… and he’s clearly not as heated as last night but still miffed:
“This is not an attack on Jon Fitch. It’s not an attack on any one fighter. We have chosen not to do business with this camp called AKA. These guys have never, ever, ever treated us like partners. They’re always fighting over stupid, stupid (stuff) and negotiating over stuff that makes no sense. They’re negotiating like they’ve got Mel Gibson and this thing is the biggest movie ever being made. You know what I’m saying? The reality is, we’re not even sanctioned in Massachusetts or New York … (and) we’re going into all these different countries trying to do these different things. And I’ve got these guys that basically don’t want to be partners with me. You’ve got morons — morons — that are running these fighters’ lives. But to tell you the truth, one of the fighters from AKA called me and said, “Listen, I don’t care what these managers say or what they’re doing. I make my own decisions and my decision is, I’m with you. I’m your partner, I’m in.’ And this was before we even told AKA we wouldn’t be doing business with them any more. So this really isn’t an attack on Jon Fitch or any personal fighter. We’re just choosing not to do business with AKA any more. We’re not going to do business with them. And listen, there’s other guys out there that they can go do business with; they’re just not going to do business with me. Now there’s rumors out there, I know, about, ‘It’s over a video game deal. It’s over the ancillary rights agreement. It’s over this, that.’It’s over a lot of different things. It’s not one specific fighter or one specific thing. It’s about a lot of different things with a lot of these fighters. And you know what? This is more than just AKA. There’s other camps out there that we’re having trouble doing business with. And at the end of the day, this is a business. We run a business just like any other business. You come in, you do your job with your company and you get paid. And the guys that don’t want to do business with you — then go work somewhere else. It’s as easy as that. You don’t have to do business with us. There’s other people out there you can do it with.”
Check out the full article from USA Today right here. Draw your own conclusions in the comments section below.
277 Comments »
Translated:
“Don’t stand up for what you deserve. It’s our way or nothing”
All the suddden guys care and believe in their video game likability . . . Come on, sign it and get in the ring. Be a fighter, not a Kevin!! Stop complaining!!!
Why shouldnt they complain? I’m glad there’s guys not signing s**t like this and just kissing Dana’s arse all day. Time for a fighters union!
Rumor has it that Mike Swick is the one who called the UFC and stated that he was with them either way. We might see Koscheck cut too. This is ridiculous.
Unions have screwed up all professional sports. I don’t get it?
The over-head on an event like this is through the roof, then theres the Licensing, production, advertising….. And fighters manage to have decent paydays. Fighters get many opportunies from the exposer they get from the UFC, you cant buy that kind of exposer.
Agents do what for our entertainemnt? and this is about their cut, so think about what your saying.
YAY!! Dont sign . . . And dont fight. I hope its what you wanted, not to see these guys fight anymore.
Little late… But True.
Dana had a lot of bad things to say about Cain in another interview basically saying the kid has 4 fights, so he ain’t nothing.
Read the article that is linked above.
Kos was promised to fight at the event for the Troops, Dana doesn’t go back on his word. However, if nothing changes, expect that to be his last fight in the UFC. Same goes for Cain, next UFC fight is his last if things stay the same.
It sounds like Fitch needs to pick up the phone and personally call Dana White. The first Fitch interveiw I read was a little bit different. Mainly saying that it he were to die, then the UFC gets 100% of the money going forward and his family gets nothing.
I’ll be interested to hear Koscheck’s in-ring interview after that UFN show.
Well Im dissapointed Fitch is no longer with the UFC, but no way am I gonna try and tell someone with more money than me how to run their business so if Dana wants him gone, than we’ll just deal with it I guess.
FITCH GOT DISMANTLED BY GSP! FUCK FITCH AND ALL THEM AKA IDIOTS. THE UFC WILL LIVE ON REGARDLESS OF THEM CLOWNS.
If I were Koschek and I was expecting to be released after I headline the UFC’s next show, i would come to the weigh ins, act like everything is peaches and Cream and then I would just not show up for the main event! Could u imagine how embarrassing that would be to the UFC to put on a special show for the troops and the headlining fighter not even show up!
That would be some Humble Pie for Dana…mat Serra style baby!
After KOS saved the show just a month ago…stepping up and helpping the ufc when DS got hurt and Dana does this>>>>>>>>Thats F UP
yeah he could not show up, then he would get his @ss sued for breach of contract and he’d be fighting the rest of his life for free to pay his legal bills.
Dana needs to do some serious Damage control. Their is already a petition floating around calling for Dana to be fired….It has like 4 million signatures in just 7 hours!
People r pissed!
that is great news! fire that clown’s ass..
All those people can kiss Dana’s @ss!!! Dana is a partner not just an employee! You guys got your panies twisted for Fitch? Fitch is a boring @ss fighter! The fight with GSP was only exciting cause GSP beat the sh*t out of him! The only guy I hope doesnt get cut is Cain, but if he chooses to let AKA run his life then f*ck him too!
yeah John, that’d be such a great move for Kos. Let’s give the troops and the entire cause a big “F you” by not showing up for the fight and basically saying that you’re better than them.
Maybe you’re that type of person but Josh Koscheck certainly is not that type of man.
hey, at least we know what type of person you are though. I won’t say man, because I don’t think that type of mentality qualifies you to be one.
I F’in hate Kos, but if I were him and I stepped up oin 2 weeks notice to fill in for Diego and SAVE your co-main event, and I was being told that I would be cut after my next fight, you bet your ass I would make Dana pay for it!
bTW, since when is Josh koschek is some kind of angel?
Check this site out…http://www.tapoutlive.com/images/mags/ufc_legal.pdf…
WIGGY good link!!!
I guess they (UFC) are being a bit unreasonable in this deal.
I wonder how many guys actually signed this thing?
He didn’t seem to mind putting fitch on blast on yahoo though. Also what does sanctioning and the bs, he’s talking about have to do with fighter contracts. I wonder how other fighters and agents will take this?
Comment by Chris W
2008-11-20 01:42:28
http://www.tapoutlive.com/images/mags/ufc_legal.pdf
I agree it’s a business and there’s little option for Jon Fitch, even if he and other fighters have a great point. My problem with White is he says “I’m not a douchbag”… however, this time he’s doing something just like a ‘Cheesy Boxing Promoter’ and taking total advantage of the situation and now he’s saying it’s the mgmt companies fault, BS, BS, BS… White just admit you’re being a ‘douchebag’ in this likeness contract situation and then we all could be on the same page. If anyone here hasn’t read the contract, u should, before u comment, and yeah it’s a biased site, but read between the lines n’ judge for yourself!
This is excellent news; Kos can join Southworth and languish in Strikeforce. Losers
MY 2 CENTS
Video games earn a ton of money Out of Tigers 100 Mil last years I read 59 mil was from the VG.
Did you every think of this:
UFC and DANA: publicity bad or good is always, always, always gooood…it’s a stunt to gain attention on the new Hottest game coming out…its all for show. Jon will be back in no Time.
koscheck isn’t going anywhere, dana isn’t cutting an origianl ultimate fighter cast member. i don’t like Kos but he would not fight anywhere else but the UFC
kos is out after his next fight. Dana has already said that they’re letting him do the “for the troops” show because he did them a favor with the alves fight. Also more likely because they need a main even for that so they don’t have a choice at the moment.
All this comes down to is Fitch gambling on the idea that he might be able to get a better game deal from a different organization down the road, and Dana gambling that Fitch will be screwed by leaving the UFC.
The reality is there is no other viable MMA organization even considering putting out a video game, much less any other origination that is even profitable. With the economy the way it is, I just don’t see how Fitch can think that he is going to find himself in another organizations game in the next few years, and his career is only so long.
I can see Dana’s point in that these fighters should be looking at the growth and dominance of the UFC as a good thing because a rising tide lifts all boats. Sure, the UFC is in line to make a killing with the game, but as the UFC becomes even more dominant in MMA, the fighters stand to get more recognized which equals more dollars themselves.
I think Fitch is being shortsighted. I also think he will be back. There are only so many fighters outside of the UFC for him to fight, and maybe only 1 or 2 that would be worth paying for. The UFC is where it is at and where it is likely to be for the next several years, Fitch’s prime years.
Of course, maybe he is just afraid to GSP!
True that…
Dana White needs to be more specific with what the exact problems have been for them to actually cut Jon Fitch and Christian Welsch. Possibly Koscheck too? After Kos stepped up to fight Thiago and put on an AWESOME show? THEN Kos is fighting at the Fight for the Troops. Are you kidding me? If they drop Koscheck too, I am going to be so pissed.
I called up my friend and told him about Fitch being cut and he freaked out. I got him hooked on MMA about a year back and he watched Fitch vs GSP and became an instant fan.
RyanHobbs — I sorta doubt that White will be more specific. Seems like litigation always follows this kind of thing. In fact, the UFC is probably defending against or litigating some law suit every week, we just don’t hear about it.
