Nate Quarry and The Fight Mafia Argue Over Sponsorship Money
by Anton Tabuena on Jan 25, 2010 9:30 AM EST
in MMA News
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PrintNate Quarry and Noel Brooks of The Fight Mafia have been trading barbs and have been having real tension these past few months. Their issues became public about a month ago, when Nate Quarry started ranting on twitter about the Fight Mafia guys sending bad checks and not paying him the sponsorship money that he was owed for his September bout against Tim Credeur. Nate said that they promised to pay their debts and honor their agreements by January.
Flash forward to the present, Fight Mafia boss Noel Brooks came out with a video blog talking about their situation:
Nate Quarry then responds on his twitter page:
"Fight mafia is doing a blow out sale on my shirt. Too bad I won't see any of the $$... Despite what someone might say, I'm still owed money from Fight Mafia. He knows it and I have the email to prove it.
Noel from Fight Mafia wants to attack my character? Really? Okay son. Prepare yourself... The problem with lying and slander is you have to keep all your lies straight. And not put contradicting lies in print. One to grow on... And Noel from Fight Mafia now is officially slandering me. Calling me an egomaniac and how I cause problem after problem... I was going to let this go Noel. Not after reading your texts to my agent. Prepare for round 2...
According to Noel I am a "flat out prick" for demanding to be paid what I am owed. And I am a wacko for warning the world he does not honor his debts. Well color me crazy then."
Nate Quarry, who gets pissed off about the Fight Mafia claiming that he has been paid in full, then decides to come out with an Official Statement detailing all the events:
For those of you that didn't know, I fought last... geeze let me check the calendar... September I think it was? A fight night performance against Tim Creduer where we won fight of the night honors. I was wearing a very cool walkout shirt made by the Fight Mafia. I was to be paid a flat fee for wearing the shirt and get a cut of profits from sales as well. Specifically sales to my biggest sponsor and close friends at Nuvasive. After 4 months of broken promises I've had enough and am telling the story. Mostly I'll just quote emails sent from Noel, the owner. This is a direct cut and paste from Noel.
The rest of his statement, including their email conversations, after the jump
For your records:
"I Noel Brooks, President and Founder of The Fight Mafia Apparel Company agreed to pay $7750 US Dollars for a UFC Nate Quarry Sponsorship in which I am approximately over 2 months late on completing payment. I promise to complete payment in full."There is a nice paper trail for you just in case you choose to sue me, that should give you a great case!
Noel "Almost Done" Brooks
The Fight Mafia
01/12/2009Received Dec 26, 09
Thank you very much for your letter. Yes, I admit to the debt owed and agree to pay the debt owed as you described in your legal document· The 7 day requirement cannot be reached at this time. I believe that the debt can be paid in full by early 2010. I would say January 15th 2010 should be enough time for me to come to financial terms in paying off this debt. I apologize for my comments as being received as sarcasm as they were not intended to be sarcastic. I intended them to be used against me in the court of law if need be. I do not blame anyone for seeking legal action as at times it is the best option. In this case I believe Mr. Hodak acted in the best possible manner in contacting you. I am very apologetic for my part in this situation and I wanted to make sure that Mr. Hodak and Mr. Quarry received their funds if this case ever had to go court. It also gives me an opportunity to show the financial government officials who have put the restrictions on my financial business account the problems in which they have caused me and others. I thank you and Mr. Hodak for your professionalism. I hope to have this situation resolved in the very near future. Thanks!
Noel BrooksReceived Jan 5th
Okay, No problem I will do that. I had meeting today and for the first time in months it went perfect as I was instructed it would. New Year, New Everything! I would say payment will be made before the 15th, we might be looking at by the end of this week or early next week. The 15th is the latest but I see being able to make payment earlier than that!
NoelA certified check will be sent tomorrow the 14th and recieved on the 15th as planned (UPS Overnight Service). I will send the check to O--- and I assume he will dispurse to you. We are all systems go! Thanks.
