Stories from the Road: Fedor Emelianenko

Jerry Millen has been close with Emelianenko in one shape or form for over 23 years. When Emelianenko decided his first retirement would not stick, he asked Millen to manage him—an arrangement that persists. Though Emelianenko managed to avoid any personal craziness over the years, he was known to be embroiled in the most intense professional dramas, with Millen operating as trusted adviser along the way.

I’ve been closer to him than to any fighter. I’ve seen many people come and go out of a camp. I think that there’s a few that have stayed close and I think that speaks volumes, because when you get to a level of celebrity that he has, you get a lot of people who just want to cling on.

I know Fedor. I know his family. He knows my kids. My kids are coming out to the fight. My son met Fedor when he was 2, and now, he’s 18. My daughters have known Fedor since they were born, and now, they’re 15. They know him, like Uncle Fedor. They’re coming out to the fight and they don’t understand the significance of who Fedor is because they’ve been around him since Day 1 basically. I have to remind them that 20 years from now when they have kids and MMA is bigger than it is now, you’re going to be hanging out with the Joe Louis or Mike Tyson of MMA.

Fedor’s been the same person since I met him 23 years ago. I think his religion helps a lot with that. He’s a grounded individual. When we go out to eat, we don’t go to fancy places. We go to Red Lobster. He’s just not fancy. I think he’s not on social media. He’s not on the internet. He wants nothing to do with it. He stays off it. He doesn’t buy into the hype. He doesn’t engage, like years ago when [UFC President] Dana White called him fat and said he sucks and he’s overrated. Fedor never responded. Never engaged. It’s real hard to fight an opponent who doesn’t want to fight back.

He will just part ways with you. I’ve seen people come and go. Let’s be honest, not everyone is around him for the right reasons. Fedor eventually recognizes that, and they go. I’ve just been glad I’ve been able to stay consistent with him because, phew, especially being in Russia, it’s been quite the road with him. It’s fun. It’s been fun.

Fedor doesn’t speak ill of anybody. If he has anything ill to say about someone, I think he keeps it to himself. He keeps it close to the vest. He’s just a unique specimen. I think his record speaks for itself. He is that golden goose Dana White could never get, and it’s going to drive that f---er crazy the rest of his life. Besides beating up his wife, those are two things… believe me, it drives that f---er crazy that he never got Fedor. He would call me screaming he was so upset about s---, and I love it because he’s such an asshole. He never got what he wanted. I can say in the end, “Ha, I was part of the reason you didn’t get what you wanted.”

I just read that douchebag Dana… that [Francis] Ngannou tried to compare himself to Fedor [and] that’s why he wanted more money in negotiations. That’s the power of Fedor. That’s a guy that, honestly, we’re still talking about. It’s crazy that he stands the test of time. Name any other fighter that can do that. None. We’ve been here longer than most fighters would go, and Fedor can still compete with the best of them.

When Affliction fell apart, I called Scott [Coker] and said he had to get to California because the Affliction deal was done, Fedor is going to be a free agent and we’ve got to get him over to Strikeforce. They had a meeting with Dana and Lorenzo [Fertitta]. They were in Paris and were going to be on the phone. Vadim Finchelstein didn’t want me to go because of my relationship with Dana. I said, “OK, fine.” Fedor said, “Jerry, I need you to come with me. I need your help.” I said Fedor, “Vadim doesn’t want me to go, so I’m not going to go, but just remember this: Dana White is a bad man, and that’s all you need to know.” He looked at me, winked and said, “I understand.” He went to this meeting. At the time, Apy Echteld was one of the key guys at M-1, and I knew Apt well. He managed [Gegard] Mousasi, as well, so when Affliction closed up shop, Mousasi, and I believe “Babalu” [Renato Sobral] went over and were going to fight on Strikeforce. Well, [the] UFC had actually sent a cease-and-desist saying not to use Gegard or “Babalu” because they own them because they bought Affliction properties. I got a call from Scott and he told me about this, and I said, “This is perfect.” I called Apy. I was texting him 9-1-1. He’s in this meeting. Mind you, Apy actually took the phone and called me in the meeting and put the phone on the table and no one knew I was listening. I could hear the meeting. Dana was like, “Oh, Fedor, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to call you fat or say you’re not the greatest, but I’m just a promoter and I’m trying to sell tickets.” And Fedor said, “That’s the difference between me and you, Dana.”

I started 9-1-1 texting Apy to call me because Apy is a hothead and I knew he would fly off the handle about Gegard, so Apy stepped out to the hallway and called me. I said these guys are in a meeting right now with you and Fedor saying you can trust them and they’re honorable, but while you’re in this meeting, they’re sending a cease-and-desist saying they own “Babalu” and they own Gegard Mousasi, Apy, and he’s your fighter. Apy lost his s--- and went back in the meeting [and] started screaming, “You mother---ers! You tell us trust you and this and this, and while we’re in this meeting, you’re trying to say you want my fighter Gegard.” Let’s just say that didn’t go over well.

At the end of the day, Fedor made a decision not to go to the UFC. It was good money, but because of his feelings towards Dana… He didn’t like how Dana treated people, didn’t agree with the business model, so he never went. Fedor could have made a lot more money, but he stuck to his guns where 99% of the fighters I know would have taken that money. Fedor said, “Nope, I don’t need the money that bad. I’ll stick to my morals, and you do what you do and I’ll do what I do.”