I won’t be surprised to see Kos and Fitch back in, possibly others.
It would be cool to hear more. I’m curious. If AKA comes out and speaks, then I won’t be surprised it the UFC answers.
With the economic turmoil and sales of all kinds in a slump, I won’t be surprised to see Affliction go belly up before their next big show, or shortly after. There’s no way they’re recouped their losses from the first event.
What makes you think the UFC defends against law suits weekly? I would hope to see Kos and Fitch back in. This is assuming that Kos actually is out of the UFC.
Affliction might die out. I am predicting that it will although it is easy to do that considering they aren’t in the news all that much anymore.
Affliction won’t die but can’t compete with only 2 cards a year
what bothered me most about fitch, is that he claimed that he never talked to dana himself in person. how does he know for certain what dana said, what dana meant, how his demeanor was if he didnt speak to him in person.
he’s right! Does any fighter think they’d be involved in a video game without the UFC? 10% of merchandising! So lets break it down, do you know how much video games make? t-shirts, action figure? All of which you wouldn’t be in or have a part of if you were with say, affliction. More over, who takes the risk? if the UFC puts up millions to produce mma based toys and games, and these products fail, who loses out? The UFC is taking all the risk, while the fighters can just collect rewards! I understand you guys’ points, but it’s a business! It’s called a no compete clause! I can’t go seek out a job with another food service company, it’s in my contract! Do you think Bill Gates has a partner that couldn’t make more money with apple? Yeah, but he has a contract, and they are loyal to one another.
Like I stated in a previous thread, it’s one guy/one camp! It leads me to believe all the other fighters are on board to make “free money!!”
What you are saying makes a lot of sense. It just makes me think that there is more to the story. Unfortunatly, I heard an interview with Fitch and it doesn’t seem like there is. I would say that the people managing Fitch are the ones to be held responsible. Management that is affiliated with AKA are probably ball busters and the UFC is just tired of it.
Regardless, I am pissed off about this. This is a video game. A video game should not effect a sport to this effect. According to Dana, AKA has given more problems. This is just the straw that broke the camels back, but what it really boils down to is that petty deals like this are impacting this sport and it sucks.
Fitch is an intelligent, well-educated guy. So are a lot of other UFC fighters. Some are morons, but most of them are college-educated. I think Fitch should probably take a more proactive approach to his career if he doesn’t know what his management guys are doing.
Or maybe he should just sign the paper and STFU!!! Leave the crusades to Billy Graham!
lmao!
fitch should talk to dana in person, not through his management! fitch sounds stoooopid when he say dana said this and that and acted in a certain way, when he was never there in person. he said in the interview that it wasnt what dana said or did, it was the way he said and did things. how in the hell does he know if he wasnt there? i think fitch knows he will never be the ww champ as long gsp or bj is there and a part of him wants out.
b.w., that is what I said on another thread. He knows he will never be champ and he may just be one of those guys who needs some sort of belt to validate all the hard work. Easy way out of a contract, but definatly burned some bridges. In the interview on 5oz of pain he says his managers told him to sign, but he made the final decision not to. I don’t give a sh*t anymore about AKA. How does everybody else sign with no complaint, but Fitch is the one guy that didn’t. Who looks like the fool? You want money, STFU and fight!
I agree Kevin!!!
I agree as well!!! Now maybe AKA can all go to another organization together and NOT fight each other. What a joke!
haha seriously. have fun with your own little fantasy MMA promotion there AKA. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!
none of the aka guys would ever fight each other anyway. that could’nt have been easy for dana to deal with the whole time. 3 guys in the top 10 that wont fight each other? tough $hit. be a professional!
haha i see you sayin “its a business” and talkin about principles of business quite a bit but i have a sneaking suspicion that you are unemployed…
damn, another guy figured me out, I’m unemployed and live in my mom’s basement! I live in the most expensive area of the country to live in (maybe second to NY city) Have you ever seen the medium income for the san fran bay area? I make more blogging all day than you do, stop blindly hating! If you disagree with me, thats cool, they’re opinions, but to say I don’t know business is funny! I owned my first business before I was 23, and sold it at 25! I went to college for management! I have a lot of knowledge and opinion on business!
Jeff, thank you for your insight, I was waiting to see what your thoughts were all day!
Agreed, don’t sign then you aren’t in the game… That would about do it.
Kevin
I dont disagree with your points and dont take this as me attacking you, but have you read up on Fitch’s side of the story? We know that the truth usually lies between the 2 sides.
Fitch should learn to speak for himself
john-
Its ok to disrespect kevin.
He does it to other people all the time!
McArthur, you should learn how to “work the google”! Fitch has done about 5 interviews since being released less than 24 hours ago
john you should know kevin is always on dana/ufc side he will always spin it to look the the ufc has done no wrong.
John,
generally speaking your right….he is doing a lot of talking but not makin sense…his loyalty to AKA will eventually land him in as much disarray as his disloyality to the UFC…there are lots of camps, especially for the apparent #2 WW in the world…he seems to be caught in the middle here and the only way out is to “think for himself”…he has to remember that he is holding the trump card…his ability
Very well said!
Actually if you’ve read the various clauses on the merchandising agreement on from an earlier post, you’d see that fighter don’t make any revenue from this deal. The only thing they get is the “advertising.” They just have to give over their image rights. That’s some bull. What you don’t want to be in game? What if you don’t care that much about fame? Then it means the UFC doesn’t want you regardless of talent level.
you know who makes out well…strikeforce, they’re in san jose, maybe crazy bob cook can partner with them. He just cost his guys 80% of their sponsors! If the deal is so bad, why is Mike Swick calling saying he’s in?? you guys gotta understand that the UFC would be nothing without fighters, but without the UFC, these guys aren’t doing anything near as fun for a living! suck it up and collect the 10%! It’s not for movies, etc, it’s a video game, which no UFC guy would be in wothout the UFC!
Majority of AKA already fights for Stikeforce. That would be the easiest transission but also, the lowest paying option out there. Too bad Affliction has NO good WW’s. Cain can find a nice home in thier HW division though.
If there was ever a time I wish EliteXC was still around, this was it (this and Nov 8th when Nick Diaz vs Eddie Alvarez was supposed to go down). Fitch vs Shields for WW belt – that could have been their first PPV!
I understand Dana built this company to where it is, so all respect for that. I think we’re passed that now. We can say the AFL made the NFL what it is today, but nobody cares anymore.
Fighters need to unionize if they want to have a leg to stand on when it comes to negotiation. EVERY other major US sport has a union for this very reason. If someone tries to negotiate, Dana can just FU; you’re out of the UFC. I’m sorry, that’s just f’d up.
Forget the details of this situation, I’m talking about the bigger picture. There can never be a true partnership as long as one side holds all the power.
Truth.
yeah? what’s the union going to do? File a grievance against the UFC? What do you think the UFC is going to do? LMAO. They’re just going to put it in the shredder. At the end of the day these fighters want to fight and where do they have the best chance of making a career at that? The U….F….C.
All a union is going to do is create lockouts which is going to hurt us as fans even more. So quit your fucking whining! Fitch and AKA will be back doing business with the UFC before you know it. Guaranteed.
also a union would protect fat-a$$ underperforming fighters like fihlo and werdum. fighters would start training hard and performing well until they knew they had a union to protect their contract. kinda like you see alot of baseball players and other pro atheletes preform so well during their “contract year”, sign for big money and then mail it in for the rest of the contract. theres way too many to name. a union would kill mma. its not a team sport, it’s and individual sport.
All other US sports are a bag of shite, nobody outside of that country watches them and there is no international competition. “World series” my ass.
Don’t try to group UFC with American Suits of Armor Football, American Steroid Rounders and hoods done good hoops.
The UFC is an international promotion and because of this is poised to overtake all the other sports the USA holds so dear. There will be no union because there is no “N” in UFC.
“For the American readers – that means it’s not a national league”
hey mania, what are your thoughts? am I crazy?
Kevin,
I know you asked for mania and I ain’t him, but for what it is worth, you are not crazy.
I have not seen the contract. However, there is not that much money involved. A game reatils for $59.99. Let’s say somehow the are able to sell 1 million units. That is roughly a $60 million profit. Great 10% of $60 million for fighters and their families (as Fitch reminds us). Not so fast. The sales gross is $60 million. The fighters have to share with the UFC, the UFC has to share with retailors, wholesale companies, distribution companies, packaging companies, factories and of course the game developer. Thus, the fighters are getting a 10% share of something much smaller than $60 million.
Moreover, as Chefdaddy pointed out this is a do not compete clause. Thus, if a fighter leaves the UFC another org can’t throw him on a video game and make money off of something the UFC has (for lack of better term) produced. This takes into to consideration only the likeness rigths for a video game. Other likeness rights need to be viewed as long term investments in any one particular fighter. For example, a fighter that believes he has a carrer outside of the fight game that would require the use of his likeness, what is the difference in ROI between staying with Zuffa and leaving for another org.
