Fedor Emelianenko: I’m not a UFC fan

By Brett Okamoto

Friday, June 18, 2010 | 4:25 p.m.

Strikeforce heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko revealed over a conference call Friday that he is "not UFC fan," because of what he perceives to be a negative undertone associated with the organization's events.

Through his interpreter Steve Bash, Emelianenko didn't necessarily bash the UFC, but did admit he rarely is a spectator of the organization.

"I'm not a fan of watching their fights," Emelianenko said. "I've seen what seems to be a negativity involved in a lot of their shows."

When asked to elaborate on the "negativity," the Russian MMA star basically said it had to do with multiple aspects of the organization, including the UFC fighters themselves.

"I think it's a combination in some ways of how the fights are presented and the manner they are presented," Emelianenko said. "Also, in some ways, the behavior of a lot of fighters in the UFC takes away from the sport."

Emelianenko is considered by many to be the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world. He is the current WAMMA heavyweight champion and former Pride heavyweight champion.

The UFC has made several attempts to sign Emelianenko, but negotiations fell through in 2007 and 2009. UFC president Dana White has continued to express interest in him, even though Emelianenko still has two fights left on the Strikeforce contract he signed last August.

Both the UFC and Strikeforce have had recent problems with fighter behavior.

British welterweight Paul Daley was cut from the UFC in May for taking a late cheap shot at Josh Koscheck following a decision loss in Montreal, Quebec. Strikeforce saw four of its fighters suspended by the Tennessee Athletic Commission for a post-fight brawl during an April show in Nashville, Tenn.

Emelianenko is scheduled to take on Fabricio Werdum on June 26 in San Jose, Calif., one week before a UFC heavyweight title fight between Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin in Las Vegas.

When asked which of the two fights was more relevant to the sport, both Emelianenko and Werdum obviously leaned towards their own.

"I think both fights are very important because you've got four world class heavyweights in the top ten of their sport," Emelianenko said. "But I'm not a UFC fan. I would invite all the fans to watch our fight, which I believe is the more important one."

Brett Okamoto can be reached at 948-7817 or [email protected].