We're just eight short days away from the return of Fedor Emelianenko. (Crowd goes wild!)
In anticipation of June 26th's main event between "The Last Emperor" and Fabricio Werdum, which is set to be held from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California and air on Showitme at 10 p.m. ET/PT, Strikeforce held the usual media conference call to disperse all sorts informative goodness.
Partaking in today's festivities was the aforementioned main event combatants as well as Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker. And if you're thinking that nothing came out of the call except a bunch of translated fluff, you'd be wrong.
Check out the highlights after the jump. Here's a tease, neither Fedor or Fabricio think too highly of the UFC.
Fedor: I don't think fighters are defeated before they get in the ring with me. As far as after they fight me, I don't think there's any mystery or magic to it. Each fighter reacts differently to a loss. I don't think I have anything to do with their success or lack thereof afterward.
Fedor: I don't want to look to far ahead, I'm just focusing on Werdum. We have two fights left with Stirkeforce, and assuming everything goes well, I don't see any reason why we wouldn't continue the relationship. But I am considering retirement more and more often now. (Translation via LowKick.com)
Fedor: I'd like to finish out my contract without any losses and then just see what God has planned for me.
Fedor: While I'm actively fighting, I don't intend to pursue a career in politics. It' not something that's on my mind at the moment.
Werdum: This is a once in a lifetime fight. To fight the greatest fighter to ever live is truly an honor.
Fedor: I will continue fighting until I'm no longer effective.
Fedor: It was unfortunate that the fight kept getting postponed. I was ready to fight in April. The period in which there was confusion was not up to me but rather Strikeforce and M-1 Global.
Coker: Ticket sales are going well. We have 10,000 sold. We have a great fan base in San Jose and the Bay Area.
Fedor: I deal directly with Vadim Finkelstein, but I leave most every decision to him.
Fedor: I don't pay attention to what people say about me. I don't seek it out. I don't have any reactions to what people say about me whether it's positive or negative. I have more important things to do with my life than to surf the Internet.
Fedor: My hand and thumb has healed fine from the Rogers fight. I'm 100%.
Fedor: Fighting for my country and my heritage is what motivates me. Nothing else.
Werdum: I've studied Fedor's fights my entire career. What's most impressive to me is that he always finds a way to win.
Werdum: Our fight is the more relevant then the Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin fight because we fight for Strikeforce.
Fedor: Both fights are very important because there are two top-ten heavyweights fighting. But I'm not a UFC fan, so I believe our fight is more important.
Fedor: I'm not a fan of watching UFC fights. There is always a lot of negativity coming out of their fights.
Werdum: I'm more calm and relaxed for this fight than any other in my career. I have no pressure.
Coker: I'd like to remind everyone that this a co-promotion between Strikeforce and M-1 Global.
Coker: We are finalizing an event in Houston, Texas on August 21.
Coker: We are open to a co-promotion with Bellator to put on a fight between Gilbert Melendez and Eddie Alvarez. Just waiting for Gilbert to heal from an injury he suffered in the Shinya Aoki fight.
That'll do it. To check out the full archive of Strikeforce and M-1 Global: "Fedor vs. Werdum" coverage, click here.
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