All fandom aside, this is a business for both the fighters and the promotions. First rule of business: Turn a profit.
$60 million profit????????…no it’s not. Who’s manufacturing these games? Where is the packaging coming from? Other materials? Marketing? Are we not paying anyone else involved in the process? Come on Jeff, think this one through before you post.
Good post!
FukStyck,
Read my post again. I only say it appears to be a $60 million profit, but that is before you cut the pie.
FukStyck, finish reading his post. He acknowledges it’s $60 million gross sales, not $60 million net profit.
Its still DW strong arming things (or so it appears).
But monopolies do this in order to get a strangle hold on their respective markets.
No competion, no unions, ultimatums = a steady stream of profit for the UFC that cannot be challenged legally.
This “problem” with AKA is just a building block to establishing the UFC as the ONLY game in town.
IF Fitch is refusing then more power to him.
Signing lifetime contracts are never a good idea unless you are GUARANTEED a an indexed number competitive with the current economy.
In other words, fighters should get more than “scraps”.
Why I tend to side with Fitch is that just recently the sport has really started to blow up. Who knows how much bigger it will get in the next 10-20 years. A contract not worth that much money NOW, could be worth a lot more in the future. Fitch is being smart, NO one should ever sign a lifetime contract. To muych stuff changes from one decade to the next.
I hear that the underlying dilema about this situation is that Dana Promised THQ (video game maker) EXCLUSIVE lifetime imaging rights to the video game manufacturer, without getting consent from all its fighters. Meaning that THQ will be the only cvompany making UFC video games. Problem is that Dana made that promise before getting all its fighters to sign off, and it got to a point where Dana needed everyone to sign so he was like F u, just sign.
There is a really good written out interview of Fitch where he breaks it down in depth!
OJR,
I like the idea of an index percentage. Mind you I don’t see it happening for a myriad of reasons, but it is an interesting option.
Secondly, I really don’t see anything coming from this video game revenue wise that amounts to more than scraps. Then again, I’m not a fan of this type of game. This also only holds true if the contract in question was for likeness only in regards to the video game.
John,
I agree the sport has grown and has potential to continue to grow at a very impressive rate. Thus, if the contract is for anything other than likeness in relation to the game, a fighter needs to weigh the cost and benifits of signing something like this.
Your second point is interesting and I have not heard this before. Sounds like Dana was counting his eggs before they were hatched. There is no reason that the fighters should have know about this stipulation prior to the deadline for signatures.
Jeff: When I read this news this morning. YOu were the 1st person that came to mind. I knew you would be able to break down the contractual mumbo Jumbo for us…Much appreciated.
Yeah, my understanding is that Dana counted his eggs before they hatched, and then had to start making ultimatums to save face.
Jeff: I would like to say that recently I have come to really enjoy your post. Good stuff man, and keep the knowledge flowing. YOur input about the business side of things is invaluable to this site!
Props!
john, you just keep leaning more for Fitch. Is it so wrong to sign a deal that will make your company some money? Kalib Starnes also had his side against the UFC remember? F*ck what Fitch is talking about! ITS A F*CKIN VIDEO GAME! This is coming from a guy who is not even a star! Before he fought GSP, half the people on here were saying he was boring (myself included) Now all of a sudden, poor Fitch! Its not right! Danas an @ss! Give me a f*ckin break! No big lose to the UFC.
Correction *loss* not lose! Before Kevin comes on here and makes fun of me! LOL
Werdum, Fitch, Koschek, Cain….. where does it end? who’s next, BJ Penn?
JV: For a guy thats on this site every day do you even watch the fights? Fitch BOring? I hate the wrestling aspect of mma more than anyone, and not once did I ever associate the word Boring with Jon Fitch!
Fitch is boring but the 2 times you have actually seen Cain Vallasquez tells you that he is GREAT?
JV: I am always going to be PRO Fighter!
Thanks, John. I enjoy posting about the contractual and business aspect of MMA. If it provides some knowledge and enjoyment for others, even better.
john, I said Cain for biased reasons hes MEXICAN! But I had also said that if Cain lets AKA run his life then f*ck him too!!!
jv you said if cain lets aka(his freinds and training partners) run his life than f him, well should he let dana and the ufc run his life than?
wow JV and BNF are truly blind UFC supporters… go watch some interviews with John Fitch, he says they cut Christian Wellisch before he even had a chance to sign this contract, just to scare Fitch and Koscheck into it. He said Wellisch was going to sign it and didnt care about the circumstances but they cut him ANYWAYS! WAKE UP YOU TWO! stop defending something that has fallen from grace and deserves the criticism its getting
This convo is actually pretty stupid. If you ask me, I bet Fitch will be re-signed with the UFC by this time next week.
Fitch is not stupid. He knows every single top welterweight is property of Zufa. Who can he go fight outside the UFC? Jay Heiron? Give me a break.
I hate this whole situation but if you ask me, UFC is playing hardball forcing Fitch into a corner, and I am pretty sure he will give in to the UFC’s demands.
Gono vs. Fitch will proceed as planned. you all wait and see!
JV: before you posted that you like Cain for biased reasons (being Mexican), I actually stated in the above post that I bet you would think Fitch was exciting if he were Mexican, but Mania moderated it out of my post. I hope silly comments like that aren’t misconstrued as racists remarks, I guess thats how mania saw it. No offense though!
This politically correct crap in this country is getting old!
same thing I was thinking john…but better yet, I don’t care!!!
Jeff-
If you deduce that the bottom line is no more than “scraps” anyway, then why make the deal?
If the bottom line translates to a marginal profit then why the uproar?
Your $60 million example really holds no water (since this is all speculation anyway) but I appreciate the breakdown nonetheless.
BTW – I agree with you on the index idea but since we are throwing up scenarios…I figured, what the hell, right?
I read somewhere, that some video games cost and make more than some movies. They take years to make and sell a lot. But not fighting games, it’s basically free publicity and a cool thing!
Roy, AKA is just a training gym homie! The UFC is what pays the bills! So if (I) had to choose, I’d choose what pays the bills! Its not like Fitch cant go train somewhere else right?
Brendan, some of you guys seem to care too much about a fighters pay and problems! Unless you know him/them personally, why would you care so much? Im just stating my opinion on who I think is right!
i am just saying jv i don’t think fitch did much wrong and the ufc is strong arming him, would you like that?
OJR,
The deal is really for the video game developers. My understanding of the contract is that they, not just Zuffa, own the likeness to the fighters for the video game. Thus, any fighter could be used in future games by the developer and not used by other developers.
You are on this one Kevin. And BW: They can’t go team to team like they can in other sports. If they don’t perform, than they are still out when their contract is up. I am not a fan of unions, bc it protects the lazy a$$ workers, but in this case they need one. Dana says that they are all partners, LMFAO!!! I don’t see the fighters flying around in their own personal jets!
Exactly BritishBulldog!
dana king is at it again. Dont say some of us(very few at that) didnt warn yall. we dont just hate dana for no apparent reason. He is a power hungry man, and still doesnt know his role. I still laugh at how some of you back him with anything he does, like if he was your older brother or something. When the guy has a track record of not liking ANYBODY else but himself, and pissing off soo many fighters…seriously, can someone give me a list of silly tiffs hes had with past fighters and partners or promoters???…right, too damn many to name. Just like you guys were saying fedor this and fedor that, those russians were this and that, its all their fault he didnt sign not danas…you were just too busy aggreeing with dana king because that is exactly what he was saying. Some of you are sheep i tell ya. He wants complete control AND IS SUPER GREEDY, yet it doesnt work that way. current ECONOMY anyone? To call john fitch an expletive is just low. Everyone has a track record, and danas doesnt seem to be all that great with fighters so it will completely implode in due time.
His head is way too big for his own good, gathering from interviews and behavior of course, he needs to get off that high horse of his if he wants to build trust and relationships with his fighters.
Sir “Blah” — We really don’t know anything beyond this article. For all any of us knows the deal was sweet and AKA are the bad guys. Who knows? It’s very difficult to make any kind of snap judgment on this issue when we know basically nothing.
One thing is for sure, there are fighters who talk big about what they think they deserve, then they get squashed in the cage. Several examples recently.
Also, nobody is banking serious coin outside of the UFC. Unless they go to Japan. When you add up the number of Strikeforce fights, and how often their fighters fight compared to their income, it’s not all that great. Not bad, but not great either. If the AKA brotherhood wants to fight in Strikeforce, I wish them well. I’m just not convinced that we’ve scratched the surface of this issue. Probably both parties are recalcitrant and unmoving.
Lets see……fight for the biggest promotion in the world and have a steady pay check OR fight for smaller promotions that no one cares about and have your contract cancelled every time because they run out of money. I would take option 2
How do you get that from this quote? He said its not about the game or the agreement… AKA is beign difficult so he wont work with them. If Kos and Fitch want to fight the best and continue to be in the UFC, the best MMA organization, then leave AKA… they obviously arent helping your career at all!!
