Roscoe Chill

A realistic move? Just take a look at all the players that have been dealt so far in the last month. Take your pick. How about Sherrill, Grabow, Washburn, etc. How about going all in on a Lee or Halladay deal. If it meant giving up Mat Gamel, so be it. Are they going to go in to next season with JJ Hardy at SS? If so, then include Escobar. If not, the Twins, Mariners, and Cardinals off the top of my head all traded for a SS. There's plenty of "realistic" moves that could have been made that would have at least given it a try. Or if that was such a far fetched thing, then how about trading your pieces that won't be here next year for some arms? Any arms. If you want specifics, I have none. No one on this message board does.

Rumors abound that if Fedor signs, it will be Fedor v. Lesnar at UFC 103...so no six months there between fights (late September?). I've also seen some pretty huge money numbers whispered about to Fedor, and very fair concessions in the supposed offer. If true, M1 is no good for Fedor. Also Vitor Belfort is back and is fighting Rich Franklin as the current UFC 103 headliner. Dan Henderson was supposed to be Franklin's opponent, so maybe Henderson will get a rematch vs. Anderson Silva?

I don't exactly see the downside here. Because there really isn't one. People are irritated about the lack of upside...none. This is a warm body, nothing kind of move that might help get to a .500 finish.

BrewCityUnit: You're really missing the entire point on what a lot of people are trying to say. You're right, they are still in it. But if they think they're in it, then make a freaking move! Don't necessarily mortgage the future, but mortgage SOME of that future. I can't believe you're actually saying that trading for Claudio Vargas = trying to win now. The trade says the exact opposite to me. It says that they aren't good enough to make a trade where you have to give up something of possible future value to get something that is obviously valuable NOW. It says that they aren't bad enough to sell in their eyes. So, what do you have left? A .500 team with no shot at the post season, and not exactly a rosier picture in their weak areas for next year either. Deuce, or get off the pot. Claudio Vargas 'aint helping. EDIT: And Fatter Than Joey is funny, and really not all that hard to understand.

It's not that Rottino has any value, or that Vargas is terrible. It's that while not terrible, Vargas isn't good. So, essentially they're standing pat to get to that 82nd win as some like to put it. To put this in poker terms, they could have went all in again like last year, or they could have folded their hand and saved some money for the next hand (trading short term players of value for next year). Instead, they're just calling each bet from other teams with a crappy hand.

But again, that's what I mean about the timing. Carwin and Velazquez are fighting two events after Nogueira/Couture...which will be two events after Lensar. Taking Fedor out of the discussion for now, Lesnar v. Nogueira/Couture at UFC 106, maybe 108. Winner of Carwin/Velazquez would then get Lesnar at 110-112? Something like that. EDIT: I should say Winner of Carwin/Velazquez would get winner of Lesnar-Couture/Nogueira.

They really wouldn't be holding him back though, as UFC 106 is less than 4 months away from right now. Fedor would have quite the layoff, but Lesnar would almost be right on schedule. I'd almost even say UFC 108 on January 2nd would be the better bet.

Obviously there's no playoff system to determine who will get a title shot, and when. Timing has just as much to do with it as pecking order. We've obviously got some MMA fans on here, so I'll just list off the upcoming events and the bigger fights and it's at least POSSIBLE to put a timeline on when some anticipated matchups would/could happen: UFC 101: BJ Penn v. Kenny Florian.......Anderson Silva v. Forrest Griffin UFC 102: Randy Couture v. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.......Keith Jardine v. Thiago Silva.....and my favorite of the night: Nate Marquardt v. Demian Maia UFC 103: Dan Henderson v. Rich Franklin (rumored)......Mike Swick v. Martin Kampmann THESE ARE ALL UNOFFICIAL AND/OR RUMORS: UFC 104: Lyoto Machida v. Mauricio Rua........Cain Velazquez v. Shane Carwin UFC 105: Wanderlei Silva v. Michael Bisping UFC 106: This is where I'd expect Lesnar vs. Nogueira/Couture? Maybe St. Pierre vs. Swick/Kampmann? That's all NDOG speculation. UFC 107: Quinton Jackson v. Rashad Evans........Frank Mir v. Cheick Kongo

Dana White just said (don't remember where) that Fedor would immediately fight for the belt if he's brought in to the fold. Without Fedor in the picture, Lesnar will fight the winner of Nogueira-Couture next I'm sure.

