The mixed martial arts world was left to wonder “what if” when legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko never fought in the UFC during his prime years.
Longtime MMA manager Apy Echteld worked closely with M1 Global and Fedor’s team. According to him, contentious negotiations with UFC President Dana White played a significant role in keeping the Russian superstar out of the Octagon.
In an interview on the MMA History Podcast, Echteld shed light on the behind-the-scenes tensions that plagued multiple attempts to bring Fedor to the UFC. The Dutch manager, who had extensive experience working with top competitors including Gegard Mousasi and was deeply involved in Fedor’s career during his Pride FC reign. He described the negotiation process as particularly difficult.
When asked directly about whether he was present when Dana White allegedly called Fedor “fat and unmarketable,” Echteld confirmed attending meetings in the Caribbean where White and the Fertitta brothers flew to discuss potential deals. However, he noted that Vadim Finkelstein was representing M1 Global and Sergey Matfienko during these crucial negotiations, with Matfienko ultimately disagreeing with the proposed terms.
The communication barriers and cultural differences seemed to compound the problem. Echteld revealed that “all the communications we have had directly with Dana and with the UFC connected to Fedor were translated and everybody was aware of all the input of the words.”
The tensions escalated during a July 2009 meeting that brought both sides tantalizingly close to an agreement. The negotiations became so heated that the LA Times mistakenly reported a deal had been completed, forcing Echteld to publicly deny the claims.
He described the final moments: “We started in a communication room. We ended in a communication room. Everybody flew back to their cities.”
According to Echteld, the breaking point came when Matfienko took a hard stance, essentially demanding specific terms from the UFC. “I think at this moment Matfienko made his stamp with his fist on the table and said this is what we’re going to have,” Echteld recalled, adding that he wasn’t sure if that was “the most lucky moment” for negotiations.
The failed negotiations had lasting consequences beyond just Fedor’s career. Echteld believed that both sides could have shown more flexibility, stating, “I think from both sides there could have been a little bit more flexibility.”
He personally supported the UFC deal, admitting, “I would have been glad and happy with the whole deal, but my personal instinct and not the instinct I work for in this case for Fedor.”
The manager also revealed that Fedor’s primary concern wasn’t financial but rather feeling respected and maintaining his autonomy. In Russia, Fedor was treated “like a god,” while in the UFC structure, fighters were expected to follow strict organizational guidelines. “Fedor didn’t feel free or didn’t have his own options to develop himself or to be involved at the highest level,” Echteld explained.
The combination of cultural differences, business disputes, and allegedly inflammatory comments from Dana White created an insurmountable barrier that kept one of the sport’s greatest heavyweights from ever competing in its premier organization during his prime years.