I agree, I see an antitrust suit coming in the near future.
So basically … F$@4#$% AKA..
that is what Dana is saying.. See I give the man mega props.. for doing what he does.. but when he goes out and drops F bombs.. like Silva throws blows.. and rips Jon Fitch.. a guy whom was that dude.. it sucks.. of course we really on the outside don’t know the real deal.. just whats posted.. and even that.. it sucks.
Isn’t Koscheck AKA?? So is he out too?
Yep. he might be out after his December 10th fight.
How goes it, Phil-san? Im wondering how much behind the scenes stuff we simply aren’t aware of. But if what Dana just said is the truth, then perhaps he should watch who/what and how he criticizes people to the media. If he didn’t have a problem with Fitch, then don’t curse him in the public eye. If he has a problem with AKA, then say so.
Chef1… perfectly said..
hear hear! well said indeed!
good post philqny. we really dont get all the input we need to decide whats true, and whats not. it does suck to lose a quality fighter, or more than one, in a situation like this. but, at the end of the day i dont blame the ufc. these guys got two options; take it, or leave it. business is business. besides, where else are these fighters REALLY gonna go thats better than the UFC? affliction?!??
And doesn’t seem weird that at least 1 fighter (Swick) didn’t want this, called dana and he’s still in the UFC. Sounds as if AKA might not have asked the fighters what they wanted. Maybe some of these guys will dump them and switch camps.
Why does Dana white even have to be the Vince Mcman of UFC. Thier is no need for him to be more famous than half the fighters.
SERIOUSLY!
You don’t see David Stern out there trying to be more popular to the “pop culture” than LeBron or Kobe.
When Dana starts refering to his grapefruits then I may just change the channel.
No BSing with Dana, let ‘em know BiG D!
I read a few articles on this, and I’m with the UFC, and EVERY OTHER fighter. Dana said that its pretty much the MANAGEMENT of AKA. If Jon Fitch were to personally contact Dana, then there’d be no problem. Thats what Swick did, and Swicks not getting cut. Doesn’t seem like that big a deal to me either. Its a video game. I mean, seriously. Dana makes some good points. The AKA fighters need to handle their own business as far as the UFC goes. Dana made a reference to Liddell, saying that Liddell had to handle his own business in the UFC, and his manager (DeWayne whatever) to handle his sponsorships.
thats the problem. everyone is citing all these fitch interviews, when fitch ADMITTED he never talked to the man in person.
I don’t like where this is going. Train at the wrong camp and don’t fight in the UFC…can’t be good for anyone. Dealing with AKA sure must be a pain…I don’t see how this is good for the UFC.
UFC will still sruvive without Fitch or any AKA fighter. How will AKA do without the UFC? And I would assume it was Koscheck that rang Dana up and said he’s with him. AKA thought they would make Dana blink, but it never happened. Sucks cuz I really like Fitch, but guess he can go get at least maybe one fight with Affliction before they gobelly up.
AKA’s last champ?
exactly. they can all have fun jacking each other off at camp since they’ll be unemployed. They should just have a big circle jerk.. wait, they probably already do..
it still amounts to the UFC losing fitch. and that sucks ass. regardless of who is right or wrong in this bull.
Personally i think Fitch is an idiot, he is still pretty unknown to the general public, this would get him some fan support and much needed publicity. And also in 3 years if he left for another ORG do you think the Ufc would still have him in their game “HELL NO”…..So comin from “The HULK” Fitch your a fuckin moron
People don’t know who Fitch is? He defeated the current number one contender in the welterweight division (Thiago Alves) went 5 rounds with GSP live on PPV in front of millions, and tied the record for the longest winning streak in UFC history. I’m pretty sure people know who he is. I know plenty of casual fans that are pissed off about this.
In America he may be fairly known for having his ass handed to him by GSP. But the longer he stays out of the limelight (UFC) the less known he becomes. He is still a nobody everywhere else in the world. I can see a lot of fighters leaving AKA now
He’s best known for looking like Hazelett.
I’m pretty sure he would be well known in Canada if you are gonna refer to a GSP fight. But not for GSP whooping his ass. For taking a tremendous beating from GSP and still making GSP push himself for the entire 5 rounds.
PW- hahaha its visa versa
casual fans do not know who he is. the casual fans you know who do know him because they know you…say that three times fast.
I realized why I couldn’t say it fast. Because the sentence didn’t make sense
I get what your saying though. However, I am pretty sure that they know of him because they witnessed the hype for UFC 87 Seek and Destroy. Then they actually witnessed the fight with GSP and became big fans. The only connection with me is the fact that they now know that Fitch was cut. They otherwise wouldn’t know and within a few months they may ask me “hey whens that John Fitch fightin’ again?”
Maybe a noob like you doesn’t know Fitch, but we who are “MMA” fans, and not just “UFC” fans, have known about him for years….even when the UFC was screwing him out of his deserved title shot, so they could profit off a stupid reality show with Matt Serra vs GSP.
I’m a hardcore MMA fan, and of course all “MMA fans” know FITCH. What Roger was saying is that the general public, or people who simply watch the big names or huge fights, have no idea who this guy is. Even when he fought GSP coming off the 8 fight streak, he was unknown to the casual fan. Fitch does not draw money. He is not capable at this point in his career of solely main eventing a card. At UFC 87 when he fought GSP in the main event, the card was loaded with incentives to buy it, such as Lesnar/Herring and Florian/Huerta.
I believe with the right publicity Fitch could be huge in the future. But doing this is a stupid move on his part. I like Fitch and the way he performs and so do all hardcore MMA fans, but he is definitely not a “face” in the sport to the casual fan.
Fitch fought on the same card as Brock Lesnar. Brock Lesnar brings in tons of PPV buys. Not to mention all of the canadians tuning in to see GSP square off against Fitch in the main event. That is a massive amount of exposure and on top of that, he put on a great fight that night. Granted, he didn’t do too well, but he took a tremendous beating and pushed one of the top p4p fighters to a full 5 rounds.
P.S. Your screen name… you get that from Cool Hand Luke? hahahahaha I watched that movie last year
I am not a Fitch fan. I think that he, like Koscheck, relies far too heavily on humping his way to decision wins. Regardless of where he is in the rankings, how many people buy a PPV JUST because Fitch is on it?
My point exactly. I would say under 5% of the PPV’s Fitch is on are bought because of him.
PW- good point. not about the “humping” but about purchasing a PPV just to see Fitch. This doesn’t mean that people aren’t a fan of him though. I may not purchase a PPV JUST to see him but Fitch being on a card is certainly icing on the cake.
Why 5%?
Read my first comment above.
roger, is this really you??? i just checked out your website. you are a bad s.o.b. you have some great finishes in your fights.
This is the reason why we need to support other fight organizations. These fighters need options, and Dana has this my way or highway attitude and it just is not right. We don’t know if these guys are being treated right, and I’m sure they are just standing up for what they believe. If it were just AKA it would be one thing but Dana even said it was more than just AKA. Fighters should have options!
Not sure I would agree. From a fan point of view, having one major organization would seem to be the way to go, just like all other American sports. How much would it suck to have a Super Bowl champion and another football league that has its champion and never see them play each other and have an endless debate over who “would” win if they played.
I would love to see the fighters get paid really well, but in the end as a fan the only thing I care about is seeing the best fight each other…and if the UFC ends up squashing all others leagues for that to happen then it is fine with me.
As soon as fighters have plenty of options you have plenty of fighters that will never be fighting each other. Its bad enough we have to constantly hear all the speculation about Fedor, imagine having that kind of speculation at all levels. No thanks. Go UFC.
NO
Kos wasnt the one that called dana up it was actually Swick
How did you get this info?
I read it on a different MMA site as well. One of the competitors of this site.
ITS EVERYWHERE! Even the article quoted above from USA TODAY says so, just click the link to read more!
OR, go to Yahoo and click “sports” and then “MMA” and you can find a VERY good article as well.
In other words “if you train at AKA or the other camps that don’t toe the line…you’ll be cut from the UFC”…”go train at Randy’s camp (the one who is litigation with Affliction), then you can fight for the UFC”…”that way I ensure that every fighter that fights for me will be putting money in my pocket for life”…”even when you die, and your family gets nothing….I will still be getting paid”.
Dana…if you want to man up, tell us who the “other camps” are. Pussy.
AKA is running their fighters just like Brandon Vera’s old management that kept him on the shelf for over a year because of their ridiculous demands. Look up the history and fraud of AKA. That gym is a joke compared to the well respected academies in America like American Top Team, Jackson’s Submission Fighting, and DellaGrotte’s Sityodtong USA.
AKA is trying to bully the only company that can further their fighter’s careers. What a stupid asshole mistake.
punishment guarenteed
Well Fitch and the others from AKA can always move to another camp or form there own. I don’t want to see i union i effen hate unions, look what they are doing to the big 3.
i was wondering if he was talking about kos… did i miss, where it said that???
