In a nice bit of timing, considering the Jon Fitch/video rights fiasco going on, a new documentary "Fighting Politics" is coming out about Matt Lindland and his various battles with the politics of MMA. And by the politics of MMA, I mean Dana White.

Click the image to watch the trailer. Its worth a look. Basically the movie asks the question, "If its not about the best fighting the best, is MMA a sport?"

Good question. Sometimes it feels like its more of a racket.

Ivan Trembow, long time MMA commentator has a very insightful post about what angle Dana is really working with this latest gambit, separating fighters from their management:

It's crystal clear in USA Today's interview with Dana White that what the UFC is trying to do is separate the fighters from their managers, whose job is to look out for the best interests of the fighter (as opposed to just signing whatever the UFC orders the fighters to sign).

White cites Mike Swick as an example of a model employee, a “partner” as he words it, who called White personally and said to forget about his management because he’s with the UFC.

White says in the same interview that if Fitch would just call him and do the same thing (ie, separate himself from his management and agree to sign what the UFC wants him to sign), that White would do that in two seconds.

The message to fighters is clear: If you want to keep fighting in the UFC, but your manager or lawyer advises you against signing the merchandising agreement, you can just ditch your manager, contact me directly, and sign whatever I tell you to sign.

In the USA Today interview, White also puts unnamed “other MMA camps” on notice that he’ll cut off all relations with them just like he did with Fitch's camp if they don’t do what he wants.

Honestly I feel like what the UFC is trying to pull is very old school monopoly business practices. Kind of like what DC comics did to the guys who created Superman or what Marvel did to Jack "King" Kirby. Its bullshit to try to force guys to sign away lifetime rights to their likeness. And in this day and age of online communications its very hard to get away with this kind of bareknuckle stuff. Even if you are the best MMA promotion in the history of the planet.

HT Fightlinker (and read this one and this one too)