NoelSent Jan 15
I am traveling and have been all day! Please do not worry about payment, it will be recieved. I have sent a Certified Check in the full amount, please remain calm, it will arrive! I will be in contact soon to confirm. Please, it has been sent! Tracking will be provided if needed but it should have been there by now. Please do not do anything haste! I have sent payment in full! PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! If not recieved today, I will not even bother to contact UPS, I will just Western Union the full amount again, that way, no more worries, it will cost me more but I don't care at this point. I cannot let this go on one more day! Please, it has been sent, do not worry!
NoelReceived the 16th
Some fighters genuinely appreciate my financial support and some fighters could care less. Those fighters who could care less will not receive a dime from me. As I have stated in the past on numerous occasions, I do this for the love of the sport and to help deserving fighters not for my own financial gain. The future will prove that. Nate Quarry is a deserving fighter. On top of everything, these fighters and their representation contact me, not me seeking them. I have made promises and they have not all came through. That's my bad, but no broken promises were purposely made. I am done with the excuses because no one wants to hear them.Received the 19th
I went to my Western Union location when I got home tonight but I was too late, it was closed. I will go tomorrow and send the remaining $3110. Sorry O---, this is a high priority but I had bills as high as $18,000 to pay. Yours was actually one of the smaller debts owed. The grand total of debts I have now paid in the last 19 days is up to $52,000. I haven't slept in weeks but I am so pleased to have things moving again. This has been the worst and best experience. I never dreamed in a million years I would have even had the opportunity to go through this mess. This journey just keeps getting better and better. I thank you both for everything, the good, the bad, and the ugly! I hope my positivity doesn't annoy you too much but I feel blessed! If I ever start making Tapout money, expect some checks, free and clear of any obligations. I wish you both continued success. I will email MTCN # tomorrow.Received Jan 20th
I still owe $1750 for your percentage of the Nuvasive order.And that was the last time Noel from Fight Mafia has contacted me. Sorry for the length of all this but I need everyone to see what type of person Noel is.
The only thing I don't have was my first conversation Noel and I had over the phone. I wish I would've recorded it. I was calling to ask why Nuvasive had not received their shirts a good month after the fight. To which he responded that he's a one man show and he cuts and prints every shirt himself. This was on a Friday and he swore he was going to work all weekend on filling Nuvasive's order and he would ship out every shirt he made, overnighting them on Monday so they would be received by their sales meeting on Tues night. No shirts were received. About a month later Nuvasive started getting shirts straight from Pakistan. I have no problem with outsourcing. But I do have a problem being lied to. And doing work for which I am not paid. He also said the demand for my shirt was so high that he was having a hard time filling orders. Claiming to have sold 1,000 shirts in 4 days since they went on sale. Do the math kids, that's $38,000 off my name. So, that's the story.
I've learned another lesson here. I much prefer to stick with the big companies. They got big for a reason, they know how to run a business. Much props to Sprawl, TapOut, Silver Star, Ecko, Affliction and many others.
This is a messy messy situation for both sides, which could very well end up in court. I am no lawyer, and while people might not agree on how things were handled, as long as Nate Quarry really doesn't barge in his door to beat him up, I can't see how he loses this one.
Nate Quarry will be facing off against Jorge Rivera on UFC Fight Night 21, and while it is safe to say that he won't be wearing Fight Mafia gear, I wonder if Noel was serious about making Rivera wear them.
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I’m no lawyer either, but I’ve been a Nate Quarry fan for a long time and believe in his strength of character. Hope you get paid who you’re owed, Nate.
"If I wanted to spend a half hour between two hairy legs I'd go to your mother's house." -Don Frye
by mburtoni on Jan 25, 2010 9:39 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
Good for Nate for defending himself and his reputation without resorting to childish name calling or threats. The amount of $$ involved (the emails suggest he’s paid some of the amount owed) probably makes a court case unlikely, but at least other people will know what to expect if they deal with the Fight Mafia.
by McEwen on Jan 25, 2010 10:18 AM EST reply actions 2 recs
Wow, this guy films himself ranting while driving? At least Dana White has someone else hold the camera.
This guy is making himself look really bad.
