After last week's negotiations with the UFC failed due to co-promoting demands, Fedor Emelianenko has instead signed a multi-fight deal with the UFC's biggest competitor, Strikeforce.
The organization today announced it has signed Emelianenko (30-1) to a multi-fight deal that will have him fight under the Strikeforce banner in events co-promoted by M-1 Global. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
No specific date has been determined for his first Strikeforce fight, but Emelianenko will make his promotional debut this fall on Showtime, according to today's announcement.
"I am looking forward to going back to work and fighting at the highest level," Emelianenko stated. "Strikeforce is a top fight promotion that houses some of the greatest fighters in the world. I am prepared to fight any of them."
Emelianeko hit the open market last month when Affliction Entertainment canceled its Aug. 1 "Trilogy" event after Emelianenko's main-event opponent, Josh Barnett, was denied a license because of a failed drug test due to an anabolic steroid. Affliction then announced it had ceased all promotional operations and would return to the UFC as an official sponsor.
Strikeforce signs Fedor Emelianenko to multi-fight deal, M-1 to co-promote | MMAjunkie.com
08-03-2009, 03:08 PM
Linear Mode
