Joost Raimond, the operations manager of M-1 Global and part of Fedor Emelianenko's management team, has formally invited the winner of the UFC's upcoming heavyweight championship bout between Frank Mir and Brock Lesnar, set for UFC 100 in July, to attend Affliction: "Trilogy". The thought is that if Emelianenko can get passed Josh Barnett, then a one-fight contract would kick in and the UFC would be permitted to fully promote a fight between Emelianenko and either Mir or Lesnar.

A one fight contract, even with a fighter as talented as Emelianenko, is extremely unlikely however. The UFC rarely does one-fight deals and always has a champions clause in their contracts which allows them to prevent champions from leaving the promotion.

Raimond believes that the organization needs to make an exception however, for his exceptional fighter.

"They want the fighter's mind, soul, body, heritage and his two cats and dog if they can get it," Raimond recently told the LA Times. "Let's not do this with Fedor. Let's try to figure out how to do this, because Fedor is willing to fight anyone, anytime, anywhere. We have an exceptional fighter here. People are saying, 'Let's see him fight the best.'

The UFC and Emelianenko's management team met quite a few times after PRIDE, a former Japanese MMA organization, was purchased by the UFC, but were unable to come to an agreement that would place the popular Russian inside a UFC octagon. Raimond blames the UFC's notoriously difficult contractual conditions.

"Under the present [contractual] conditions, nothing will be considered for any amount of money," said Raymond. "That last contract they offered us doesn't work out."

Both sides claim that they will attempt to meet sometime this summer after Emelianenko's 3-fight contract runs its course. Emelianenko himself and UFC President Dana White have reportedly never met.