Of course he’s busy, that big gulp isn’t goung to buy itself!
by Roll for Life on Jan 25, 2010 11:18 AM EST up reply actions
Why would he say he was just out buying a big gulp? Who drives 10 minutes to buy a big gulp.
by Dropkick434 on Jan 25, 2010 12:13 PM EST up reply actions
Between this guy
and Nate Quarry, I’m going with Quarry. Quarry is one of the more respectful and respected fighters in MMA, I do not doubt him in this situation.
Yes. And Dana White LOVES guys from TUF 1. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Fight Mafia kicked out of the UFC and WEC.
by MMAEruption on Jan 25, 2010 11:17 AM EST up reply actions
If RVCA was thrown out for something as silly as sponsoring Fedor then that is a possibility. I’m glade Nate took the high road and stuck to the facts, it is the best way to deal with situations like that.
by Roll for Life on Jan 25, 2010 11:27 AM EST up reply actions
This is exactly the kind of situation where the UFC should intervene. I can’t imagine they want a company that doesn’t pay the fighters associated with their brand or advertised during their events.
by who me on Jan 25, 2010 1:01 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I prefer MMA Shirts that look like this.
by Anton Tabuena on Jan 25, 2010 12:16 PM EST up reply actions
Needs more dragons/flaming skulls/sparkling/death references/logos
Giving Shogun his props. I had the fight 48-47 Machida but Shogun put up a monumental performance and I am honored to have seen it in person.
Holy hell theres a zombie kimbo slice shit??? I…I don’t even know what to say.
Giving Shogun his props. I had the fight 48-47 Machida but Shogun put up a monumental performance and I am honored to have seen it in person.
Didn't you see the last round
of Kimbo vs. Houston?
"Someone is WRONG on the internet. What do you want me to do? LEAVE? Then they'll keep being wrong!"
-Randall Munroe
I can’t listen to that guy talk. I don’t really understand how Quarry’s camp making the first contact give his company the right to be late in paying him, not pay the way he said he was going to pay, and be late delivering shirts he was supposed to send?
I don’t think someone warning others that this guy is a terrible sponsor is being a crybaby.
Especially since
that’s a standard thing. Managers usually contact sponsors, and it’s not for a “favor.” It’s to do business. This guy is a straight out moron.
"Someone is WRONG on the internet. What do you want me to do? LEAVE? Then they'll keep being wrong!"
-Randall Munroe
I'm not buying Fight Mafia products until this is resolved to Nate's satisfaction.
That is all.
Although detractors decry (MMA) as a brutal, bloody form of human cockfighting, aficionados know it is a brutal, bloody, totally fucking awesome form of human cockfighting. -The Onion
by The Kittitas Kid on Jan 25, 2010 11:57 AM EST reply actions
Quiet.
You’re undermining my bargaining position.
Although detractors decry (MMA) as a brutal, bloody form of human cockfighting, aficionados know it is a brutal, bloody, totally fucking awesome form of human cockfighting. -The Onion
by The Kittitas Kid on Jan 25, 2010 12:28 PM EST up reply actions 5 recs
I like Quarry and all but does anyone think Fight Mafia really sold “1000” of those shirts at $38 (gulp) apiece? No way.
Noel is a scumbag though if he’s been stringing along Nate since September for his payment. You signed up to sponsor the fighter and he upheld his end of the deal… pay up sucka
Nuvasive bought a ton of them
I’m sure friends and family bought as well. I don’t think it is a stretch to think 1000 were sold.
Safe to say though that I will not be buying from Fight Mafia.
I love how he says he helped Quarry, it is more like Quarry helped him by wearing his t-shirt in front of a couple million people.
The Fight Mafia on twitter:
I do not sponsor fighters, I financially help fighters as much as I can, I give them more than I give myself and they spit in my face!
Sorry not “they,” only “one” fighter spits in my face, I have sponsored over 20 fighters in 9 months and only 1 was unhappy with my money!
Every September 16th, I am going to give $8,000 to any ametuer fighter who will appreciate it in honor Nate “Cock” Quarry. Spread the word!
I have received numerous texts from former associates of Nate Quarry, they all say he is a egomaniac and only cares about money, money!
