FEDOR BACK IN FEBRUARY
By Loretta Hunt (loretta@thefightnetwork.com)
The new ownership of the M-1 Global promotion and its acquisition of number-one world ranked fighter Fedor Emelianenko will be announced Monday at a press conference in New York City. A conference invitation sent out today was devoid of the usual details, including the event’s host, who has gone to great lengths to keep its identity a secret till Monday. It is expected that the promotion will also announce its first event in the U.S. for February, with the PRIDE heavyweight champion headlining against an opponent yet to be named. Emelianenko will be in attendance.
The Fight Network was the first to report that the Russian-based M-1 Mix-Fight promotion recently sold to an undisclosed American buyer tied to the entertainment industry. Established in 1997, M-1 has held over 30 events, mostly in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Former M-1 owner and Russian businessman Vadim Finklestein, who manages the 31-year-old Sambo champion, facilitated the signing of Emelianenko (26-1, 1 NC) to the revamped organization, which trumped offers made by the UFC, Strikeforce, and Mark Cuban’s HDNet Fights, among other rival promotions. Finklestein and colleague Apy Echteld will remain with M-1 in executive positions, while a CEO will be announced Monday as well.
Last Thursday, UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture relinquished his title, citing the UFC's inability to sign Emelianenko as one of his reasons for resignation. Emelianenko is six months removed from his last performance, a first round submission over 2000 Olympic Greco-Roman wrestling silver medalist Matt Lindand at April 14's Bodog Fight "Clash of the Nations" in St. Petersburg, Russia.
POSTED -- 10/17/07
Anything I post- is my opinion!
