Fedor reportedly offered $2 million to fight Wanderlei Silva
Fedor reportedly offered $2 million to fight Wanderlei Silva
From MixedMartialArts.com
“According to a report in the long-running Russian language newspaper Izvestia, the greatest heavyweight in MMA history, Fedor Emelianenko, has been offered $2,000,000 by Japan’s RIZIN, to fight in a show on New Year’s Eve, likely against Wanderlei Silva. Fedor is currently on a five-fight win streak.
Via Google Translate.
The 39-year-old heavyweight Emelianenko has not fought since winning a decision over Brazilian Fabio Maldonado in the main event of Global Fight Nights 50, on June 17, 2016, in St. Petersburg.
A source from Emelianenko’s inner circle says the famed champion has an offer from the Japanese promotion Rizin.
The proposal is for a fight on December 31 in Japan as part of the New Year fight show, promoted by the Rizin organization. The source told Izvestia that the sum of the contract is about $2 million. Japanese fans are very fond of Fedor, where he is more well known there than in Russia. He had more than half his fights in the land of the rising sun.
Emelianenko’s team is currently considering the proposal, and it will probably be accepted. It is expected that the formal signing of the agreement will be announced in the next two weeks. The opponent has not been determined, but Wanderlei Silva is being considered, and is the likely opponent.
Julia Kuklin, spokesperson for Fedor Emelianenko, said that they are currently considering a number of proposals received, and that the final decision will be announced in the near future.
Emelianenko’s former manager, Vadim Finkelstein, who had worked with the Russian heavyweight for almost 10 years, believes that Fedor has a great chance of success at Rizin, but is sure that the fighter wants even more.
‘They have a great production, they know how to make a beautiful and high-quality show,’ Finkelstein told Izvestia. ‘But I believe that Rizin not the ultimate dream for Fedor – he can and must fight in the UFC! And age is not a hindrance. There are some interesting contenders for him.'”
H/T Karim Zidan at BE
