Former PRIDE heavyweight champion and current M-1 Global fighter Fedor Emelianenko will meet with estranged UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture on Thursday — likely to discuss the bout that the two fighters have long desired.
The news comes from the m1mixfight.com website, which is run by Emelianenko’s management team, which is headed by Vadim Finkelstein.
Although it’s being held under the guise of a business meeting between Emelianenko and representatives of Couture’s Affliction clothing line (Emelianenko may sign a sponsorship deal with the company), Emelianenko “plans to meet Randy Couture there to discuss things in person,” according to the website. Those “things” could include a future fight.
The meeting will take place in Los Angeles.
Back in October, Couture announced his resignation from the UFC citing a lack of respect from UFC officials, issues of his pay, and the UFC’s inability to sign then-top free agent Emelianenko to a UFC contract (Couture had stated on numerous occasions that a victory over Emelianenko is about the only thing the 44-year-old think that he has left to accomplish in his career). Couture plans to sit out of competition until October, when he feels his UFC fight and employment contracts expire. However, UFC President Dana White had continually stated that the contracts won’t expire until Couture fulfills the terms of the deal.
The matter’s likely to end up in the courts.
Emelianenko, a 31-year-old Russian, signed a non-exclusive deal with the restructured M-1 Global organization in October. He was permitted to compete in a New Year’s Eve show in Japan against 7-foot-2 kickboxer Hong-Man Choi, whom he submitted in just under two minutes. The victory pushed Emelianenko’s record to 27-1.
As for the potential Couture-Emelianenko fight — if it ever happens — it has the potential to be one of the biggest fights in MMA history. A number of organizations are already thought to be vying for hosting duties.
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