Bla bla bla.
Translation: Give us the right to do whatever we want with you or [Expletive] off.
OMG this is f’d up.. now this is why the UFC wants no other promotion to be alive they are trying to force the best fighters to sign with them! Babalu, Ortiz, Arlovski, Fedor and all of the guys outside of the UFC are the one’s that should get all the respect in the world.. I think Randy made a mistake when he signed with the UFC again, they had a guy like Evan Tanner that killed himself because he was so tired of life he must’ve been getting beat up without getting paid! the UFC is not a sport it’s just a corrupt business.. the video game should be a MMA video game with all promotions all over the world not just a UFC game where they rule everything.. I don’t know but the video game makers are the one’s that are signing the fighters to the game right?
Ummmm. I’m pretty sure that Evan died of heat exaustion. The UFC gave him another chance at fighting by having him fight Yushin Okami. That was a tremendous opportunity for Evan Tanner. Had he won, he could have been in line for a title shot. After he wasn’t able to do that, they gave him another high profile fight against Kendal Grove, a winner in The Ultimate Fighter. If my memory serves me right, it was the main event of TUF finale.
yes he did, but you don’t think there was a reason behind that.. these guys work there asses of and get treated like sh*t.. Dana White’s feets stinks! yea cool to put a mental case as a main event just to make money on his name, you think they really cared about him? hell naw they don’t care about any of the fighters at all..
Dana White cares for the fighters. Not all of them, but a fair amount of them. And he loves the sport as well. Do you think he flew in to help Rampage out during his hit and run ordeal because he didn’t care about him? I don’t think so. Now you are calling Evan Tanner a mental case? Very respectful. You may say it’s your opinion but if Dana White had reportedly said such a thing, he would be considered to be heartless.
And what do you mean there was a reason behind his heat exaustion? He went out into nature (something he has done countless times in the past) and didn’t make it this time. It was a dangerous trip as indicated in his blog and things just went wrong.
ok, my thoughts are that he went into the desert or whatever knowing that if he went deep enough he wouldn’t make it. what i mean is that these guys should be treated bette. I just think that E.T wasn’t ready mentally to be in a main event, there’s nothing wrong with having some mental or personal problems people deal with those things every day, and for the Rampage thing of course he flew out there that’s his job he kiss ppls asses to have them stay in the UFC, now he puts him into a fight with Wanderlei after what happened to Quinton, does that make any sense to you?
UFC is not a sport? What a bonehead statement. Go watch the terrible production value and mediocre fights of Affliction. Ortiz deserves respect? He hasn’t finished a fight outside of Shamrock since Elvis Sinosic in 2001. He’s done, over, washed up.
UFC is a business, but they also happen to put on the greatest fights in the sport of MMA, hands down. Anyone who would argue that is retarded.
Not Sengoku, Dream, Affliction, or any of the dead companies have ever been on the level that UFC is currently at. They continuously give packed cards with exciting fights, usually multiple times a month.
hey, i watch the UFC all the time because of the fighters that they have and i have no problem at all following the fighters if they go to another MMA org which they will if this continues.. If you knew anything you would know that there is more to this whole thing than winning or losing and the UFC putting on good fights it’s about these ppl’s careers and them getting money to be able to have a life and to support their families, and after all the sacrifices they’ve done for the UFC, they get a F U in their faces from Dana!.. this tool will get fired and maybe someone can step up that is willing to pay the fighters, which of course is what the AKA wants, they want their fighters to get paid and that is why the UFC closed the door for them just like they do with everyone that has the guts to demand more money..
how are they getting an “‘f’ you”? Please answer me that. Because from my seat, I see a rising promotion, clearly head and shoulders and even ankles above the other 3 that are trying to make it in the business, providing fighters like Jon Fitch and Josh Koscheck with job security. And if that’s not enough, they’re spending their own money and time on promoting these fighters by putting them in advertisements or video games (in this case) or even having those autograph sessions that they have. All of that is done to further the fighters! The UFC does a shit load for fighters beyond giving them job security that a lot of you ignorant ppl don’t even realize.
how much do you think NFL players were making 15 years into the creation of the NFL? Millionaires aren’t made over night. And for you to think I don’t realize there are fighter’s livelihoods at stake is ignorant on your part. We all understand this is how they make their living. Sure they have made sacrifices, but so has the UFC. If it wasn’t for the UFC, this sport wouldn’t be as big as it is right now and these guys wouldn’t have jobs. No other company in MMA was lobbying for the legalization of the sport state to state. Educate yourself on that.
You stating that the UFC doesn’t want their fighters to make money is ludicrous. They have tons of fighters, the most in any MMA company who are making more money than any fighters outside the organization. They treat their fighters well or they wouldn’t have fighters. They would go to other organizations like you said… but they don’t cause they know the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
And read the article, the AKA isn’t trying to get Fitch and it’s fighters MORE MONEY. Money isn’t the argument. It’s the language of the contract for a video game.
You UFC bashers make me sick. You complain every time a fighters management goes at odds with the UFC. You hug the balls of the Tito Ortiz’s of the world when they are overpaid and asking for ridiculous demands that will jeopardize the sport we love. You support the leaches like AKA and KJ Noons and Brandon Vera’s manager like they’re so much better than Dana White. These are the guys taking money out of the fighter’s pockets. Not Dana.
Check your facts.
I can give you the facts on everything you want to, i’m just stating my honest opinions.. and what’s fun is that everybody’s talking about how boxing is dead Dana is saying that in every interview, but still they’ve paid the boxers money that the UFC are not even close to, their giving the fighters 50-60 percent of their revenue and the UFC are giving 5% so who’s corrupt? I can bash the UFC all day long and how much i want to, cause it’s not even about the UFC it’s about the fighters that are fighting for the UFC to even make them a company, what if all the fighters that are in the UFC suddenly went to another organization that pays alot more.. and finally what is the meaning with having a 3d Rampage vs Wanderlei fight? they’re trying to market both of them and after this fight the loser’s career is gonna get seriously hurt, does Dana White care? no all he wants is to make quick money on that fight while it’s still hot.. sure i like to see it as a fan, but i care about the fighters that i like i’m not just gonna watch my favourite fighters and not care..
Well, as long as they can train full time and make a decent living, I really could care less how much money they make and how rich they become. Boxing brings in more revenue for big fights, that’s why they can offer the bigger pay days.
And now you don’t want to see Wanderlei/Rampage III because however loses is seriously going to get hurt????? Grow some nuts buddy. This is a fight business, not a hold their hand and pat them on the butt business. Get it together and quit acting like a woman, please.
correct…but Ortiz has beaten both the champ AND # 1 contender…
Well…. his fight with Rashad Evans was a draw and one of the most boring fights I have ever watched.
And his Split Decision over Forrest Griffin was EXTREMELY QUESTIONABLE, but he did get the judges split. My personal opinion is Griffin won the 2nd and 3rd round, but that could be up for argument.
Any person that signs a “lifetime” anything is a fool.
Why not just cut your nuts off, put a UFC logo on them, then after you bleed to death, Dana can sell them on ebay, and send a letter to your family saying “fuck you too”.
If this is the kind of shit these guys are signing, then I just lost some respect for every one of them. Tough as nails, but dumber than fuck….how do you respect someone dumber than fuck?
Has anyone ever thought that Fitch (and his camp…as well as the “other camps” Dana eludes to) are just guys that realize that the “lifetime” shit is ludicrus?…and that maybe the camps that toe the line are just doing it because they are in cahoots with Dana and milking their fighters too? Maybe the fighters who are represented by these camps should take a look at “why” they are signing this shit.
Anybody else see MMAmania.com on the ticker on the bottom of the screen on ESPN this morning?
Sometimes Dana white can be the biggest pussy on the planet. He basically cries and throws a tantrum when things don’t go his way.
If he is getting rid of the guys at AKA then he can go fuck himself.
This is starting to seem like the kind of business that is all about selling out and fucking over its employees.
exactly….did Dana assume they would sign…if Fitch doesn’t want to be involved, then simply exclude him from the video game
sign the damn paper and make dat money. stop acting like a PAB. i see exactly where dana comining from. theyll fight to make themselves money but wont sign a damn contract to allow the company he work for to get bigger and make profit. its bull. if they cant sign a contract that allows them to be on a videogame because they dont want to be stuck for years with the same brand then are they thinking that they might support someone else?? Its all business and Dana and the UFC is damn good at it. Dana put it simply as we make you money and help you get sponsors for more money, so scratch our back by signing a video game contract. shit is that so hard. fitch’s lost cause ufc going to keep getting stronger while the other organizations barely making it. his bad
I am guessing since Kos already signed his bout agreement to fight for the troops, they cant fire him until that fight is done. So I guess when Kos walks out of the cage they will give him his walking papers too??
