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Wednesday war room: Bickering about UFC’s money
By Zach Arnold | October 3, 2007
Adam Swift has a new article about some alleged political tension between Zuffa LLC (UFC) and certain fighters. One thing I will comment on regarding the PRIDE fighters getting paid fairly well for guaranteed money is that the way UFC treated the top PRIDE guys is similar to how Vince McMahon treats outsiders he wants badly into the WWE fold. If you have the leverage, McMahon will pay more for something that he perceives is ‘harder to get’ than someone who has been loyal to him for a decade. In the case of UFC, it was hard to get guys like Mirko Cro Cop into the fold so, of course, the promotion paid more for the top outsider stars as opposed to maybe some of the homegrown fighting talent.
Bob Arum talks about UFC again:
“That’s what this sport should be all about and that’s what we need to do to counter this momentum you see with the UFC. We’re a much better, much more compelling sport. But they do a better job than we do of getting their matches made and making them into events.
“Boxing’s just been so fractured and a lot of that has been with the problems that existed between Top Rank and Golden Boy,” Arum said. “This really is the beginning of a new era that I think is going to end all this nonsense about UFC overtaking boxing. I really believe that.”
How to or not to promote Nick Diaz.
Stephen Brunt in The Globe and Mail says that boxing has gotten a lifeline because there have been so many upsets in UFC.
It might be a good idea to accept payment via wiring to your bank account as opposed to a check in certain situations.
Results from today’s K-1 World MAX show in Tokyo at Nippon Budokan. Souwer continues his impressive, winning ways.
Don’t worry, Kimbo Slice vs. Tank Abbott has not been canceled yet.
Onto today’s headlines.
- Fox Sports: Fighting words about Taylor-Pavlik – what now?
- MMA Analyst: Upcoming month of MMA – interesting events that aren’t mainstream
- BBC Sports (UK): Noe Tulio Gonzalez Alcoba is new opponent for John Duddy
- Sky Sports (UK): Ricky Hatton winning the war of mind games
- Eastside Boxing: Samuel Peter/Jameel McCline conference call transcript
- MMA Predictions: So this is what an MMA hangover feels like
- CBS Sports: No cage, no grappling in Chuck Norris’ WCL
- The Christian Broadcasting Network: America’s thirst for blood sports (lumping MMA in with dogfighting)
- Bloody Elbow: Technique of the Day – the toe hold
- Sprawl ‘n Brawl: Dana White on the UG?
- MMA Madness: Freestyle Fighting Federation’s Fight NIght 6 card finalized
- Denver YourHub (CO): Arvada fighter Brian Wood ready to rumble in Ring of Fire
Topics: Boxing, Japan, K-1, Media, MMA, Pro Elite, UFC, Zach Arnold | 6 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Wait… you mean that there are numerous UFC fighters who are not happy with their money? I thought everyone was happy with their money and that if the fighters aren’t complaining then everyone else should shut up.
What a shock…. Ivan is first to comment on fighter pay and his hatred for everything Zuffa.
As for the fighters being unhappy…. This is why you don’t see Zuffa rushing to pay everybody $30,000 per fight. Fighters will always want more, and over time, those paydays will increase. When guys like Diego Sanchez, Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans, & Joe Stevenson get out of the TUF Contracts, they could be looking at $50,000 to $100,000 per fight, if not more.
As for Meltzer… I assumed he was talking about Tito Ortiz… Who is ALWAYS complaining about money. He can’t agree on money with Dana White. He can’t agree on money with Frank Fertitta. He is just never happy. At the end of the day, some fighters can complain, but it won’t do much. No other company can compete with the UFC. Tito Ortiz’s ego is big enough that he will have to be in the UFC. A guy like him will refuse to be out of the spotlight for too long.
I don’t think anybody is *complaining* per se. I think there are just concerns, which Zuffa is likely to meet, making this a non-issue. But it bares watching.
The article states that the new stars from Pride are making much more in guaranteed money. However, it also states that the homegrown UFC stars are making just as much thanks to bonuses.
It also speculates that the UFC is planning on moving away from bonuses, and instead giving fighter more guaranteed money. (I’m assuming this is in reference to the big name fighters, as they’ll probably want to keep win bonuses to motivate the undercard guys)
Michael Bisping vs. Rashad Evans for UFC 78… It is on the official website.
Which means Tito Ortiz is either holding out for more money… Or he is fighting Dan Henderson.
lol at 45 Huddle