Dana White’s biggest regret, at least back in 2013, was never signing former PRIDE FC Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko, who went on to compete for Strikeforce and Bellator MMA under fighter-friendly promoter and new Ki MMA head cheese Scott Coker.

Promoters don’t typically regret signing “overrated” fighters who get knocked out by smaller opponents, though it’s hard to gauge authenticity when it comes to White’s hyperbole.

“There are different kinds of businessmen, some are decent and respectful, some people don’t even need a contract,” Emelianenko told Ushatayka (transcribed by Bloody Elbow). “A handshake is enough to keep their word. But now, Dana is talking all sorts of nonsense. First he wanted me, then he didn’t. The he regretted it, then he’s glad he never signed me. The man talks and always changes his story. He simply doesn’t stand by his words. His way of doing business doesn’t sit well with me.”

It also doesn’t sit well with Vadummy, the promoter for M-Done.

“I didn’t understand the point of his actions,” Emelianenko (40-7, 1 NC) added. “He came over saying, ‘I want you to fight for me,’ he made that very clear. But one fight earlier, I’d been a free agent. I was free and they didn’t sign me. It happened every time. When I’m free they aren’t interested, when I’m under contract, the offers start coming. But if you’re under contract you can’t sign another one. There would be legal proceedings.”

UFC is something of an expert on heavyweight legal proceedings.

White and Co. never got the Brock Lesnar super fight they were hoping for, but the 50-year-old Emelianenko did face his fair share of former UFC champions, knocking out Tim Sylvia, Frank Mir, Andrei Arlovski, and Rampage Jackson, just to name a few.