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[twankydawg]

By Loretta Hunt (loretta@thefightnetwork.com)
Additional Reporting by Gino Mongelli and Mike Russell (gfn@thefightnetwork.com)

CHOI TO FEDOR: SPECIAL RULES PLEASE

Cross-continental negotiations are underway to finalize a proposed match-up between Fedor Emelianenko (26-1, 1 NC) and Hong Man Choi (1-0) for Dec. 31’s “Yarennoka! New Year’s Eve!” event at the Super Saitama Arena in Saitama.

With Choi unharmed after getting eliminated by Jerome LeBanner in this past weekend’s K-1 2007 World Grand Prix, the only snag that could prevent this papered mismatch from happening would be if the two groups can not come to terms on the rules for the bout. Choi’s representatives have requested special rules be implemented to favor their 7-foot-2, 370-pound fighter’s striking-heavy style. Of course, the more stringent the rules become to limit or even avoid ground action, the less of a true MMA bout this headliner becomes.

“We have the right to review and approve any special rules,” said M-1 Global CEO Monte Cox, whose organization exclusively signed the world’s top-ranked fighter in October. Recently acquired by the U.S.-based Sibling Sports LLC, M-1 Global brokered the PRIDE heavyweight champion out to the Yarennoka organization for an undisclosed fee.

Hinging on his team’s acceptance of any special rules, Cox said he anticipates a finalized deal could be reached by the end of the week.

Choi has participated in one MMA bout to date, a lopsided 15-second affair against the much smaller Bobby Ologun (2-1) at K-1 “Premium Dynamite!! 2006” one year ago.

Emelianenko last stepped into the ring on April 14, when he submitted Olympic Greco Roman wrestling silver medalist Matt Lindland (20-5) with a first-round armbar at Bodog Fight “Clash of the Nations” in St. Petersburg, Russia.

http://www.thefightnetwork.com/news_detail.php?nid=5640

I find this very fucking funny, Fedor would be stupid to agree to any rules that prohibit any ground fighting, that's his bread and butter.

[BIG FLO]

I'm really not very interested in any Fedor news unless it concerns him fighting a top 5 guy.....Hell, a top 10 guy!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Clint]

So what does it do for Fedor's image/ranking if HMC knocks him out in a special rules match?

[twankydawg]

Originally Posted by Seth

I'm really not very interested in any Fedor news unless it concerns him fighting a top 5 guy.....Hell, a top 10 guy!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yet you still feel compelled to share your disdain with us.....

Originally Posted by Clint

So what does it do for Fedor's image/ranking if HMC knocks him out in a special rules match?

I would have to say it wouldn't do anything if it's not an MMA match. It should either be an MMA match or a Kickboxing match, no crazy ass "special rules", it should either/or IMO.

[Clint]

Yeah it's hard to factor in sort of MMA fights into a record/ranking.

Then again that is one of the oddities in MMA rankings & records. (old) Pancrase and ZST fights are very different from unified rules fights, which are different from Japanese rules fights.

[jkilla374]

Originally Posted by twankydawg

I would have to say it wouldn't do anything if it's not an MMA match. It should either be an MMA match or a Kickboxing match, no crazy ass "special rules", it should either/or IMO.

Agreed. If it is basically a kickboxing match and fedor loses, i don't think it would really hurt his legacy as an MMA fighter.

[Grapplepit28]

This may be ridiculous and totally against everything MMA but I think it would make the fight a bit more interesting. Seeing Fedor totally own HMC like a fish out of water on the ground has not interested me since UFC 4 when Royce was doing that to guys, so it really doesn't matter to me if they change the rules because Fedor vs. HMC is ridiculous to begin with. I vote they do it and see what happens. That's traditionally what these freak show NYE high entertainment value fights are all about anyway. I think it would be quite entertaining actually and FE probably still takes it I'm willing to bet.

[rivethead]

Originally Posted by Clint

So what does it do for Fedor's image/ranking if HMC knocks him out in a special rules match?

What does it do for Fedor's image/ranking if he* agrees to a special rules match prohibiting ground fighting--where he's clearly superior--and he still knocks out HMC?


Nothing.


The guys who hate Fedor [or just really, really, manlove Randy] are still going to hate on him, saying HMC is a can. If it's a second round KO, they're going to say it should have been in the first. If it's a first round KO in the third minute, they're going to say it should have been in the first 30 seconds.

And if he loses, they're going to say he was blown up and overhyped for years, and that the UFC is better than PRIDE, and blah blah blah.


Ultimately, I feel Fedor is exciting enough to watch him fight just about anyone. He's a great fighter, he doesn't "owe" anyone anything--actually, I don't think that any fighters "owe" the fans anything, other than to fight clean fights without performance enhancers.

But if HMC makes a game showing, so much the better...it's a more exciting fight. If he beats Fedor [gasp!] it's not like the world is going to end, and it's not going to prove that Randy would beat him, and it's not going to erase the image of Fedor chasing an "unbeatable" CC around the ring three years ago.

For that image alone, I owe Fedor respect. The same respect I owe Randy for dethroning Chuck in the first Liddell fight, and then again for actually spanking a simply outclassed Tito four months later. Great moments in history that don't need to be repeated every fight for a fighter to be great.


Rankings are interesting, but I can't really get worked up over them. Particularly when there are so many people with WAY more MMA knowledge than I have.


rh

*and by "he" I mean, of course, Fedor's management.

[Clint]

Originally Posted by rivethead

What does it do for Fedor's image/ranking if he* agrees to a special rules match prohibiting ground fighting--where he's clearly superior--and he still knocks out HMC?


Nothing.


The guys who hate Fedor [or just really, really, manlove Randy] are still going to hate on him, saying HMC is a can. If it's a second round KO, they're going to say it should have been in the first. If it's a first round KO in the third minute, they're going to say it should have been in the first 30 seconds.

And if he loses, they're going to say he was blown up and overhyped for years, and that the UFC is better than PRIDE, and blah blah blah.


Ultimately, I feel Fedor is exciting enough to watch him fight just about anyone. He's a great fighter, he doesn't "owe" anyone anything--actually, I don't think that any fighters "owe" the fans anything, other than to fight clean fights without performance enhancers.

But if HMC makes a game showing, so much the better...it's a more exciting fight. If he beats Fedor [gasp!] it's not like the world is going to end, and it's not going to prove that Randy would beat him, and it's not going to erase the image of Fedor chasing an "unbeatable" CC around the ring three years ago.

For that image alone, I owe Fedor respect. The same respect I owe Randy for dethroning Chuck in the first Liddell fight, and then again for actually spanking a simply outclassed Tito four months later. Great moments in history that don't need to be repeated every fight for a fighter to be great.


Rankings are interesting, but I can't really get worked up over them. Particularly when there are so many people with WAY more MMA knowledge than I have.


rh

*and by "he" I mean, of course, Fedor's management.

Meh I just figured it was an interesting question since each org already has different rules (like the Fedor-Arona fight that could have had different results under different rules)

[the dazzle]

so will this be an exhibition super fight or what?