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Dana White is not letting retirement change his opinion of Fedor Emelianenko.
There is a well-documented history of the disputes between White and Fedor over the years, with the PRIDE heavyweight champion’s major career knock being that he never fought in the UFC.
However, there is a group of the fanbase who do not seem to think that matters, considering Emelianenko was fighting arguably the best heavyweights in the world at the time, even though it was not under the UFC’s banner, because most of the top big men were fighting in Japan at that point.
via Instagram @bellatormma
Dana White Doubles Down on Fedor Emelianenko
As the years have passed, Dana White has made his feelings about Fedor Emelianenko clear, which is more or less that he wishes he could have signed the Russian legend but is content with how things turned out. Despite this being a topic he has spoken on many times, media at the UFC Vegas 68 post-fight press conference still saw a reason to ask the UFC President once more for his thoughts now that Emelianenko has retired.
White did not seem to want to go out of his way to bash Fedor, who lost his retirement fight against Ryan Bader at Bellator 290. Although he did maintain his previously stated opinions about where Emelianenko fits in among the GOATs of heavyweight MMA, as well as his feelings towards not being able to get Fedor in the UFC.
“Listen, what’s the guy, like 46? He shouldn’t be fighting. He’s a grown-ass man and can do whatever he wants to do, but yeah, he probably should’ve hung them up a few years ago,” White said. “I don’t dislike Fedor or anything like that, but (signing him to the UFC) didn’t happen. We gave it a shot. Can’t say we didn’t try. We gave it a shot, and it is what it is.
“I don’t want to shit on the guy. He’s retiring tonight and all that stuff, but you guys know all the interviews with me. I never thought Fedor was all that. I mean, he got knocked out by middleweight Dan Henderson, you know what I mean?” White continued. “People liked him, so they praised him, but he never got to test himself over here. I never was one of the guys that thought he was one of the greatest of all time.”
The debate about where Fedor Emelianenko fits in the list of the greatest heavyweights of all time is likely one that will continue forever, regardless of how Dana White feels. The one thing that can be agreed on is the massive impact that the Russian pioneer has had on the sport, throughout his 23-year long career.
Where does Fedor Emelianenko place in your list of heavyweight GOATs?
Please provide transcription credit with a link to this article if you use any of these quotes.
Dana White is not letting retirement change his opinion of Fedor Emelianenko.
There is a well-documented history of the disputes between White and Fedor over the years, with the PRIDE heavyweight champion’s major career knock being that he never fought in the UFC.
However, there is a group of the fanbase who do not seem to think that matters, considering Emelianenko was fighting arguably the best heavyweights in the world at the time, even though it was not under the UFC’s banner, because most of the top big men were fighting in Japan at that point.
via Instagram @bellatormma
Dana White Doubles Down on Fedor Emelianenko
As the years have passed, Dana White has made his feelings about Fedor Emelianenko clear, which is more or less that he wishes he could have signed the Russian legend but is content with how things turned out. Despite this being a topic he has spoken on many times, media at the UFC Vegas 68 post-fight press conference still saw a reason to ask the UFC President once more for his thoughts now that Emelianenko has retired.
White did not seem to want to go out of his way to bash Fedor, who lost his retirement fight against Ryan Bader at Bellator 290. Although he did maintain his previously stated opinions about where Emelianenko fits in among the GOATs of heavyweight MMA, as well as his feelings towards not being able to get Fedor in the UFC.
“Listen, what’s the guy, like 46? He shouldn’t be fighting. He’s a grown-ass man and can do whatever he wants to do, but yeah, he probably should’ve hung them up a few years ago,” White said. “I don’t dislike Fedor or anything like that, but (signing him to the UFC) didn’t happen. We gave it a shot. Can’t say we didn’t try. We gave it a shot, and it is what it is.
“I don’t want to shit on the guy. He’s retiring tonight and all that stuff, but you guys know all the interviews with me. I never thought Fedor was all that. I mean, he got knocked out by middleweight Dan Henderson, you know what I mean?” White continued. “People liked him, so they praised him, but he never got to test himself over here. I never was one of the guys that thought he was one of the greatest of all time.”
[/quote]
The debate about where Fedor Emelianenko fits in the list of the greatest heavyweights of all time is likely one that will continue forever, regardless of how Dana White feels. The one thing that can be agreed on is the massive impact that the Russian pioneer has had on the sport, throughout his 23-year long career.
Where does Fedor Emelianenko place in your list of heavyweight GOATs?
Please provide transcription credit with a link to this article if you use any of these quotes.
