"I need ice cream cones three times a day to fight in the UFC. The deal is off if the ice cream comes in cups!"

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Fedor's manager, Vaduz Finkelchtein, spoke out about the possibility of Fedor signing with the UFC. 

"This is the moment of truth that the UFC has talked about. Fedor and I are here in the States. If they want to come out and fly here, we are ready to conduct negotiations. Of course it still doesn't imply we are ready to accept any conditions they'll throw at us. We want to talk to the UFC about having Fedor compete against some of their fighters, but only within the framework of co-promotional efforts with M-1 Global."

Hopefully this is just posturing for the negotiations and the talk of co-promotion might make the UFC offer a far more lucrative deal in order to get Fedor signned. Personally, I don't think this is posturing for a better deal, I think this is a battle line. 

Fedor's few public comments indicate two things. First he is extermely loyal, specifically to M-1. Ironic considering this is a virtue that Zuffa vaules very much, yet it seems to be a big impediment to getting what they want. Second, Fedor seems unhappy about perceived lack of respect from UFC officials 

The poison pill of whatever negotiations will be co-promotion. I suspect the UFC will try to sweeten the deal in other avenues in order to lure Fedor away. But I believe that the best path is to offer M-1 a "sponsorship" status in the UFC. It allows M-1 to save face, the UFC really doesn't give anything up and it puts Fedor's management in a bind as it shows that Zuffa was willing to compromise in order to have the Russian fight in the UFC.