"Don't worry Fedor, I got them just where I want them"

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Yesterday WKR passed along a story from the L.A. Times, which quoted an anonymous source that said Fedor and the UFC were about to reach an agreement and the deal would be announced on Friday. WKR reported it as rumor because let's face it, are you going to believe Fedor is in the UFC until you see him hugging Dana White with a signed contract? 

Later Josh Gross of SI.com posted an article with a quote from an M-1 official who said the Times report was inaccurate.

The author, Lance Pugmire, later back-tracked with a tweet saying, "Second source close to Fedor Emelianenko confirms "intense negotiations" between fighter and UFC, declines to say it'll be done by Friday." Though once again an M-1 official said no way. 

Now MMA Fanhouse has another update from Pugmire, 

Pugmire added this tweet Wednesday afternoon:

"Just filed an update on ufc-fedor negotiations. They continue but are complex and will likely drag past ufc friday conference call."

The UFC is still scheduled to hold their conference call on Friday, which likely indicates that Fedor signing with the organization was never the reason for it in the first place. Stay tuned.

It is pretty easy to see how this story gets printed. 

Pugmire has a source inside the UFC who says Fedor being signed is a "done deal" as that was the hearsay around Zuffa's office. Pugmire runs with it because he trusts his source and after all Lorenzo is in Anaheim (I think) as is Fedor. Plus there is a "major" announcement of Friday. Everything appears to fit perfectly and the next thing you know your sources are like, "yeah that was the talk in the office but it ends up the deal was nowhere near done." At that point all that is left is a "mea culpa."

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