FACEBOOK TWITTER RSS APP PODCAST MMA News : UFC UFC QUOTABLES: Mirko Cro Cop doesn't understand why Fedor's not in the UFC

Sep 9, 2009 - 10:41:19 AM
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
"I like Fedor as a fighter. As a man, I don't want to insult Fedor, but I don't understand his attitude. I really don't understand why he doesn't want to enter the UFC. Definitely, the UFC offered him the best possible deal, to pay him more than Dream can offer or Strikeforce can offer, but he's just refusing to go there. I don't know why. I think he should take the challenge. I don't think he's afraid. Maybe he wants to keep his perfect record. Maybe he thinks the UFC is too tough. Why he's not there, I don't know."

-Mirko Cro Cop discusses Fedor Emelianenko on Tuesday's UFC 103 conference call.

Penick's Analysis: Those are all valid observations from Cro Cop. As someone who knows firsthand the difference between what the UFC can offer compared to the other places he could fight, Cro Cop's in a position that he can make these comments. It's apparent the negotiations with M-1 Global and the UFC were never about Fedor from M-1's stance, it was them negotiating with the UFC to have their one fighter fight everyone the UFC could bring forth, and that's just not how the UFC does business. Clearly Cro Cop doesn't think that's the way to go either. And he may be a future benefactor of Fedor's absence, as a win over Dos Santos along with a couple more may put him in a future Title shot.

[Fedor art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch]

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