Fitch said in an interview that Kos might be out after his next fight. We will just have to wait and see.
I read the whole article and agree with Dana.
Big suprise.
Hey, T-Rex…I own a business…will you work for me for about .00005% of what the business earns, and sign a contract for life?
Where do you get that percentage?
Fitch made almost 170,000 off the GSP fight, not including sponsorship dollars.
I’m sure you are not paying your employees anything near the ratio that the UFC was paying FITCH compared to sales of the PPV’s he fights on.
Fitch is ONE GUY. If the contract was so bad, and all these fighters were so underpaid, they wouldn’t be fighting or signing contracts and certainly the video game wouldn’t be getting made.
This is a case of someone mishandling the management of their fighter. In this case, the AKA needs to step off, know their role, suck it up, and help fitch out. It’s a lifetime contract for a video game. Honestly, what other MMA company is EVER going to put out a video game. They can’t even make a profit. Being a business man Introvert, you have to understand that. Right?
It’s not about the video game….it’s about respect, period.
If I offered a “take it or get out” contract, and spoke to my employees the same way that Dana speaks to his, I’d expect nothing less than for them to tell me to fuck off. Anything less form them would be a disapointment as far as I’m concerned.
For what it’s worth, the guys who kiss my ass, always do what their told, and toe the line every day, are less valuable then the ones who have a mind of their own….and balls.
Respect is in the payday and the fact that he is being given the fights he was given. Don’t make this out like he was being disrespected. EVERY fighter was offered this, and if it was so “disrespectful” it wouldn’t be signed by any fighter with any dignity. The respect angle has no legs in this discussion based off of that. Once again, this is TWO FIGHTERS (with wellisch) we’re talking about who fight under the same Academy with a sordid past. Don’t you find that funny?
You still didn’t answer the question about the percentage.
Also, being a business man myself, I would have to completely disagree with your last statement. People who toe the line, do their job, and keep their mouth shut (minus the ass kissing) have always been more valuable in a business venture then people who challenge every line of authority, or “have balls”. That’s just smart business.
Welcome to the world of business. UFC want to make money,AkA are too hungry. Fuck them. I love to watch Jon Fitch fight, I will watch him with strikeforce doing less money.
ALLAMERICAN, it sure is me….i’m on alot of site but only known by name here….put me on the game i sign that fuckin contract…..and i’m hopin to get the call to the big league’s in 09….and Fitch is an idiot and a fuckin loser, you think you deserve all this credit for lasting 5 rounds with GSP, it was pure luck you beat ALVES…and for all you guys who say i don’t know mma….I AM MMA….LOOK ME UP BITCHS
Wow….I like yo already, Roger.
You seem to be all class lol.
Very humble too lol.
My guess is you wouldn’t last 30 seconds in the cage with any of those guys that you just insulted.
lol…check him out on his site introvert. he’s like a canadian phil baroni! he does whoop some ass in the videos on the site. just google roger the hulk hollet and it comes right up.
I’ll take your word for it…
Thanks though
Your blogs reinforce the stereotypes that casual fans have about people who participate in MMA.
Carry yourself with some class and your opinion will be respected.
“The Best Fighter in Canada” must not know much about GSP.
Mania, way to get a mention in the USA today article. Free advertising is good, even if it is in McPaper.
There is no good solution to this. I think it is complete BS that they are being forced to sign a LIFE TIME agreement to have the UFC own their ability to appear in a videogame or have their likeness appear in one. That means long after you may have moved to Japan to fight, or Strikeforce, or wherever, you can NEVER appear in a video game ever again. What if Anderson Silva, or wanderlei had signed something like that for PRIDE? I applaud these guys for not walking the company line on this one. This is outrageous. Dana wants to talk about how you clock in and clock out and it’s just a job, but then wants to own these guys’ lives? A union would serve its purpose but once it’s created its there for good, which can be good and bad. Apparently there are more issues than just video games rights. There was also talk about forced promotional public appearances without compensation to hock merchandise. These guys aren’t boxers, theyre not making millions. When Floyd Mayweather didn’t sign on to be in Fight Night he just wasn’t in the game. He wasn’t removed from boxing. He didn’t lose sponsorships. The over branching reach of Dana and the Mafi…. I mean the Frettitas are strong arming these guys and I cant blame a single manager, agent, or parent who would advise signing this thing.
Well actually, if they signed a lifetime contract for PRIDE, that wouldn’t matter now at all considering the UFC bought PRIDE and all of their contracts out. So technically PRIDE’s rights would have ended there.
And besides DST, what other company is ever going to create a videogame? Affliction can’t even turn a profit, and the owner of Strikeforce has came out publicly and said they are not trying to be competition to the UFC from a marketing stand point.
Well how could they not be? They’re not going to advertise and pay fighters? Their existence is competition. I was just using PRIDE as an example. So your saying that because no will make a video game in the future (a statement that is insane and just simply not true) that these guys should sign over all rights to ever appear in one?
Name the other MMA company that will create a video game. Come on. I’m waiting. There are none and to say the statement is insane is, well… insane.
Name me another Football league that is putting out video games with NFL player likenesses. Or a Basketball league using NBA players? MLB? NHL? There are none!
Elite XC was on a national network supported by a national conglomerate and they were bleeding money, just like Affliction is now. Why do you think the heads of Affliction met with the UFC to close it’s doors if the UFC allowed their fighters to wear Affliction gear again? Because they realize they make more money with their T-Shirts on the backs of UFC fighters then they do putting on their own fights!
UFC is still a growing company that’s going to get bigger and bigger, making more and more money. They take care of their fighters or they wouldn’t have any, plain and simple. The bigger they get, the richer their fighters get. Just look at the numbers of UFC contracts and how the salaries have risen over the past 5 years along with the rise of bonus numbers. It’s getting better for them.
The other sports leagues don’t have other games being developed because EA has exclusive rights to those leagues and the players in them. Not because no one else wants to make games. Right now, your right, no other organization is planning on a video game but to say NO OTHER organization WILL EVER make one is insane. MMA is a baby right now, and if the UFC thinks it’s going to be the only show in town forever they should wake up. A big reason for this kind of contract is to constrain movement in a market. They want to plant flags on the moon now so they can gameplan for the future. The UFC is making it as hard as possible for any of these guys to ever explore other better avenues to make money and be successful. And im sure you are going to say “well where else can they right now.” I have no problem with the UFC owning these guys NOW, but to want to own them FOREVER is a problem.
you speak the truth my friend. all these dana haters just crying cause there fan boy got cut for having failed management.
So EA having exclusive rights to the teams and likenesses, is sort of like UFC having exclusive rights to their fighters and likenesses. Right? What’s wrong with that? It’s a business protecting it’s product, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Why would you want someone else getting paid from what you built?
I just don’t get the argument of other MMA companies being good for the sport. If there are all these MMA companies with all these choices we wouldn’t know who is the best. You wouldn’t have the best fighting the best. They would be scattered amongst companies and we would be left wondering “what would happen if this guy fought this guy”. Very much like the Fedor/Couture situation. It’s like if there were 5 Football leagues and we had to wonder who REALLY was the true Super Bowl Champion, this team or that team. It’s not good for the sport.
NFL has a market on football. NBA, basketball. MLB. NHL, etc. There is no other competition for these sports. They have built themselves over the years. The players weren’t making those millions when these companies started, they were struggling. NFL was founded in 1920. NBA in 1946, and so on.
UFC? 1993. Like you said MMA is a baby, but the pay keeps getting better as the sport continues to grow. The fighters will make more and more money. Dana is looking out for his business, his fighters, and most importantly, the sport.
And yes, just like no other football organization has ever made a video game (hello XFL!), no other MMA company will make one. Call me insane, but that’s what I believe. 50 years from now UFC will be just as massive and successful as the NFL and the other sports leagues. And so will it’s fighters.
Well we just simply have a difference of opinion here. You seem to think that a company on top now will be on top forever. Please take a history class. The problem with the UFC controlling other people rights is that they will do with them whatever best serves the purpose of the business, not necessarily the fighters. You want the UFC to have a monopoly? How has that turned out in the past? History class. I pray to God you are not a Comcast customer like I am and have not experienced the evils of that company. Nobody else being allowed to play is usually never the best case scenario for anyone except the monopoly. If you think its bad for the sport to have competition, such that would boost salaries, make better matchups, and strive to have the best fighters in the world so the brand will succeed, then that’s your opinion. Monopolies remove the FREEDOM to move and look for greener pastures. They remove the OPPURTUNITY to make more money somewhere else. That’s should scare all these guys signing those contracts.
What the hell is the NFL? Or the NBA? Are they not monopolies? Do their players not have the ability to move unless it is over seas (DREAM, Sengoku)?
UFC is in it’s infant stage, but extremely successful. As it grows so will it’s fighters salaries. For a fighter to expect millions is ludicrous at this point in the growth process of the sport. You think the Babe Ruth’s and Jerry West’s of the sports world were 100% satisfied as the sport grew? Probably not.
