UFC
UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta working to make Fedor Emelianenko vs. Dan Henderson happen in Strikeforce
Apr 28, 2011 - 10:00:01 PM UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta working to make Fedor Emelianenko vs. Dan Henderson happen in Strikeforce

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

UFC President Dana White revealed an interesting nugget of information this week regarding UFC executive Lorenzo Fertitta.

In the new-look Zuffa organization now that they have acquired Strikeforce, Fertitta has joined in on attempting to put together the fight between Dan Henderson and Fedor Emelianenko in Strikeforce this July.

"Lorenzo's working on it," White said (via MMAJunkie.com). "Me getting anywhere near that thing? You'll never see that fight."

Negotiations for putting that fight together have been ongoing for some time. Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker stated that there were lots of little details still left to be negotiated, while M-1 Global executive Evgeni Kogan retorted this week that their side hasn't done anything to hang up the process, and that Fedor is looking forward to the fight.

Fertitta's involvement in the mix is just one of the many strange things that you wouldn't have thought would happen prior to the UFC's surprise purchase of the organization in March. White's heated relationship with many of the parties involved in Strikeforce and Showtime led to the belief that the sides may have a difficult time working together. But as White says, there's a reason it's more than just him on the team.

"I've been out of it," he said in regards to negotiating with those sides. "Me involved in that situation would only make matters worse. The great thing about this company and the way we do things – there's a lot of people I butt heads with. Lorenzo can handle it, and then I can handle stuff. [UFC matchmaker] Joe Silva handles stuff. We don't have to be friends for you to fight in the UFC, and we don't have to get along. It's business."

If the fight gets put together, it's likely to take place in the heavyweight division sometime in late July, and though it has been reported that they are targeting that event for pay-per-view, that has not yet been made official.

Penick's Analysis: It's not really surprising that Fertitta is getting involved in things like this now that they own Strikeforce, but it's still strange that it's a reality of this business now. Fertitta has done an immense amount of work since turning his attention to the UFC full time a couple of years ago, and his ability to be the calmer, more rational side of that dichotomy with Dana White as the front man allows them to do as White says, business. With Fertitta being able to work with people that perhaps White has burned bridges with, it opens up more possibilities for them when they make acquisitions like they have with Strikeforce here. It's certainly not a bad thing to have.