White asks 'world's best' for proof

It is the fight every fan wants, including the UFC president Dana White - heavyweight UFC champion Brock Lesnar against the self-proclaimed 'world's best' Fedor Emelianenko. White is eager but the 'Last Emperor' Emelianenko is not playing ball - the fight is not happening. Emelianenko's contractual stipulation that M-1 Global, his management team, must co-promote any of his fights has forced UFC out of negotiations. The most sought-after MMA pound for pound fighter and the world's most dominant fight organisation are at an impasse.

"It drives me crazy that people call this guy the world's best fighter, he will not prove it," said White. "The guys who should get the respect are the guys who consistently fight the world's best fighters. Look at George Saint-Pierre and Brock Lesnar, they've fought the best three times already this year. "You have to continually fight the world's top fighters to be considered the best; let alone the top of your division. They're calling this guy the pound-for-pound best - get out of here, I mean come on," he scoffed.

Emelianenko's free agent days - caused by the folding of the fight franchise Affliction - recently ended when he signed with Strikeforce, a cage format competition. White believes he's avoiding Lesnar. "UFC's the best because we pit the best against the best. We consistently put on fights that the people want to see," he said. "The only time we've never been able to do that is right now with Fedor, but it's not us. We're out there trying to make it happen. Fedor is claiming he's the world's best, but he's not willing to fight the best."

UFC's rapid rise has seen it being accused of employing asset-stripping tactics to preserve its monopolisation of MMA talent. Turning a failing multi-style fight-night oddball into a global sensation has seen White acquire small franchises and turn them into feeder organisations to replenish UFC talent pools. "There has never been a history of the UFC taking on franchises. Franchises come in and try and take on the UFC - that's what's happened," he said.

"I've said a million times, competition is good. It's good to have other, smaller shows out there because without those, guys don't have a place to earn money, get a good record, get some experience - we need these smaller shows. "Other companies come in and say all the things we've done wrong, they can do it better, and we don't treat the fighters right - that's when the wars start," he added. Emelianenko may have shied away from the bout but the UFC - about to embark on its second century of events - is game to fight out the challengers to their authority.