Joe Rogan Says UFC Dropped Fedor Deal After Dana White Faced Security Threats

Joe Rogan has revealed that the UFC backed out of signing heavyweight legend Fedor Emelianenko after intense and dangerous negotiations.

On a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, the longtime UFC commentator and podcaster claimed that Fedor's team, which he described as “very rough, gangster-type Russian characters,” made unreasonable demands during talks with the UFC. The stakes grew so high, Rogan said, that UFC president Dana White had to increase his personal security.

“They wanted to own a piece of everything,” Rogan said. “Negotiations got bad. It got crazy. Dana had to up his security. These were dangerous people.”

Fedor Emelianenko, widely considered one of MMA’s all-time greats, especially in the heavyweight division, famously never fought in the UFC despite years of speculation and fan demand. From 2000 to 2009, he remained undefeated in 30 straight fights, dominating legends across PRIDE and other promotions.

While the UFC never signed Emelianenko, he competed later in Strikeforce and Bellator. His 1-3 record in Strikeforce was the closest fans got to seeing him fight UFC-level competition — though it came in the twilight of his career.

Despite the missed opportunity, Fedor’s legacy remains untouched. Still, Rogan’s account adds a dramatic new chapter to one of MMA’s biggest “what-if” stories.

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Source: Sports Illustrated

Photo Credit: UFC