Joe Rogan recently explained why MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko never fought in the UFC, revealing the tough demands that blocked a deal. On The Joe Rogan Experience with guest Ilia Topuria, recorded on April 16, 2025, Rogan detailed how Fedor’s management, tied to Russian tough guys, pushed for terms the UFC wouldn’t accept, keeping the heavyweight star out of the octagon.
Rogan described the intense negotiations.
“Fedor was controlled by some Russian people that were very rough men, gangster-type characters. And they had a bunch of negotiations with the UFC, but there were very unreasonable demands. They wanted part of the promotion, they wanted to own a piece of everything. They wanted a lot cause they knew that with Fedor, they had their golden ticket and they wanted to play it out as much as possible. Negotiations were very intense and very confrontational,” he said.
Fedor, a dominant force in Pride FC from 2003 to 2007, was a major target for the UFC during its growth in the late 2000s.
Beyond Fighter Pay
Rogan went deeper into the demands.
“[Emelianenko’s team] wanted to co-promote. They wanted to be a part of the promotion. They wanted more than they deserved. They didn’t just want Fedor to get paid, they wanted to get paid. They wanted to make a lot of money and they wanted to get their hooks into the UFC. I get it from their perspective,” he said.
Managed by M-1 Global, Fedor’s team sought co-promotion rights and a share of the UFC’s business, far beyond a typical fighter contract.
Rogan linked Fedor’s situation to his Pride days.
“Pride was run by the Yakuza you know. So it was Japanese gangsters and Russian gangsters. They speak the same language you know. They got along fine. But then when they came over to the UFC, the UFC was like, we’ll give him a lot of money. We want him to fight in the UFC. And it never took place unfortunately. Yeah. So crazy,” he said.
The UFC offered Fedor significant pay, reportedly $2 million per fight, but refused to share ownership or event control.
Fedor, now 48 and retired since 2023 with a 40-7 record, competed in RINGS, Pride FC, Strikeforce, M-1 Global, Rizin, and Bellator MMA, earning his reputation as one of MMA’s greatest heavyweights.
Rogan’s account highlights why negotiations with M-1 Global failed, as their demands for control over the UFC proved too steep for the promotion to accept.
