M-1’s Offer to UFC - Pros and Cons

As being widely reported around the blogosphere, M-1 offered the UFC a chance to cross-promote and bring Randy vs. Fedor to the fans.

“We got an official offer from M-1 to the UFC to do a co-promotion for the Couture-Emelianenko fight, and they (UFC) rejected that offer. Really, the only thing standing in the way for that fight right now is Dana and the UFC. Obviously, M-1 is happy to do a co-promotion like that. It only serves to help them. I think the UFC is looking at it the other way, and it’s like why do we want to help out another organization? The fans want to see that fight. At some point, you have to put that first.”

- Source

So let’s go over the pros and cons of the matter.

PRO

If Randy wins, he successfully KILLS M-1 in the process. The only thing M-1 has going for itself is Fedor. If Randy knocks Fedor off his pedestal, then say goodnight M-1. One of the few reasons why M-1 would offer this chance to the UFC is because they KNEW the UFC would say no, thus making the UFC look bad in the process.

CON

The UFC allows M-1 to enter the casual fans’ scope. Do we really believe that the casual fan is all of a sudden going to jump on the M-1 bandwagon? M-1 has no bandwagon! It’s stalled at the interstate after people dove off when they announced Fedor was going to be fighting Choi Hong Man!

PRO

This is a SUPERFIGHT. This is a dream matchup for a lot of fans, deservedly or not, and people want to see this fight. This is a chance at big money. With lackluster PPV main events lately, the UFC is going to need some kind of punch down the road. Lesnar vs. Mir is not what I call a great main event. The label Superfight has been tossed around lately; the inevitable Pulver vs. Faber fight has been labeled a SUPERFIGHT by some. If no one watches a fight, does it still make a sound?

CON

Randy loses. Randy will not be the Heavyweight title holder at the time. You get that matter settled before you have this fight take place. Although if Nogueira beats Sylvia, Dana White will look doubly as bad about saying Fedor is not a top-5 Heavyweight. Randy losing is not the end of the world. He’ll have gotten the last fight he wanted in his career, and Fedor and M-1 will go back to living in obscurity. The only way M-1 is going to benefit from this is if they some how parlay it into a television deal. It’s doubtful that they’ll be able to accomplish this, with one big fighter and you know… Nothing else.

This fight is most likely going to take place eventually. The UFC may drown Randy in legalities, but eventually he’ll be able to fight again. The UFC maintains control, whether it happens under their banner or not.