Click here to view the article.
There is a well-documented history of the disputes between White and Fedor over the years, with the PRIDE heavyweight champion’s major career knock being that he never fought in the UFC.
However, there is a group of the fanbase who do not seem to think that matters, considering Emelianenko was fighting arguably the best heavyweights in the world at the time, even though it was not under the UFC’s banner, because most of the top big men were fighting in Japan at that point.
via Instagram @bellatormma
Dana White Doubles Down on Fedor Emelianenko
As the years have passed, Dana White has made his feelings about Fedor Emelianenko clear, which is more or less that he wishes he could have signed the Russian legend but is content with how things turned out. Despite this being a topic he has spoken on many times, media at the UFC Vegas 68 post-fight press conference still saw a reason to ask the UFC President once more for his thoughts now that Emelianenko has retired.
White did not seem to want to go out of his way to bash Fedor, who lost his retirement fight against Ryan Bader at Bellator 290. Although he did maintain his previously stated opinions about where Emelianenko fits in among the GOATs of heavyweight MMA, as well as his feelings towards not being able to get Fedor in the UFC.
“Listen, what’s the guy, like 46? He shouldn’t be fighting. He’s a grown-ass man and can do whatever he wants to do, but yeah, he probably should’ve hung them up a few years ago,” White said. “I don’t dislike Fedor or anything like that, but (signing him to the UFC) didn’t happen. We gave it a shot. Can’t say we didn’t try. We gave it a shot, and it is what it is.
“I don’t want to shit on the guy. He’s retiring tonight and all that stuff, but you guys know all the interviews with me. I never thought Fedor was all that. I mean, he got knocked out by middleweight Dan Henderson, you know what I mean?” White continued. “People liked him, so they praised him, but he never got to test himself over here. I never was one of the guys that thought he was one of the greatest of all time.”
The debate about where Fedor Emelianenko fits in the list of the greatest heavyweights of all time is likely one that will continue forever, regardless of how Dana White feels. The one thing that can be agreed on is the massive impact that the Russian pioneer has had on the sport, throughout his 23-year long career.
Where does Fedor Emelianenko place in your list of heavyweight GOATs?
Please provide transcription credit with a link to this article if you use any of these quotes.
Dana White is not letting retirement change his opinion of Fedor Emelianenko.
There is a well-documented history of the disputes between White and Fedor over the years, with the PRIDE heavyweight champion’s major career knock being that he never fought in the UFC.
However, there is a group of the fanbase who do not seem to think that matters, considering Emelianenko was fighting arguably the best heavyweights in the world at the time, even though it was not under the UFC’s banner, because most of the top big men were fighting in Japan at that point.
Dana White Doubles Down on Fedor Emelianenko
As the years have passed, Dana White has made his feelings about Fedor Emelianenko clear, which is more or less that he wishes he could have signed the Russian legend but is content with how things turned out. Despite this being a topic he has spoken on many times, media at the UFC Vegas 68 post-fight press conference still saw a reason to ask the UFC President once more for his thoughts now that Emelianenko has retired.
White did not seem to want to go out of his way to bash Fedor, who lost his retirement fight against Ryan Bader at Bellator 290. Although he did maintain his previously stated opinions about where Emelianenko fits in among the GOATs of heavyweight MMA, as well as his feelings towards not being able to get Fedor in the UFC.
“Listen, what’s the guy, like 46? He shouldn’t be fighting. He’s a grown-ass man and can do whatever he wants to do, but yeah, he probably should’ve hung them up a few years ago,” White said. “I don’t dislike Fedor or anything like that, but (signing him to the UFC) didn’t happen. We gave it a shot. Can’t say we didn’t try. We gave it a shot, and it is what it is.
“I don’t want to shit on the guy. He’s retiring tonight and all that stuff, but you guys know all the interviews with me. I never thought Fedor was all that. I mean, he got knocked out by middleweight Dan Henderson, you know what I mean?” White continued. “People liked him, so they praised him, but he never got to test himself over here. I never was one of the guys that thought he was one of the greatest of all time.”
[/quote]
The debate about where Fedor Emelianenko fits in the list of the greatest heavyweights of all time is likely one that will continue forever, regardless of how Dana White feels. The one thing that can be agreed on is the massive impact that the Russian pioneer has had on the sport, throughout his 23-year long career.
Where does Fedor Emelianenko place in your list of heavyweight GOATs?
Please provide transcription credit with a link to this article if you use any of these quotes.
Click here to view the article.
