Hopefully this will give the UFC the benefit of the doubt next time people all decide to freak out. But it probably won’t.

I learned this site is good for an enlightening discussion, entertainment, and for keeping up with MMA news as it happens.

That also means I learned this site is for me.

Keep up the good work.

It was an interesting look at UFC contract negotiations if nothing else. Granted, it looks silly now, but I enjoyed debating it while it lasted. Now it’s time to kick back, relax, and watch a some free mma streaming on sherdog.

I think we found out that the UFC merchandising contracts are not as bad as they were made out to be. If the ATT guy was truthful about the nature of the contracts than I don’t see what the problem is.

… and all hell breaks loose. looks like i’ve got some reading to do!

somehow reading this story reminds me of mel gibson in braveheart screaming, “FREEDOM!!” It may sound cliche, but i still believe in having rights whether or not i choose to exercise them or not, or whether or not they may ever materialize. if someone wants to take away those rights, and then threatens my livelihood if i don’t give them away according to the “FAVORS” that i need to comply with, then that seems a bit unethical to me. and before everyone says, "they’re a private co./ don’t work for them, etc. etc….i agree w/ that, but only to a point. saying something like that is only valid if you have another company or organization to go to. otherwise, if you only have pretty much ONE choice, then that option sort of becomes moot and meaningless.

can i choose then to not be a fighter – sure. but how logical or practical is that? especially in terms of the age, training, money and lifelong dedication spent towards being a pro fighter. which is why i say that………..

i cannot wait for the day that another promotion is able to truly challenge the ufc so that when they pull their strongarm tactics on the fighters, they can actually say “f*ck u dana” and go elsewhere and really have a place to earn a living. for all the bad crap spoken about the other organizations, it seems they at least didn’t squeeze the lifeblood out of their fighters just so they could earn every red cent from them. to go back to something very relevant that luke thomas posted in one of the many fitchgate stories: he asked several ?‘s re: why the contract needed to be exclusive, why is it absolutely nonnegotiable, why cut fitch completely instead of just out of the game & is this more personal w/ zinkin than w/ fitch himself? the truth is, there really are no answers to these questions that can justify the lifetime issue and the nonpayment to the fighter, including upon his death. & it does not matter to me that currently no org. pays their fighters for dvd’s or the like; they should & hopefully will in the future if the fighters get a union or something similar in terms of banding together.

again, it goes back to freedom and rights. the ufc is categorically trying to take them away, and b/c they are the only real game in town, they can pretty much force the fighter’s hand if they want to eat & continue to live. you can argue all u want that they (the ufc) have the right to do this, and while that may be true, it does not necessarily make it right or fair or ethical.

i hope ea sports makes a video game and asks fitch to be in it and then let the ufc sue and have their contract declared illegal. that would be the sweetest revenge. i know fitch had to capitulate b/c of monetary reasons b/c there just aren’t too many places to go at this juncture. fitch may never have another video offer, but the fact that he could & now cannot exercise that right is the main crux of the problem for me. the pt. is giving up a right that you have as a person and as an employee of a company and giving up that right due to pressure of not being able to thrive b/c there isn’t enough competition. at some pt. what may seem like a small silly video game can lead to larger issues and rights that slowly are devalued by strongarm tactics.

so much for freedom of autonomy. as fitch said, swick has a “special” deal for a video game so he’s not affected the same way as fitch is; and who knows how many other fighters are exempt from the ufc’s special brand of “offers they can’t refuse.”

maybe it’s time for a ufc – vegas tea party……w/ the aka boys leading the way. :-)

For me, the lasting impression that I’m left with from all of this is that Lorenzo needs to keep Dana on a shorter leash. “Ef that guy” is not good for business (unless contract disputes have started selling PPVs) when it concerns a ranked fighter/contender. The fighters are not the antagonists in this story and it’s sad that fans have to decide about their loyalty to fighter or promotion in these matters.

I’s say here’s the pink slip good luck with Afllcition, it was always pretty simple to me either Fitch would end up like Matt Lindland or he’d smarten up and sign the deal. Looks like he picked the smart choice, Dana in the end got exactly what he wanted he made an example of Fitch and AKA and got them to sign on the bottom line. Lorenzon them played good cop and allowed Fitch to try and save some face but in the end just like Randy and Tito he was humbled and hopefully learned his lesson for the future.

….I’ve read alot of bitching today about how dare the UFC take money (or rather not give) money to fighters for this or that.

Yet at the same time they visit a site that rips and post news from an exclusive service (Wrestling Observer), is this not taking money away from Dave?

Sure is.