Strikeforce
STRIKEFORCE QUOTABLES: M-1 Global's Evgeni Kogan says Fedor extension close to finalized, will bring four M-1 Challenge events to Showtime in 2011
Dec 4, 2010 - 1:50:19 PM STRIKEFORCE QUOTABLES: M-1 Global's Evgeni Kogan says Fedor extension close to finalized, will bring four M-1 Challenge events to Showtime in 2011

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

"We are now very close to finalizing a deal extension for Fedor with Showtime and Strikeforce. Part of that deal is four M-1 Challenge events on Showtime in the U.S. So if that deal gets done, then we have four M-1 Challenge events in 2011 on Showtime in the U.S. where there will be title matches, obviously.

Since that loss, we've been renegotiating the deal. Or we're trying to get an extension done. Now that it's looking likely that the extension will get done - and we tried as hard as we possibly could to make it happen - it's realistic that Fedor will come back early next year. And then there will be a second Fedor fight in the new extension probably in the middle months next year."

-M-1 Global's Evgeni Kogan talked to The Fight Nerd (transcribed by Mike Fagan at BloodyElbow.com) about the status of negotiations for Fedor Emelianenko's return to Strikeforce and Showtime.

Penick's Analysis: If it wasn't clear before as to Strikeforce's level of power in this whole situation it should be now. The leverage in negotiations should have swung entirely into Strikeforce's hands with Fedor when he lost to Fabricio Werdum, but instead it seems M-1 Global's negotiations with Showtime have taken precedence. The fact that M-1 has been able to renegotiate this contract after each fight sure doesn't give any reason to believe they won't continue to do so as long as they can continue getting beneficial improvements to the deal for themselves. Showtime has no obligation to Strikeforce to keep them as the sole provider of MMA content, and M-1 is using Fedor to continue to finagle their way into new deals. Clearly Showtime wants to keep Fedor fighting on their network and they're willing to circumvent Strikeforce's power in this situation to keep him around.