Also there is marketing potential of right bracket cos fans will want to see who is in the finals and eventual winner from the right side would get decent boost in popularity. Even Josh Barnett who is name isn't that much of a brand. Big in Japan, but not star worldwide.

Fedor used to be great cos beside all the cans he fought before and after Nog, few were names. They are all cans today but at that time they were somewhat serious guys. Also as MMA evolved we can't compare Pride fighters to new generation of guys. Some older faces evolved, some didn't and stay one trick ponies.

Fedor might be "victim" of M-1 but maybe he isn't. Even with his one fight a year he probably earns more than UFC stars with 3 fights a year.

Can we consider him legend of the sport? Absolutely, but so we can many others. All time great? IMO such things should be put in context of certain period.

I dont think Fedor is a direct fraud. He was a great wellrespected fighter when he was in Pride. But since then he has been missmanaged by people surrounding him wanting to make a lot of money of his fame, and in the process limiting him to develop himself by not giving him any real fights. If Fedor would have went directly to UFC Im sure theings would have been different.

A shame really that Fedor "the (ex) best fighter in the world", has never fought in UFC. That automatically reduces him to just another fighter trying to make it out there...

some interesting perspectives out there... =\