HISTORY teaches us that in capitalist America, monopolies in the sports world have been thriving for the past century. Maybe you should open those History books. This isn’t a board room with suits and Comcast squeezing your nuts (I am a customer by the way, ha ha, and they are terrible), but this is a sport league, dealing in athletes. UFC will be on top for a long time. They have the business model and the backing to continue to build on their popularity. The fighters just have to be patient and grow along with them.
In other words, agree to disagree.
If Fitch is going with the UFC I believe Kos will also, so will Swick. All the other guys are in different orgs anyway so these guys should talk to Xtreme Couture cuz they would fit right in.
Swick is with the UFC, Fitch is out right now, and Kos might be next if something doesn’t change.
i love it how you post something, completely fair with no profanity, and you guys don’t even post it.
yeah and then you see some other post with a billion Expletives.
That’s not a post, it’s Dana’s interview.
I would love to know the filter that Mania has set up and what words are flagged in posts.
I did a moderation test the other day and it was ridiculous and so random.
I bet. Sometimes I can’t even figure out what they are moderating.
ya…we can say boobs and boobies….but not sh*t or g$y…which are 2 of the words I like to use most
Cool Hand Chad- I agree. I posted a response to what you had said. Asked you if your nick name came from that movie Cool Hand Luke. I said something relevant to the topic as well, but I have no desire to type it again.
I read it. Thanks for the agreement.
And yes, Cool Hand Luke is a kick ass film. Ha.
Thanks.
Cool Hand Luke is great.
I see you had to type it twice. sigh. I know the feeling hahaha.
Ha ha… damn moderating.
They get nothing for video games or dvds. If u think otherwise go check this out http://www.tapoutlive.com/images/mags/ufc_legal.pdf
anybody who didnt read the full article dana said this
But if Fitch called me today, if Fitch called me right now and said, “Dana, listen, I don’t know what happened with my managers … but I want to work this out with you,” I’d work it out with Fitch in two seconds.
“If Fitch calls me and says that I’m right, and that he’ll sign something for life, then he can come crawling back to me”
Dana’s a headcase.
i just hope and pray fitch calls him and works it out
why should he? he should not ever call Dana if anything Dana should call him.. he should go his own way! Dana need the fighters not the other way around, if like 100 fighters would just get together and refuse to fight for the UFC this whole thing would be done and i would love it! I do not care how good fights the UFC puts on even if i love to watch it because in the end the fighters are the one’s that are signing the bout agreements and steps into the octagon they are the show and should be getting nothing less than 100% RESPECT from Dana! Dana makes superfights for one reason only, too make his wallet bigger and no one elses than his bigger!
i think the Fertitas have a bigger wallet than Dana….
oh yes they do..
i hope no other fighters have problems with it
You see, what goes around comes around and right now the UFC has the upper hand. They can tell people to leave if they want and noone can do anything about it. As soon as a legit company makes a name and is a threat the UFC is goign to want to get all these guys back to have their competetivitve advatange over the other guy. These fighters will come back and make way more then now and all be ok.
Dana = Don King
man i could go on and on about this but i just dont feel like typing
I get business is business…but this is rediculous…Dana will the kiss the ass of a criminal who not only hit and run but also evaded police…and basically tell a guy that simply does the right thing to f-off…I’ve been to over 20 ufc events and purchased multiple ppv…putting my hard earned money in that pricks pocket…it makes me consider future purchases…if enough people stop paying that is the only way to change this……this is turning into WWF…Dana…let the guys continue to make some additional money…have some say…you can keep dropping f-bombs like your some tough guy trying to bully people…dude…enough already…you (along with some wealthy partners) have done great things with the sport…pissing people off perpetually is getting old…a little change is good…
UFC all the way. Dana’s a fan. Love his no nonsense attitude. Fighters are treated fair, or there wouldn’t be any working for him. Fitch’s management is messing it up for him. UFC is in no way WWF – that’s laughable. No one will stop watching the sport over this unless they’re not a true fan of MMA. The sport, along with UFC as it’s figurehead, will continue to rise.
Get used to it.
no offense dude, but how would you know? are you a fighter?
I train at American Top Team with several UFC fighters in Boca Raton FL. Yes. I would know.
LOL You just pwned that guy.
dana white is a f###ing Ahole arrogant prick. i’m telling you, all this BS the UFC is doing now is going to come back to haunt them when some other organization finally gets it right and sticks around. hell, if the ufc keeps releasing good fighters, that might happen quicker than they think.
I agree that the UFC has an argument that there providing the worlwide venue and financial rewards whether it be via salary or sponsors to basically warrant lopsided contracts to it’s employees, regardless of how popular they may become, However they are going through the growing pains that every major sports orginization has already gone through and has eventually adjusted to reflect the maturation of the employers and employees. I mean as long as Michael jordan was in the Nba……they can use his likenss and image in games and other products, but DEFINITELY NOT FOR A LIFETIME!!…………. Kobe bryant, Lebron James, neither Dwayne wade would agree to that……….regardless of the benefits of the Nba’s exposure. So as the orginization grows………anything Lifetime for top athletes will have to be limited.
But LeBron, Kobe, and Wade did agree to that. Their likeness is owned by the NBA. Long after they retire, their likeness will be used by the NBA. As well as any other major sports company. Are you crazy? The NBA is still making money off of Jordan’s likeness.
True point, but the difference is that the NBA paid them guys MILLIONS of dollars in contracts and they still get a cut of what the NBA is doing for the rest of their “lifetime” contracts. The UFC contracts aren’t nearly that good.
Well the NBA has been around since 1946 and the UFC since 1993. It’s also a worldwide company making ten fold what the UFC is making. Give the UFC 62 years to grow and expand and I’m sure the fighters salaries will be up there as well. Do you really think fifteen years into the NBA those fighters were making those millions with contract incentives?
You can’t sacrifice the growth of your company and sport for unreasonable, unethical demands. And that is what AKA is doing. UFC is protecting their sport, brand, and regardless of what people say, fighters.
yeah, the UFC ain’t the NBA yet either, so expecting to be paid MILLION in contracts would be a little ridiculous.
Those guys are NBA players and there is a logical reason why they can get paid so much more. They have a 100+ games a year with near sold out stadiums every game. That in and of it self speaks volumes. in order for you to compare you would have to put it in a ratio. So relatively speaking I think you might be suprised on the money.
also, until recently, the NBA had absolutely NO competition…now that the Europe market is exploding things might change
Dion, would you happen to be from South Texas?
Sounds like the UFC made a deal with a company to make their video games and promised to deliver all the fighters names before actually checking with the fighters.
they presented the deal to the fighters and tried to strong arm some of them for likeness rights and basically offered them no money from the games or future games in the future for life. That sounds like the worst business deal in the world for Fitch and a dream deal for the UFC….is that best for MMA?
Now that Fitch and other fighters are not complete idiots, they are questioning the deal and delaying the game IE money maker for the UFC. Dana doesn’t like to look like fool and he basically stepped on his tongue here and he’s throwing his weight around in an emotional tirade at that. Probably the most unprofessional thing from him to date but I’ve seen before with executives at my company. Emotions always breed bad business decisions and I’m sorry but Dana lets his emotions drive a lot of the business which I dislike. He reacts poorly to just about anything ‘business’ wise. Business isn’t always about getting what you want. I think more than anything Dana is just a little too involved in everything with the UFC and probably is just worn extremely thin so his negociating and business deals are well thought through. Hopefully I’m completely wrong because I love MMA and love a night on the couch watching the UFC events.
I don’t blame Fitch. I don’t know how the economy talk Dana mentioned has anything to do with this deal other than to be used as a scare tactic. The economy is down, so is the (MMA) competition, sign this or go out in the harsh world without us.
That sounds more like a submission….pass out or tap out either way you’re screwed.
as per the economy…I believe his point is that the UFC is likely to be the sole surviving MMA organization before long. These guys can’t go elsewhere, but when Affliction and the others fold up shop, they will come crawling back to the UFC. The UFC has huge leverage because it has successfully built up a profitable system, which in this economy is critical.
I am not saying other leagues can’t make it, but if the economy worsens, the UFC is looking like the only safe bet. Its not a good time to be in a disagreement with them if you are a fighter hoping to be working beyond 2009.
Simple way to get back at Dana, start protesting the UFC and not watching the fights, or paying for the pay per views. Ratings start dropping and viewership starts dropping maybe the Fretitas brothers will finally can this egotistical moron…President of a $1b company dropping F bombs in every press conference? Give me a break…what a complete idiot
No, I think I’ll keep watching. The product is just too good. I could care less what Dana White says in a press conference, as long as he’s delivering kick ass fights, which he is.
HATERS UNITE!!!!!!
I am not missing an MMA event for anybody…… and I doubt anyone will actually protest anything, Although it does give some nice fodder for Haters in general. Stay away from the polotics and enjoy the f’n show!
