Dana White lauds Emelianenko's chin vs. Maldonado, admits 'people do still want to watch Fedor'

This past Friday, Fedor Emelianenko made his debut on UFC Fight Pass. He won, but the victory in his home country was mired in controversy.

Fabio Maldonado let loose on “The Last Emperor” in the first round at EFN 50 from Sibur Arena in St. Petersburg, Russia. Somehow, Emelianenko (36-4) managed to make it to the second round – despite claims from some observors that had the fight been anywhere but Russia, it would have been stopped for a Maldonado (22-10) TKO win.

But Emelianenko turned the tide in the second and third, and he eventually took a majority decision with scores of 28-28, 29-28 and 29-28.





Suffice it to say, Maldonado disagreed with the decision.

UFC President Dana White, who has long been in failed talks to get Emelianenko into the UFC, at the very least got to have the legendary heavyweight on the promotion’s Fight Pass platform.

Today, on the debut podcast episode of “UFC Unfiltered with Jim Norton and Matt Serra,” White lauded Emelianenko’s toughness – while saying there was no way the referee was going to stop an Emelianenko fight in Russia.

“They were going to let him die before they stopped that fight, you know that?” White said. “But a testament to how tough and durable and mentally strong Fedor is, man. He was out. He was out. Literally, when he got back up … when a guy is on crazy legs the way that he was on crazy legs, and it’s not like he was on crazy legs and able to avoid punches after that. He continued to get hit with bombs by Maldonado and he made it through it.

"But ill tell you this: Those refs were willing to let him die before they stopped that fight, No. 1. And No. 2, Fedor’s got a chin and he’s a tough guy.”

White said the possibility of Emelianenko eventually getting a fight in the UFC still remains. At the very least, he knows there’s still an audience for the 37-year-old heavyweight.

“We’ve been negotiating for many, many, many years,” White said. “I’ll tell you this: Fight Pass did very well with that fight, so people do still want to watch Fedor.”



http://mmajunkie.com/2016/06/dana-white-lauds-emelianenkos-chin-vs-maldonado-admits-people-do-still-want-to-watch-fedor

I wish they put a number of viewers who watched the fight.
well at least dana hasn't wrote fedor off completely and it sounds like there is still a chance for him to sign with ufc.

fingers crossed they announce the signing at ufc 200

Heh ... oh Dana.... you are such a vacuum cleaner salesman! PT Barnum has nothing on you....
"There's a sucker born every minute." PT Barnum

Keep selling Dana ... keep selling....

I think they are more likely to announce the sale of the UFC at UFC 200 than a Fedor signing.
Some rumors out there that the sale has already been completed and are just working on final financials and legal docs to go through.

I guess that's a strong possibility considering there has been so much talk in regards to that.

if they truly sell the ufc for 4.2 billion that is crazy considering they paid 2 million in 2001 for it.

Heh Fedor signs with UFC, UFC gets sold, New company sells Fedor to Bellator..... The Paper Emperor becomes a monk again....

Why would they announce selling the UFC at a big event like that??
It's not like the sale of a company is overly positive, exciting news to fans, like a big fight or fighter being signed or something.
I can't even picture how they would announce that and dress it up in a way that would be fun for people.

Try to spin it as better reach (internationally), more cards, access to more fighters, etc....
Especially if they keep Dana on board as a minority stakeholder.

lol