Despite perhaps the most advanced negotiations ever between the two parties, the Ultimate Fighting Championship is unlikely to sign Fedor Emelianenko to a UFC deal.

UFC president Dana White today suggested he gave his best effort but that ultimately even offering Emelianenko "the most amazing deal" wasn't enough.

As Emelianenko's manager, M-1 Global co-owner and president Vadim Finkelchtein, suggested during a Wednesday press conference, the UFC's refusal to co-promote shows with M-1 was likely the negotiations' biggest hurdle.