*politics*
I agree, mark.
I didn’t even vote for Obama but I’m super excited simply for the fact we have someone representing the US that doesn’t sound like a moron when he speaks. I wish the UFC would do the same. I don’t believe Dana is a bad business man but maybe it’s time to step out of the spotlight and let a spokesman take care of this kind of stuff and focus more time on the ‘business’.
A fan protest is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. So you are basically saying shoot yourself in the foot to support the fighters. Maybe you have no realized it, but the fighters are there to make money, not to make you happy. If the quality is there, and you want to be dumb enough to not watch out of principle, then you are a fool.
i definitely dont agree with a protest not to purchase ppv’s by the UFC.
i do agreed that dana should stop sounding like he has a limited vocabulary that is primarily made up of 4 letter words. it just makes it easy for people to dislike him and believe he is the sole reason we never saw the big fights we wanted to when Pride collapsed, he has been the sole target by disgruntle fighters, etc….I think that does hurt the UFC and anything that is bad for the UFC is bad for MMA, period.
Lot’s of good responses, but to the one’s calling Fitch a baby and saying he should just sign it, think about this:
It’s not about the money, it’s about the “lifetime” deal. UFC could drop the fighter yet still use them in future games and profit off of that fighter. Yet, that fighter cannot be involved in or profit from another MMA company’s video game.
That is unfair to the fighter and Fitch, Kos and the rest of AKA is smart to not sign that. I see them all back in the UFC at some point, and most likely with a 5-10 year video game contract.
Why should any of us care what Fitch makes? Sure, we want to see the best quality fighters so to an extent you want them paid enough to be able to train full time, but otherwise, I don’t care if Fitch makes millions or just gets by. As a fan, I just want to see the best fight each other. So asking any fan to care what Fitch will or won’t make for the rest of his life is just silly.
I agree.
yes!
For those of you that think this is “just a game” there are recent interivews of Florain and Joe Daddy talking about what an honnor it is to be in a video game as well as Couture talking about how important this game will be for the growth of the sport. They can be found at ign.com.
Dana always has the My way or the Highway attitude. He lately has been mentioning the bad economy. “At the end of the day” it’s greedy bastards like you who got this country into this mess. Ask yourself how much money it really takes to make Dana and his cronies happy. Dana is always blowing his own horn about how much he does for the fighters. This is a great example of how he only cares about how much money they can make for him. Stand your ground AKA and I hope the fighters migrate for greener pastures. Let’s boycott the UFC PPV and make sure we encourage competition by buying the Fedor fight in January. Notice how the greedy UFC wants us to pay for the England and Ireland fights now. They are greedy with no limits. Don’t feed the animals.
Greedy bastards like Dana are the reason for the poor economy? So you mean people who run successful and profitable companies are to blame? Gimme a break.
You act as if Dana only cares about putting as much money into his pocket with no regard for the sport – which could not be further from the truth. You not only have no idea what Dana makes, but you seem to be willing to overlook his obvious passion for the sport that any MMA fan with a brain can clearly identify.
So now you want o boycott. Ever considered that maybe its chinsy bastards like you who think 40 bucks for PPV is so expensive that are to blame for the poor economy.
Get ‘em !!!
Anyone who would want to boycott the UFC over a situation like this is pathetic. Period.
it’s too bad dana decided to take the “this is just a business to me stance”, things were a lot better for everyone when he cared about the fighters and did it for them
I’ll let you know how the next PPV goes.
Dana is backing up now. Trying to a little damage control of himself. I’m beginning to look at Dana as being a pretty big dickhead.
What planet are you on? Dana has always been a dickhead. It just so happens that dickhead can put on a pretty good show though, which you would think if you were a serious MMA fan would be the most important thing for you. But I suppose you need to also know that people’s feelings are not also being hurt too. I guess you chose the name Rubberman for a reason.
Damn! Noneed4name is laying waste to these fools! Ha Ha Ha!
Said it before and ill say it again this is why we need another big Promotion.
no you need rutten!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnQY3hLJ4S4
They should cut Dana, he’s worst than a child. GROW up Dana stop fighting over toys, u Stupid Bald headed Freak !!
why is he a ‘freak’ for being bald?
“the word freak is usually used to refer to a person with something unusual about their appearance or behaviour.”
In Dana’s case it’s both.
damn im bald.
yay! lets fire DW! that will instantly solve every single complaint ever with the ufc!money will rain on fighters,ppv’s will be 35 cents and ring girls will all be nude on your couch.careful what you wish for if he gets fired and some one better spoken yet different minded takes over the only place you might be able to find mma is back on youtube.end of the day you might hate the man but the ppl behind the ufc support him for a reason.theres a whole lot more worse options then there are better ones.
lmao – well said!
SO LETS GET THIS STRAIGHT ,HE HATES AKA WE GOT THAT ,BUT HE ‘LL USE KOSCHEK CUZ THE FIGHTS MADE ALREADY ,I BIT HYPOCRITICAL <<LAST MINUTE IF KOS BACKS HIS BOYS ,AND FRIENDSHIP MEANS SOMETHING TO HIM BACK OUT OF THE FIGHT RIGHT B4 THE GO RINGSIDE FOR THE MAIN EVENT ….THAT MY FRIENDS IS REVENGE DANA WHITE ,,COULD BE HOSPITALIZED FOR STRESS ….NO ONE HAS EVER WALKED OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS CARD …NOT THT I KNOW OF???
who would sign a fighter like that again? sure hel make a point or what not but from a owners perspective that kid just walked out on a fight without notice or injury because he was mad.what would stop him from gettin mad again and doin the same thing to a different org.like it or not its a business and as great as it sounds walking out like that would be a huge mistake.
I think this might set a record for post’s. 222
I think the Obama McCain thread would have killed this one….. but still a shitload
don’t these fighters think its a bit odd that they are the only camp that has a problem with this…I don’t hear ATT, jackson, Punishment, WolfSlair, BTT, complaining
But they need to be.
according to you…no offence but fighting is there profession. In 5-10 years most will be retired, and look back and be pleased that they were successful enough to be involved with a video game and probably not the least bit annoyed that they didn’t wait for a better video game…think about it…in 10 years who the hell is going to honestly want John Fitch to be in their video game…I agree with sticking to your principles but within reason
And, what will he be doing when he’s retired?…..pumping gas into Dana White’s Ferrari that he earned partially from the very video game that he won’t share any revenue from, that’s what.
how is this even sticking to principles? It is not as if he was asked to sign something immoral. This is not a question of principles…this is a question of whether Fitch would be likely to get a better video game deal somewhere down the road than what the UFC has to offer. Pretty balsy considering the is not even another profitable MMA organization out there.
Its a gamble, plain and simple. No one can blame Fitch got gambling, but you can hardly blame Dana for the same reason.
Only people like Rubberman who seem to buy into the notion that this negotiation is somehow insulting would think it was about principle.
Dana said that there were other camps that can fuck iff too….but he’s too chicken shit to say who they are.
lol – are we talking about the same Dana White…the Dana White that calls out just about every fighter he ever has a disagreement with until we can’t stand to hear it any longer?
Somehow, I don’t think Dana is “too chicken” to call out anyone.
Exactly–and that’s a problem. Sometimes Dana just needs to keep quiet. It can’t help when he’s in the media, calling business partners (or soon to be ex-partners) morons, cursing every other word.
LOL!!!! Feel free to respond if you would pay $50.00 to watch ANYONE at the AKA camp fight on a monthly basis…….Better yet; think about the next time that you order a fight and someone is awarded a $60k bonuses for “submission of the night”.
The next time you see these guys act like idiots….you’ll see them on the MFC or Adrenaline cards.
It’s hard to win a gun fight…..if you don’t have a gun…..Good luck AKA.
But you never know, Fitch might be in line for a million dollar video game deal with Affliction in the near future, so you can understand he is why he is willing to throw away the potential for $60k bonuses and such. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. Great post Derick. Nail on the head!
Dans is in a panic mode.he’s stressed out..station casinos going broke.ufc 90 tanked in ppv.im sure he has inside info that ufc 91 did far from 1.2m..so how can they sell the ufc? with the economy going down.theyll be stuck with ufc and loosing money
the last thing they want is loosing money…lol
It’s grand. Fitch can sign the damn video game thing and if he leaves for another org they can call him Jon Fish in the video game and put him in clean shaven. Therefore not the same name or likeness ha. We’ll all know who it is.
Kos can be the Blanket and Cain can be called Brown Pride or whatever the fook he has tattoed across his chest.
Btw, I say it all with tongue in cheek.
lol….Jon Fish.
Maybe he can just use GSP’s “ape technique to put people down” and no one will recognize him.
As usual people jump on the bandwagon and start whining about how nasty dana is. Its a business, if you don’t like the business go work for another one. Its not like they’re cutting your pay ffs!