What would trading Cameron this year do to prevent the Brewers from bringing him back at $10 M next year?

Affliction has agreed to no longer promote fights, and will now become a sponsor to UFC. How about that for a turn of events over the last couple days? I sure hope UFC can now get Fedor in the fold...but I still think it's hardly a given.

There's just no way Brock Lesnar is making $12-$16 Million per year. Sorry. I said he's more than likely making more than the $400K purse, but unless I see proof, no way I believe it's $4 Million. Fast growing sport, but their fighters aren't making NFL superstar coin. And UFC 100 was great, but all of them are in my opinion, and I don't know how this one compared to the other pay per view dollars. Sure, it was billed as the biggest PPV ever, and it probably was, just going off all the media coverage leading up to and after the event, but I'll take UFC 92 (Christmas '08) over this one.

Wow...the entire Affliction Trilogy event has been canceled. One can only hope that this is great for Fedor to the UFC.

I really don't think so. I'm sure Lesnar signed a contract with the UFC, and got money up front, or some kind of deal where he's getting more money than what the take was for the fight, but no way does he get a significant % of the Pay Per View totals. And no way is he taking in $4M. $1M? Very possible I guess. Are you sure you're not talking about Fedor and Affliction? As I've pointed out in this thread, Fedor's opponents are taking in $1.5M, $800K, $500K etc, and Fedor is always listed at $300K per fight. That amount is pretty high when compared to UFC fight purses, but it's definitely not ALL of what Fedor made in the fights. HE has a deal where he gets a significant percentage of the Pay Per View with Affliction. You might be getting your fighters confused?

And now Josh Barnett tests positive for steroids, and will not fight Fedor on 8/1. On the surface, you'd think that would push Fedor one more step in the direction of UFC. But then you read that whoever fights Fedor in place of Barnett on 8/1 will make $500,000 ($100,000 more than Lesnar made at UFC 100) and I just don't know.

Fair enough, but I still am not impressed with the heavyweight division of the UFC for the most part. Maybe it's because the Light Heavyweight division is just ridiculous, I don't know. If Fedor does come over to the UFC, you'd definitely see him fight Lesnar and Couture right off the bat. I think he ends Lesnar's honeymoon, and Couture is pushing 50. Sure, there's always a guy like Velazquez who I'm really high on, and Mir, who I'm still high on. I just think you'd see Lesnar-Couture-Lesnar or something along those lines. So, not necessarily a huge jump in competition in my opinion, if that makes sense. I'd rather see him face Barnett...but I know that's only one fight as well.

I agree with everything you're saying. The only problem is we're not talking about guys that are aspiring to make it. We're talking about the best fighter in the world who doesn't like the fact that winning a belt and successfully defending just makes the contract never ending, and he doesn't like the fact that they won't let him fight anywhere else (sambo). Basically, if Fedor doesn't have the leverage, doesn't have the fame, and isn't as good as he's supposed to be, why are we talking about this?

You're seriously underestimating how much MMA is out there, and how much it is growing. I agree, that Affliction is probably not going to last, but something else will always pop up. Mark Cuban is after Fedor for HDNet which shows A LOT of MMA. He'll always have options. Fedor has said that the UFC contract is too restrictive. And again, I think the UFC is the best, and I even like Dana White. But when Frank Mir, the interim heavyweight champ is making only a guaranteed $45,000 and only $90,000 with his second win over Brock Lesnar it had happened...and then you look at what guys like Matt Lindland get for Affliction events ($300,000) and I just don't see how you can think a lot of these fighters look at the UFC in the same light as a fan.

Haven't heard it for awhile, but hands down the PSA about out running trains.

Yeah they put that fight (with Anderson Silva) on Spike because Affliction had it's first pay per view the same night. I love the UFC, but let's not overlook the fact that it's pretty common knowledge that there is a lot of info out there in regards to their contracts and how they are not very fighter friendly. Paulo Thiago is fighting on the main card in UFC 100 and he makes $8,000? That's absurd.

