M-1 would like to congratulate Brock Lesnar on his UFC heavyweight title victory as well as acknowledge Randy Couture's return to active competition after a layoff that lasted over a year.

Couture and WAMMA heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko had publicly acknowledged a desire to fight each other multiple times over the course of the past year. While M-1 and Fedor remain interested in a match against Couture, we would also like to publicly state for the record that we would welcome a superfight between Fedor and Lesnar that would be held as a co-promoted event between the UFC, M-1, and Affliction Entertainment.

We've invited the media to speak with us today to not only make it clear we would welcome a Fedor vs. Lesnar matchup but to act in a preemptive fashion to address the possibility that UFC officials will try and position Lesnar as the No. 1 heavyweight in the world, much like they have tried to use a marketing ploy to brand Anderson Silfva as the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

In the past, UFC president Dana White and Zuffa, LLC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta have tried to claim that Fedor was "overrated" and that his "record was irrelevant." They make these claims in spite of the fact that Fedor holds career victories over UFC champions past and present. While we have tremendous respect for the contributions Mr. Fertitta and Dana have made to this sport, we do not believe they are sincere in their statements.

It is the position of M-1 that the UFC has adopted an anti-Fedor policy because multiple attempts to sign him have not been fruitful. For a company that has tried to market itself as the number one promotion in the world, they are unable to accept the fact that the number one fighter in the world does not reside on its roster of contracted fighters.

We believe that the UFC has determined that it's much more inexpensive for them to use their marketing resources to use smoke and mirrors to brand a fighter as the pound-for-pound best as opposed to actually paying the pound-for-pound best what he is truly worth on the open market.

While Brock Lesnar is an accomplished athlete and a talented fighter, we do not consider him to be the number one heavyweight in the world. Until someone beats him, we strongly believe that Fedor should continue to be recognized as the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. In a match between Fedor and Lesnar, we do not feel that at this stage Lesnar would be able to make it out of the first round.

For those who feel our statements in regards to Fedor are self-serving, we'd like to refer you to a video interview on the website RawVegas.tv in which at his UFC 91 after-party Couture himself acknowledges that "Fedor would probably tear Brock up at this point."

Jerry Millen, M-1 Vice President

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Matt Brown def. Ryan Thomas via submission (arm-bar) -- Round 2, 0:57
Mark Bocek def. Alvin Robinson via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 3, 3:16
Jeremy Stephens def. Rafael dos Anjos via TKO (strikes) -- Round 3, 0:39
Aaron Riley def. Jorge Gurgel via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Demian Maia def. Nate Quarry via submission (rear-naked choke) -- Round 1, 2:13
Gabriel Gonzaga def. Josh Hendricks via TKO (punches) -- Round 1, 1:01
Dustin Hazelett def. Tamdan McCrory via submission (arm-bar) -- Round 1, 3:12
Kenny Florian def. Joe Stevenson via submission (rear-naked choke) -- Round 1, 4:03
Brock Lesnar def. Randy Couture via TKO (punches) -- Round 2, 3:07

Another great Arena event is in the books. The fans were treated to several title fights, some great submissions and the long awaited rematch between Josh Stepp and Adam Mays. Also at the event GNP kicked off its Hall Of Fame inducting Sean Beller, Josh Stepp and Adam Mays as its first 3 members.

Thanks to all the fans who came out in support, photos and video will be posted next week.

David Jones DEF Jim Hall RD 2 TKO Ref Stoppage
Derrick Harding DEF Brian Mullins RD 1 SUB via RNC
Scooter Dickenson DEF Roy Sanders RD 1 SUB via Guillotine
Chris Washburn DEF Evan Whitt RD 2 TKO Tap to strikes
Josh Stepp DEF Adam Mays RD 3 Judges DEC
Shane Carroll DEF Jason Cox RD 1 KO
Mason Neff DEF John Lawson RD 1 SUB via Arm Bar
Ricky Harrison DEF Jamie Plasant RD 1 TKO Towel thrown in
JJ Stewart DEF Ben White RD 3 SUB via RNC
Shane Perrine DEF Dustin Carroll RD 1 SUB via RNC
Dustin Hamm DEF Willie Meade RD 2 TKFO Ref Stoppage

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The Sun, a reputable newspaper from the U.K., reported the possibility of the UFC 95 main event Anderson Silva vs Chuck Liddell. Neither fighter has been officially booked for the Feb. 21 event, and the Silva-Liddell fight is only being discussed as a possibility.

"SunSport understands middleweight champion Anderson Silva, 33, has been asked to appear on the card, with a potential bout with light heavyweight star Chuck Liddell already being mooted," the report stated.

The UFC 95 fight, meanwhile, could be -- and perhaps should be -- criticized on two fronts. Not only would the light-heavyweight fight put the UFC's middleweight title picture on hold again (Silva made just two title defenses in 2008), he'd also be competing against a fighter -- though surely a future UFC hall-of-famer -- who's lost three of his past four fights and whose stock has never been lower. In fact, the 38-year-old Liddell hasn't scored a knockout victory in nearly two years.

Liddell is still a draw, and the fight could be marketed. However, a loss for "The Iceman" could be a disaster and force him into retirement. Worse yet, a loss for Silva would greatly impact his standing as the world's top pound-for-pound fighter and would likely derail any future plans for the 33-year-old Brazilian to fight outside the 185-pound division.

Silva is currently riding a nine-fight win streak, which includes eight consecutive victories in the UFC. None of his UFC fights has gone to a decision, including his most recent title defense. Last month at UFC 90, he defeated Patrick Cote via third-round TKO due to a knee injury suffered by the Canadian fighter.

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