Strikeforce signs Fedor Emelianenko to multi-fight deal, M-1 to co-promote

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After last week's negotiations with the UFC failed due to co-promoting demands, Fedor Emelianenko has instead signed a multi-fight deal with the UFC's biggest competitor, Strikeforce.

The organization today announced it has signed Emelianenko (30-1) to a multi-fight deal that will have him fight under the Strikeforce banner in events co-promoted by M-1 Global. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

No specific date has been determined for his first Strikeforce fight, but Emelianenko will make his promotional debut this fall on Showtime, according to today's announcement.

"I am looking forward to going back to work and fighting at the highest level," Emelianenko stated. "Strikeforce is a top fight promotion that houses some of the greatest fighters in the world. I am prepared to fight any of them."

Emelianeko hit the open market last month when Affliction Entertainment canceled its Aug. 1 "Trilogy" event after Emelianenko's main-event opponent, Josh Barnett, was denied a license because of a failed drug test due to an anabolic steroid. Affliction then announced it had ceased all promotional operations and would return to the UFC as an official sponsor.

UFC president Dana White last week suggested he gave his best effort to signing the Russian fighter, who had negotiated with the organization multiple times in the past, but that ultimately even offering Emelianenko "the most amazing deal" wasn't enough.

As Emelianenko's manager, M-1 Global co-owner and president Vadim Finkelchtein, suggested during a July 29 press conference, the UFC's refusal to co-promote shows with M-1 was likely the negotiations' biggest hurdle.

"How are they going to help us co-promote?" White said. "They're going to help us? That [expletive] might work in Russia (but) not here."

Strikeforce, though, which has previously co-promoted with organizations such as EliteXC and BodogFIGHT, is willing to work with M-1.

"We are extremely excited to have the opportunity to work with M-1 Global and Fedor," Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker stated. "Fedor has been the reigning king of MMA's heavyweight division for quite some time now so being able to work with M-1 and Fedor will substantially increase the level of competition amongst the athletes in this weight class."

Strikeforce, one of the few financially successful promotions outside of the UFC, launched its MMA division in 2006 and has grown the company substantially with a highlights show on NBC and live events on Showtime and HDNet. The San Jose, Calif.-based organization is also believed to be close to signing a deal with CBS, the former home of the now-defunct EliteXC promotion, that would put its live shows on major U.S. network television for the first time.

Emelianenko, a longtime PRIDE champion who's widely regarded as the sport's No. 1 ranked heavyweight, currently owns a 24-fight win streak. He becomes an immediate challenger in Strikeforce's heavyweight division, which currently boasts Alistair Overeem as its champion. However, Overeem hasn't fought since winning the title in November 2007 and was recently scratched from an Aug. 15 title with Fabricio Werdum because of a hand injury.