And for those that say I am looking for publicity, I do not keep any of the profits from The Fight Mafia, it goes back into MMA/Fighters!
He’s calling nate a baby because he wants to be reimbursed the 55 dollar charge cause by the Fight Mafia check bouncing so high it reached orbit? I feel bad for Ross Pearson, out of that TUF cast he’s one of the few I actually liked and now he’s signed on with this joker.
by Roll for Life on Jan 25, 2010 2:50 PM EST up reply actions
I feel bad for Ross Pearson, out of that TUF cast he’s one of the few I actually liked and now he’s signed on with this joker.
Ross really needs to be more careful about picking and choosing his sponsors. He was also one of the guys who got embroiled in the Hoelzer Reich mess.
Wait a minute...
Post 1: “I do not sponsor fighters, I financially help fighters as much as I can…” Isn’t that sponsorship???
Post 2: “…I have sponsored over 20 fighters in 9 months…” I thought he didn’t sponsor fighters???
Post 3: “Every September 16th, I am going to give $8,000 to any amateur fighter who will appreciate it…” I bet this never happens.
Classic, con man rhetoric..... and poorly done
Wow, delusional and completely ineffective would be an understatement.
He could have got his message across in about 1 minute. Instead he wastes over 9 minutes repeating himself. Whereby he states no facts nor details about the dispute, just insults and derogatory comments towards Quarry. When they end up in court, lets hope his Attorney does the talking, that’s all I can say. And any fighter that does business with him after seeing that clip, deserves what they get.
This is a messy messy situation for both sides, which could very well end up in court. I am no lawyer, and while people might not agree on how things were handled, as long as Nate Quarry really doesn’t barge in his door to beat him up, I can’t see how he loses this one.
He loses because it will cost more in legal fees to hire an attorney to handle this and if he chooses the small claims root it will take a long time to get this settled.
Giving Shogun his props. I had the fight 48-47 Machida but Shogun put up a monumental performance and I am honored to have seen it in person.
I was thinking that too, since he’s owed like a little less than $2000 dollars, maybe it’s not really worth going to court… But I also thought that maybe if he wins the case he’d also get more than what he was owed, cause of damages etc etc? right?
PS
again, I’m no lawyer.
by Anton Tabuena on Jan 25, 2010 2:02 PM EST up reply actions
He could sue for legal costs
but this is a guy who won’t stop talking about how much debt he’s in. He’d probably file bankruptcy and then start a new company.
"Someone is WRONG on the internet. What do you want me to do? LEAVE? Then they'll keep being wrong!"
-Randall Munroe
I don't know what it is about that guy (Noel Brooks)...
… but I really really don’t like him. He’s insincere to the point of being creepy in that vlog.
Right off the bat I had a bit of a laugh that he named his company after a criminal society and then acts like this.
There are several theories about the origin of the term “Mafia” (sometimes spelled “Maffia” in early texts). The Sicilian adjective mafiusu may derive from the slang Arabic mahyas (مهياص), meaning “aggressive boasting, bragging”, or marfud مرفوض meaning “rejected”. Roughly translated, it means “swagger”, but can also be translated as “boldness, bravado”. In reference to a man, mafiusu in 19th century Sicily was ambiguous, signifying a bully, arrogant but also fearless, enterprising, and proud, according to scholar Diego Gambetta.
Where is the sponsorship secret police?
Shouldn’t the $100k fee that companies are required to pay the UFC for the ability to sponsor fighters have prevented this situation? At a minimum, shouldn’t Zuffa assume a greater role in vetting these sponsors? Hoelzer Reich and Fight Mafia, me thinks, suggest that Zuffa should.
by Kamakana Kaimuloa on Jan 25, 2010 3:39 PM EST reply actions
I don’t think the $100k fee story was completely accurate but yea at some point this should go back to Zuffa needing to do a better job vetting sponsors who are associated with their fighters. Not only for the fighters sake but because when they air fighters wearing this stuff in their shows it creates an association for them with that company too. Does Zuffa want to be associated with this company in any manner?
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