Overview
- White told The Pivot podcast Tuesday that he and former owner Lorenzo Fertitta flew to negotiate with Fedor and left relieved when the Russian turned the offer down.
- He said the UFC’s proposal was very large and that the size of the offer is a main reason he now considers the missed signing a blessing in hindsight.
- White confirmed the promotion’s explicit aim was to stage a marquee matchup between Fedor and Brock Lesnar, a fight the company could not ultimately make happen.
- Emelianenko never joined the UFC after Zuffa’s PRIDE buyout, instead fighting for Strikeforce and Bellator before retiring after a 2023 knockout loss to Ryan Bader.
- Accounts of the negotiations remain opaque and contested—some outlets cite Joe Rogan’s claim that Fedor’s camp made unusual demands—and White’s remarks add to ongoing debate about how that era shaped MMA history.