Joe Rogan stunningly reveals Dana White encountering ‘dangerous Russian people’ over Fedor Emelianenko contract 

Joe Rogan talks about the details behind the infamous negotiations between Dana White and Russian gangsters regarding Fedor Emelianenko.

Joe Rogan stunningly reveals Dana White encountering ‘dangerous Russian people’ over Fedor Emelianenko contract 

Joe Rogan spills the beans about Dana White's dangerous negotiation with Fedor Emelianenko (via Imago/X)

Joe Rogan has witnessed the UFC’s incredible evolution, standing alongside Dana White through various moments over two decades. He often shares interesting behind-the-scenes stories that adds to the MMA lore. Recently, Rogan revealed some details about the failed Fedor Emelianenko UFC deal, a moment that still haunt the promotion’s top executives forever.

Rogan was recently joined by the former featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria, on his podcast. They discussed upcoming fights and shared personal stories in an episode that has amassed over 1.7 million views on YouTube alone. Midway through the episode, Rogan mentioned how the UFC boss got into trouble with Russian gangsters while negotiating Fedor Emelianenko’s contract.

Fedor was controlled by some Russian people who were very rough men, gangster-type characters. They had negotiations with the UFC, but they had unreasonable demands. They wanted part of the promotion, they wanted to own a piece of everything. Negotiations were very intense and very confrontational. They got so bad that Dana White had to increase his security. These were dangerous people.

Joe Rogan via his podcast
YouTube video

As Rogan mentioned, Emelianenko was rumored to have ties with powerful Russian gangsters, which complicated UFC negotiations. These shady connections reportedly influenced White’s failed attempts to sign Fedor, making the deal riskier and sensitive for the UFC.

Despite never joining the UFC, the Russian fighter never lost his popularity or his competitive spirt. He competed against the top competition when he fought Antonio Silva, Fabricio Werdum and Dan Henderson in StrikeForce. However, he didn’t defeat any of the big names in StrikeForce. Nevertheless, fans would have loved to the veteran in potential UFC fights that never took place. 

Dana White’s old obsession with Fedor Emelianenko

Dana White was always fascinated with signing Fedor Emelianenko because he saw him as the best heavyweight outside the UFC. He believed Fedor’s participation would boost the UFC’s heavyweight division and draw hardcore MMA fans from all around the world. Emelianenko’s perfect record and dominance in PRIDE made him a must-have for the UFC’s target for worldwide dominance. 

Dana White's obsession with Fedor Emelianenko
Dana White’s obsession with Fedor Emelianenko (via X)

Despite long discussions and large offers, Emelianenko’s camp didn’t like the deal, therefore destroying the expectations of that iconic signing. White was extremely unhappy with all that, as he was habitual to getting any fighter he wanted. In an interview, he shared his thoughts on Emelianenko.

He has become my obsession, man. I want him worse than the fans want him, believe me. It’s no different than any guy who’s considered one of the best in the world, we want. We have had some, I wouldn’t call it ‘bad blood’. 

Dana White via The Ariel Helwani Show 
YouTube video

Without Emelianenko, White focused on promoting Brock Lesnar, who brought mainstream attention and massive pay-per-view numbers. He made sure to promote dramatic rivalries and used The Ultimate Fighter to spotlight heavyweights, making fans emotionally invested. By signing top talents like Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos, he legitimized the division with real championship-caliber athletes.

Emelianenko despised White because he felt embarrassed by the way White openly minimized his achievements outside of the UFC. The fighter was highly angered when White consistently called him overrated, as he believed his legacy was founded on pride rather than promotion. He also hated White’s aggressive negotiation tactics, which contradicted loyalty, honor, and respect that the Russian valued.

The failed negotiations between White and Emelianenko further severed their relationship, with White resorting to mockery. When Fedor retired in 2023, White publicly stated he didn’t consider him the heavyweight GOAT, despite worldwide admiration. However, the UFC boss’s comments don’t seem to hinder what fans thought about Emelianenko, especially in his prime years.