Interesting rumour on UFC in Russia and dealings with M-1

[Haj01]

Back in the zuffa days...

 

[Ilovepizza]

I find this funny...cause a few years back, they refused to do any co promoting with m1 with Fedor...now, they are working with them..haha

ufc ducked fedor

 

[Gambit MMA]

Coulda got fedor and lesnar.....

 

[executionermma]

Does this have anything to do with Minakov being able to fight for the UFC? Is m-1 global the same as fight night global? Save your insulting remarks I fully admit total ignorance when it comes to Russian MMA promotions. If Minakov can fight for the UFC that would be fuckin huge!

No and no. Minakov has been fighting for FNG, a Moscow-based promotion, and while M-1 Global also does shows there, they go more to the area of St Petersburg and are competitors.

I'm not even sure Minakov is interested in progressing his MMA career, he's into politics now. I wouldn't be surprised if he retires without fighting in UFC or Bellator again.

Sergey Pavlovich (12-0, FNG champ) is a much more promising heavyweight and he's a free agent now.

 

[Kryptt]

Coulda got fedor and lesnar.....

It was so close we could taste it!

 

[FKA]

Well, from what I know, M-1 was the only Russian promotion who kinda wasn't allowing their fighters to go to UFC without fighting out their contracts (or bying out contracts). Maybe also ACB, but it sounded more like - "inform us about your desire to leave and we will maybe release you" and "you can go but you are no longer welcome here (in ACB)".
I mean, by your logic, Russian mma promotions are a bunch of sissys and M-1 was the last to become sissy.

I've never been a fan of promotions just letting their champions walk to the UFC.

If you do that your basically labeling yourself as a feeder.I fully understand fighters wanting to leave to the UFC buy my point is your undermining your championships value by letting a guy obtain and walk unless of course that was there last fight on the contract.I feel like you sign a contract and honor it then move on.

M-1 definitely took a step back IMO it's pretty sad the state of Russian MMA at the moment.

 

[riitzni]

Until Cormier loses the HW title they should just merge 205 and HW.

That would be tremendous imo.

Take on the champ at whatever weight you want, if you win you can choose to keep the HW or LHW belts. Until then the LHWs ducking HW will have to just not cut and the HWs way out of shape will be dismantled by cruiserweights. If you want the title you're going to have to wrest it from Fat Gut DC's cold corpse.

 

[Feniamin]

No and no. Minakov has been fighting for FNG, a Moscow-based promotion, and while M-1 Global also does shows there, they go more to the area of St Petersburg and are competitors.

I'm not even sure Minakov is interested in progressing his MMA career, he's into politics now. I wouldn't be surprised if he retires without fighting in UFC or Bellator again.

Sergey Pavlovich (12-0, FNG champ) is a much more promising heavyweight and he's a free agent now.

I don't know if you can read in Russian but in this interview http://news.nashbryansk.ru/2017/06/16/routine/bryanskiy-boec-vitaliy-minakov/ he says that he thinks that mma shouldn't be massively developed, thinks that mma is not a sport, but a business, opportunity for a specific people to earn a money, wants that there wil be no need for his son to fight in mma. Sounds to me, like, he thinks that mma is not a best choice in live.

 

[Mixfight]

M-1 Challenge today announced a once seemingly unlikely partnership with the UFC as the world’s top promotion looks to establish a footprint in Russia.

Officials from the longtime Russian promotion today announced a partnership with UFC – and “UFC Russia” – in which M-1 Challenge champions will earn UFC contracts. Bloomberg.com also reported the deal.

According to M-1, the Mubadala Investment Company and the Russia-China Investment Fund have teamed up to create UFC Russia to “organize new shows in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).”

“We are looking forward to further cooperation with the UFC and the (Russia-China Investment Fund) working on developing young Russian talent, and this will benefit our sports very much,” stated M-1 Global President Vadim Finkelchtein, whose past relationship with UFC President Dana White could be labeled rocky (at best). “MMA is a very popular kind of sports, and cooperation of the UFC, investment fund and M-1 Global can take MMA in Russia to new level. Competition in M-1 Global is going to be even tougher, and that means we are going to see even more excellent and spectacular fights.”

UFC officials, though, haven’t made a formal announcement about a deal or provided any details aside from providing a brief comment in a press release.

“This partnership will be a tremendous boost to the sport of MMA in Russia and the CIS,” UFC Senior Vice President of International and Content David Shaw stated. “We’re excited to collaborate with (RCIF CEO) Kirill Dmitriev and his team to grow UFC’s brand in these key markets and serve the millions of MMA fans in this part of the world.”

“M-1 Challenge champions will get a unique opportunity to sign contracts with the UFC.

“The Russian-Chinese investment fund Mubadala Investment Company and the Ultimate Fighting Championship announced foundation of UFC Russia. The new company is going to promote MMA and organize new shows in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

“M-1 Global is going to be a partner taking care of finding Russian athletes and preparing them for the fights. M-1 Challenge champions will get a unique opportunity to sign contracts with the UFC.”

The UFC is scheduled for its long-awaited debut in Russia on Sept. 15 with UFC Fight Night 136, which takes place at Olympic Stadium in Moscow. The event is expected to feature many of the Russian fighters the UFC has added to its roster in recent years.

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Dana clearly isn't call the shots anymore

https://twitter.com/McDuckMMA/status...78561454227457

 

[Bamboozled]

That's certainly something I didn't see coming?



Gonna raise muh fist

 

[LLD2008]

As long as we see great fights, thats all that matters

 

[dim_]

basically M1 becomes some sort of Russian feeder league with M1 Champions getting fast tracked into the UFC

 

[20falarVerdades]

Is UFC Russia drug free?

 

[neil_totally]

Fuck me. They finally finished negotiating with Fedor’s team.

 

[LoopingRight]

 

[justbetter]

It must be the dream of every MMA promotion to let their champions fuck off and join the UFC after doing all the legwork. Well done M-1

 

[Toad Frogan]

Is it April fool's day?

 

[TheRuthlessOne]

Fedor

 

[LoopingRight]

 

[chrisdiaz]

M1 is russian LFA now. Dah. These guys are really going to need nick names when Russinov is fighting Moskinov and I cant remember anybody by the end of the card cause every other name ends in -ov. Their names are just way too similar to tell everyone apart. I need something to quickly associate you with.