So Tomer, you believe that they’re going through the ‘due diligence’ process right now and that they will soon (if they hadn’t already) uncover ‘worthless contracts and hidden debt/’slush funds’?

I’m not saying that this is what I personally believe they will find, but it is likely the top items on Zuffa’s agenda while running their due diligence given the allegations regarding DSE’s links to the Yakuza. I do think, though, it’s funny that no one can possibly believe that DSE potentially could have been a Yakuza front (as was the allegation) considering that in the past there have been numerous examples of large organizations in various industries falling under the influence of organized crime, such as: the International Boxing Club, owned by Jim Norris (the HOF Hockey Promoter who also controlled MSG) and Arthur Wirtz was revealed as a Mafia front for Frankie Carbo and ‘Blinky’ Palermo, who used their power to control pretty much all of Boxing (and, in the process, helped begin its decline by their inept matchmaking, fight fixing/dives, etc.), the Teamsters union which also was heavily controlled by the Mafia, stories of promoters such as Antonio Inoki basically being subservient to every whim of the Yakuza (this is discussed in Tom ‘Dynamite Kid’ Billington’s book, “Pure Dynamite”) and so forth.

In summation: I don’t know whether or not DSE was ‘influenced’ by the Yakuza, but there is historical precedent of big organizations being under organized crime’s control, so it shouldn’t be a shock if it’s true.

Please, someone tell me what they expect will turn up through this ‘due diligence’ or whatever’s happening now that’s going to be a huge deal?

Worthless contracts and hidden debt/’slush funds’ would probably top the list. The allegations of criminal links is another facet, though they can only uncover so much (assuming there would be a paper trail in the accounting books and other documentation that was handed over, which would be pretty stupid) and, really, the closest they could probably prove something shady was going on if they spot a ’slush fund’-type of situation where the money has mysteriously been filtered out of the organization. Wouldn’t necessarily prove any Yakuza connections but still would be more than reasonable grounds to back out given that the corporation would be ‘dirtied’ by said ’slush fund’.

zach you are truely an idiot

Ah, Ad hominem attacks: the Sherdog staple ‘method’ of argumentation. Always a winning way to defend one’s point…

With Whaledog asking if Putin was in attendance at the Bodog show…not only was he there, but he brought Fedor & Lindland back to his palace after the event.

As Tomer has argued before (the day after the Roppongi Hills PR session), what I’ve alluded to happens quite a bit in the ‘real world.’

Another thing to mention, besides the potential legal issues stemming from the alleged Yakuza connections of the DSE-run PRIDE organization is the accounting in Japan. After all, this is a U.S. Company (Zuffa) that (more than likely) follows the GAAP standards. If DSE did not use GAAP/IASB (IASB being the international version of GAAP with a few differences, essentially) then it will take Zuffa a while to figure out what various accounts mean, etc. in the context of the Japanese accounting regulations that are in place. International deals are always complex with regards to accounting analysis (which is typically the last step in due diligence).

- Why would you even wonder about this? Most if not all of the PRIDE contracts appear(and have done so for years) to be non- 100% exclusive, and Dana White RESCENTS non-exclusive deals. The contracts are worth something because the fighters can’t just leave PRIDE – they(speaking in general terms here) still have fight(s) left on their deals, and he is renegotiating because he wants to go from preventing them from leaving en masse to tie them up completely to his company and his company only. I don’t agree with his politics, but I sure as hell can see the logic in the way he’s handling things right now.

What, are they being moved in a truck?