Paul Buentello temporarily banned from American Kickboxing Academy after hiring an outside...

Paul Buentello temporarily banned from American Kickboxing Academy after hiring an outside manager:

"I’m on suspension. I think Bob [Cook] has most control of it, letting me back in the gym,"

"I’ve always came to this crossroads, if I ever go back to the UFC, I gotta have somebody on board that’s gonna sell me like I’m the best thing since sliced bread," said Buentello. The native Texan believes that someone is Elis Pacheco of New York-based Dedos Marketing Group, which has worked with Ice-T, Fat Joe and Beyonce Knowles.

"You just get that vibe, you know? That he’s out for your best interest no matter what and he doesn’t care about pushing the limits," he said. "He’s gonna get the deal done."

"I’ve been there a long time," said Buentello. "That’s my home. It sucks, it sucks, it sucks that I can’t go home for a little bit."

[Dave] Velasquez, an original member of AKA’s fight team alongside Cook and Buentello, has taken over Buentello’s camp.

HT: FIGHT Magazine

about 2 years ago Scott Haber 9 comments 0 recs |

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Comments

Why ban a guy for trying to better himself? He didn’t train with someone else or anything. I hate the egos @ AKA

by stearnum on Dec 7, 2009 11:43 PM EST reply actions

I believe Bob Cook acts as their manager as well as running AKA, so that caused the drama.

"You guys are jerking eachother off with some pseudo deep bullshit." - Kid Nate

by Kaleb Kelchner on Dec 8, 2009 12:12 AM EST up reply actions

Their new logo.

Walking the line between intelligence and ignorance since 1985
@deowade

by Damon O. on Dec 8, 2009 4:51 PM EST up reply actions

Bob Cook has conflicts of interest in my opinion...

there shouldn’t be drama tho. a fighter has the right to use any manager he so chooses as long as he’s not breaking some other K w/ AKA or Bob. Sounds like the same crap Dana/UFC pulls all the time, trying to control their fighters and everything about them, etc.
Isn’t AKA also same camp Dana had problems w/ re: the Fitch thing? If so, pretty ironic to say the least.

on a side note: Cook was also the matchmaker for Strikeforce and now has supposedly been “removed” from that w/ Rob Chou taking over but i think he still has his hand in the pot albeit silently and that is where the conflict arises as well; who does he look out for, his AKA fighters or good fights in general. and running the gym and training regimen as well as managing can also become intertwined, which can’t have good results in the long run…

by theflyingtsunami on Dec 8, 2009 12:44 AM EST reply actions

I agree. This sounds like another conflict of interest thing.

Anybody hired by a fighter to do a job for them whether it be managing that fighter, training that fighter, or marketing that fighter should be looking to do what is in the best interest of that fighter. If you can’t train, manage, or market multiple fighters at the same time without looking out for the best interests of each individual fighter then there is a conflict of interest.

Just BE.

by mattman73 on Dec 8, 2009 12:08 PM EST up reply actions

AKA

Has been looking worse and worse to me in the weeks past. First with Ben Saunders talking about their gloating and what not, and now the fact that Crazy Bob Cook is getting jealous that one of his fighters went out and signed another manager? Buentello is still training there so he’s still paying AKA…its not like he’s out training with another camp or anything like that

by Fedorable on Dec 8, 2009 12:08 PM EST reply actions

Guys who own gyms need to let go of the managing shit. It causes too much drama and probaby one of the reasons the guys at AKA wont fight one another, their handlers tell them not to knock off their other meal tickets

by Riley_96 on Dec 8, 2009 12:40 PM EST reply actions

It’s not like he signed with another sports agent or mma agent. It’s a marketing agency to help him get money and publicity.

I mean, it’s not like AKA has gone and made any big waves with any of their fighters outside of the sport, why not let him go and try to make himself better.

This is going to be an interesting time in mma. As it gets bigger and bigger, outside sports agents/marketing people are going to be moving in and making things uncomfortable for the people that are doing some of these things right now.

by Phildo on Dec 8, 2009 12:45 PM EST reply actions