BloodyElbow has exclusive details on what now is becoming more than just speculation. Michael Rome of BE has the scoop.
First, I can say with 100% certainty that there are current negotiations for Randy Couture to return in November to main event, and that the current proposed opponent is Brock Lesnar. They can't get Fedor, too many issues to work out on short notice, and he has a US-only non compete with Affliction.
This will be a new contract, not a return to the old one. It will likely pay him more and give him more benefits, but it will lock him into the UFC for the long term. In exchange for signing it Zuffa would drop all breach of contract charges.
Its not just Rome either, Dave Meltzer has started confirming things on f4wonline.com
A source close to Randy Couture has confirmed today that Couture is in negotiations with UFC for a new three-fight deal which would end the nearly nine month legal battle between the two sides.
If the deal is closed, and the source said they are hoping to conclude negotiations and announce the match sometime within the next week, Couture would face Brock Lesnar on 11/15, most likely in Portland, Oregon.
Couture was said to be hoping that if everything went well, the next two fights could involve Fedor, Nogueira, and/or Chuck Liddell. However, all previous hangups involving Emelianenko and UFC remain.
In addition Ariel Helwani at MMARated is reporting that an announcement by the UFC may be made on Tuesday and the UFC is considering a Fedor fight after the Lesnar match-up.
Believe it or not, the UFC is also considering a proposal from M-1 Global to co-promote a Randy Couture vs. Fedor Emelianenko bout following the Lesnar fight in November. The third proposed fight would be a bout against either current interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira or Chuck Liddell - depending on where both fighters are in their respective careers. However, given the nature of the fight game and the fighters involved, it's hard to predict what will happen that far in advance.
10 comments:
i heard the natural might sign a complete new contract UFC.
maybe he thought about signing with UFC again because he doesn't want to fight with fedor.
the part about ufc willing to co-promote with m1 is really hard to believe.
i think its great randy is going to fight again and i think he just wants to get back in the cage after all his goal was not to retire but to fight the best and to go out as the best. i strongly believe he will do just that.
Damn, there goes that Fedor fight we've all been expecting...
they might co promote to fuck with affliction because i think UFC has nothing to worry about from M1..
Why is it hard to believe it will happen? The UFC almost did it with Pride (Silva/Liddell) till Pride backed out of it.
M-1 has more to lose from this matchup then the UFC does. If Couture loses he's just another loss to the unstoppable Fedor and also possibly "out of his prime". On top of that the UFC still is the top dog for the other weight divisions.
BUT if Couture wins Fedors god like aura is destroyed and the UFC looks that much better for destroying it.
Sweet news! So, I get to watch Lesnar's arrogant, unskilled ass get dismantled by Randy. Then I get to watch Fedor finally shut Dana White up when he kicks Randy's ass. Win-Win.
I think this has alot to do with lorenzo fratitta retireing from the station casinos to take on a bigger role at the ufc. Lorenzo made this happen, not Dana.
IT'S HAPPENING!
Brock lesnar will beat the living shit out of Gay ass Couture. Couture will have no anwer to lesnars power.
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