UFC champion Brock Lesnar. Emelianenko and his partner, Vadim Finkelstein, declined the deal and went on to sign with Strikeforce.
Following the bout, M-1 co-founder Vadim Finkelstein suggested that Emelianenko's next fight could come against Japanese fighter Satoshi Ishii, a 2008 Olympic champion in judo. Ishii has a 4-1-1 professional record, but he has never beaten a highly ranked MMA fighter; his last bout was a draw with t
"We consulted with Fedor and it was decided that he should not leave the sport in this way," said Vadim Finkelstein, M-1 Global president. "His friends and past opponents support Fedor in continuing his career and he agreed."
Date: Aug 08, 2011
Category: Sports
Source: Google
Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson - On Fedor Emelianenko and Retirement
But M-1 Global and Vadim Finkelstein were quick to dispel that notion. After a few weeks back home in Mother Russia, Emelianenko's tune started to change as well. He admitted to "speaking too soon" and allowing the emotion of the moment to play a part in his thoughts that night.