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Dana White doesn't regret Fedor Emelianenko's failed move to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Emelianenko is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time who never fought in the UFC. White recently revealed that he wanted to make a fight between the Russian and Brock Lesnar. However, they failed to sign Emelianenko despite offering him a lot of money.
Dana White discusses the failed UFC negotiations with heavyweight legend Fedor Emelianenko
White claims that the offer was so massive that he and Lorenzo Fertitta were relieved that Emelianenko turned them down. The UFC head honcho doesn't regret the failed negotiations.
"We never got a deal done with Fedor," White said on "The Pivot" podcast.
"When me and Lorenzo got on the plane and left wherever we were, we looked at each other and said, ‘Thank God they said no,' because we offered him so much money. You get in that room and you just try to get that deal done… We wanted to do him vs. Brock Lesnar at the time. I don't regret it."
When the UFC acquired Pride in 2007, Emelianenko was the one megastar that didn't sign with the promotion. While "The Last Emperor" fought in Strikeforce, he moved on when the UFC bought the promotion in 2011. Emelianenko finished the last stretch of his career in Bellator, hanging up his gloves following a knockout loss to Ryan Bader in 2023.