Well it's not like the UFC hasn't had that situation before. Randy Couture was the Heavyweight Champion and got in to a contract dispute (sound familiar Jon Fitch, Cro Cop, Tito Ortiz etc) with the UFC. So, the UFC gave the Interim Heavyweight Belt to Nogueira. Couture came back and Lesnar beat him. Mir beat Nogueira, and that's the story of why both Mir and Lesnar held belts before Saturday Night. I saw that Dana White was saying that too homer, but earlier in the year, he was dissing Fedor with expletives and dismissing him as someone the UFC didn't need. I'm happy to see his tune has changed. However Fedor just said in the last week that the UFC's offers up to this point have not made any sense for him to accept. The UFC still has some work to do. Jon Fitch didn't want to sign an agreement for the video game a few months ago, and White kicked him AND ALL OF HIS TEAMMATES out of the UFC. Obviously they're back, but that hardass attitude isn't going to get Fedor in with them I don't think.

Roco, I hope you're not saying that Fedor isn't already considered the best fighter of all time, and I hope you're not saying that he could make more money in the UFC than what he's doing for himself now. The UFC COULD pay him more money, but will they? That's the question and situation that is preventing Fedor from coming over. It's not as much Fedor as it is Dana White. And this is coming from a HUGE UFC fan. And quite frankly, a huge Dana White fan as well. For instance, not taking win bonuses and other bonuses in to consideration, Lesnar made $400,000 for the fight the other night, and Mir made $45,000. GSP made $200,000, and I think Henderson $100,000 (? before knockout and win bonuses) I believe to put things in perspective. Fedor would probably want money that I'm not sure the UFC would give him, primarily because of pride. I do agree with you on the up and comers in the heavyweight division. But with a little more reserved attitude. I'm sure Nogueira and Couture will be a fine fight, but neither of those guys is really a contender anymore. Kongo is a pretty good fighter, but is he a future champion? Could he really beat Arlovski for instance? Cain Velazquez is a beast. But who has Carwin beat? No one except for Gabe Gonzaga (who I really like). And Cro Cop had to be wooed with an offer he couldn't refuse from the owner of the UFC to come back instead of Dana White. I guess I'm rambling, and my main point is that Dana White is the one that is holding Fedor to UFC back. They should let him come in on his terms (one fight at a time). EDIT: Forgot to add other MMA organization salaries. The last two Fedor opponents Tim Sylvia (800,000) and Arlovski ($1,500,000). Fedor made $300,000 in both fights, but reportedly received a huge signing bonus before signing with Affliction, and holds rights to footage etc. Josh Barnett even made $500,000 in the last Afflicition fight. So, the UFC does not pay well in comparison.

Lesnar is just big and athletic..not so much a great fighter...but so big that he's going to be tough to beat. That said, he wouldn't beat Fedor. I just don't think he's mentally strong enough. I hope we get to see the fight, but I'm not holding my breath. Fedor is special enough to fight on his own terms, but I don't think Dana White is going to agree to those terms, as others have pointed out. Fedor is a calm, cool, assasin. You pick your poison: deadly submission on the ground, or one punch knockout power. I'm not sure why you think Fedor is fighting in the "minor leagues" Roco. The UFC Heavyweight division is weak for the most part. There isn't anyone as good as Josh Barnett right now, and that's who Fedor is fighting next. Lesnar is improving though, as before his victory over Mir on Saturday night, he had only beaten a has been in Heath Herring, and a 45 year old 220 pound heavyweight to win the belt. Had he lost to Mir the other night, he'd have been only a sideshow because of his WWE background and imposing size, but he did win, and he really isn't going to have much of a challenge until/unless the fight we all want to see happens with Fedor.

Gymkata would redefine Milwaukee. Seconded.

Not one mention of Mat Gamel in the entire thread? I'm disappointed. I think I just read on this very site, how there's no way Hall would play LF, and then BAM! Next day, Hall is in LF. If Braun is out of commission for any DL stint, this was a preview of what would happen IMO. Hall to LF...Gamel up.