After watching the Wanderlei Silva vs. Chuck Liddell fight, this dream matchup of Fedor Emelianenko vs. Randy Couture was one of the few I still wished would happen.
With Couture aging quickly and Fedor unable to agree on a contract with the UFC, I was sure that this fight was completely out of the question and we would never see it come to fruition.
Now it looks like it just may come true after all. MMAJUNKIE.COM has reported that the possibility of a matchup between these two legendary heavyweights may actually happen if Randy can find a way to clear himself of a pending lawsuit filed against him by the UFC. I hope Dana White lets him go after his contract expires in October. It would be a sad day in MMA sports if Dana pulls one of long strung out court battles and Randy gets too old to make the fight worth watching.
Make it happen Dana! Do it for mix martial arts and the fans! This is bigger than you! Bigger than the UFC!!!
Couture and Emelianenko came together to shoot promotional materials for Couture’s Affliction clothing line, for which Emelianenko is now a celebrity endorser.
The two fighters also reportedly talked about the possibility of their future mega-fight. Couture resigned from the UFC in October and said part of the reason was the UFC’s inability to sign Emelianenko to the organization. Emelianenko, on the other hand, recently signed a non-exclusive deal with M-1 Global and has talked openly about his desire to fight Couture once he’s available.
The only thing that could keep the fight from happening is the UFC’s pending lawsuit against Couture and UFC President Dana White. Couture is under the impression he’s free of the UFC’s reigns once his employment contract expires in October. The UFC feels differently, and the matter will likely be resolved by the courts.