DANA WHITE has signed off on hundreds, if not thousands, of fights during his time as UFC president – but one dream match-up eluded the veteran promoter.
The mixed martial arts mogul has been at the heart of several of the biggest fights in the sport’s history for over 21 years.
GETTYDana White has been instrumental in putting together the biggest fights in UFC history[/caption]
GETTYWhite has been putting together iconic fights for well over 20 years[/caption]
GETTYBut a historic showdown between MMA great Fedor Emelianenko and Brock Lesnar eluded him[/caption]
Whether it be Conor McGregor’s grudge match with Khabib Nurmagomedov or the promotion’s first champion-versus-champion fight between Georges St-Pierre and BJ Penn, White has played a significant role in getting the big ones over the line.
But there was one fight the veteran promoter admits he “couldn’t make” – despite his best efforts.
The fight in question: a heavyweight showdown between former PRIDE and UFC heavyweight champions Fedor Emelianenko and Brock Lesnar.
White, 53, told SunSport: “I think I’ve made every fight I’ve ever set out to make.
“The only fight I couldn’t make was Fedor versus Lesnar.
“That was the only fight I couldn’t get done.”
Mixed martial arts legend Fedor, sadly, never graced the octagon – but it wasn’t for the lack of trying from both parties.
Negotiations for the Russian – who is set to bring an end to his glittering career early next year – to join the UFC took place in 2009 and 2015.
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The second round of talks reached an advanced stage but an agreement for The Last Emperor to fight in the octagon was never reached.
A bout between current Bellator star Emelianenko – who is still considered by many to be the greatest heavyweight of all time – and Lesnar would’ve done gigantic pay-per-view numbers.
WWE superstar Lesnar was a PPV phenom during his time in the promotion, generating over a million pay-per-view buys on three occasions.
Unlike boxing – which has a litany of dream fights that never came to fruition – the UFC continues to deliver the bouts its rabid fan base wants to see.
Regularly putting on the fights both he and the fans want to see is a great source of pride for White.
Although the feeling has become somewhat normal for the powerhouse promoter.
He said: “I do that every weekend. Every weekend we make the fights [that] people want.”
ZUFFAThe UFC twice tried to sign MMA legend Emelianenko[/caption]
BELLATORBut The Last Emperor sadly never foot inside the octagon[/caption]
GETTYPay-per-view powerhouse Brock Lesnar retired from MMA five year ago[/caption]
The UFC will resume action on January 14 at the Apex in Las Vegas, with a middleweight clash between France’s Nassourdine Imaov and Kelvin Gastelum topping the bill
Their first pay-per-view event of the year will take place a week later in Rio de Janeiro, with a fight for the vacant light-heavyweight title between former champion Glover Texeira and Jamahal Hill serving as the showpiece bout.