Dana White Pokes Fedor Emelianenko For Turning Down UFC Fight

Years ago, the UFC and Fedor Emelianenko appeared close to coming together on a contract.

Instead, talks broke off and the two sides would never really get closer to another deal.

Emelianenko went off and is now still competing for Bellator MMA. He has taken time off at points, but has scored impressive wins over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Tim Johnson.

UFC president Dana White, though, feels “The Last Emperor” is only competing because he needs a paycheck.

“Should I not see him as overrated because he knocked out Tim Johnson?” White asked following the UFC 267 post-fight press conference (thanks to MMA Fighting for the quotes). “I don’t think one way or another about it.”

Emelianenko was asked by Russian outlet TASS following his most recent win about White.

“Money means everything to him,” he said. “He has no respect towards fighters, no respect for any human being. Only money and that’s all.”

To be honest, Emelianenko isn’t far from the truth. White has always said it is about the UFC and not one single individual, including himself. His job is to promote the sport and the fighters, which in turn creates more money for the promotion.

White fired back at all of that.

“First of all, I don’t even know Fedor,” White said. “Fedor doesn’t know me. We met one time. His statement was I was all about money — he should have been more about money when we made you that offer wherever the (expletive) we were, whatever island that was we were on, and you wouldn’t still be fighting at 45 years old.”

Those plans centered around a bout with Brock Lesnar that would take place inside Cowboy Stadium, the home of the NFL Dallas Cowboys.