(Props: TSGIGOR)

We don’t speak the Russkie, but according to rough translations of the above shout-out video, Aleksander Emelianenko would just like to say thank you to all his fans, and vows to come to America soon to "beat everyone in the UFC." Yes, everyone — even the lightweights, we’d have to assume. And sure, Aleksander seems to pop up every few months to make similar proclamations, despite the fact that the CSAC’s Bill Douglas once stated that he’ll never be licensed to fight in the U.S. again. But things feel a little different now…and dare we say, hopeful.

Back in March, Aleks said he was pondering an offer from the UFC. At the time, we pointed out that his Affliction contract would get in the way of a UFC signing happening in the immediate future, but now that Affliction is toast, he’s basically a free agent again; remember, he no longer has any official ties to M-1 either. Just spitballin’ here, but could the UFC pick him up to put in European shows, thereby skirting his blacklisted status in the U.S.? (After all, the CSAC never came out and said "Hep B" — that was just the widespread rumor.) Or is this one of those pipe dreams that will never materialize, no matter how many ethical guidelines are bent?


Either way, Aleks doesn’t seem to share his brother’s belief that the UFC is impossible to negotiate with. As he told Sports.ru:

Finally, someone says what we’re all thinking — that without this shadowy M-1 co-promotional albatross around Fedor’s neck, he might already be kicking asses in the UFC. Overprotective, dual-agenda’d management isn’t necessarily good management. And as of now, Fedor’s career is as deadlocked as Aleks’s.

Or is it? According to a new press release, Fedor Emelianenko will hold a press conference tomorrow in Anaheim to discuss his next move. Stay tuned…