MMA/UFC/PRIDE/K-1 discussion thread

Dragan

Deleted User wrote: »

Shogun v Coleman in December?


A rematch I'd like to see just to show that Coleman has nothing for Shogun.


And yea I know he'll likely get clearance but it does provide a stumbling block, albeit a small one.

That would be a nice fight to see actually.

Dragan

Dragan wrote: »

That would be a nice fight to see actually.

Shogun was IMO, not far from a sub on Coleman the 1st time, Coleman defence would have seen him gas quickly and Id have forseen Shogun locking in a triangle or leglock.


Elite XC had an awful gate on Saturday

Stockton obviously wasnt supporting their own.


Marcus davis is the latest fighter to go under the knife to protect against cuts


Maybe Fedor can be next! :pac:

Charlie3dan

Very interesting article here: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/07/31/huerta-speaks-out-against-the-ufc/#more-4631

Roger Huerta speaks out against the UFC. It's worth clicking the link and reading the full article but here's the run down of Roger's comments:

"
Huerta is one of a growing number of Zuffa-contracted fighter who feel that there is a disconnection between the company’s success and the way fighters are compensated. Huerta’s disillusionment with the UFC began when he did press tours for his employer in Miami, Houston, Los Angeles, and London and received a $50 per diem for his troubles. It sounds like a a good deal until you factor in time away from training, friends, and family, days often stretch twelve hours or more, and an exchange rate of one UK pound for two American dollars. “Why do you think I don’t do PR for the UFC any more?” he asks.

He’s also unhappy with the terms of his current contract, but to Huerta, the press tours underscore a larger point: by and the large, Zuffa does not treat its contracted fighters with sufficient loyalty or respect. He argues that many UFC fighters barely make enough to cover their training expenses. He brings up teammate Keith Jardine repeatedly, incensed that a main event fighter is working for ten and ten- $10k to show and 10k to win - while his opponent regularly makes ten times as much.

Huerta’s expression hardens and becomes more animated as talk turns to endorsements. The common counter-argument for complaints about fighter pay is that fighters often make more from endorsements and sponsorships than they do for competing. But Huerta has soured on the system after receiving lowball offers from companies who expect fighters to jump at the chance to endorse products. He rails against a Fortune 500 company for offering a deal to build him as a spokesman that included unpaid work. “Are you serious?” Huerta ask. “I know Dale Earnhardt Jr isn’t doing appearances for free.”

“The truth is, I don’t really care if I fight in the UFC or somewhere else,” Huerta says. The fighter says he understands that Zuffa has to keep an eye on the bottom line, but he wants to work, “For a company that is as loyal to me as I am to them.”

dunkamania

He has a point but he should be careful about expressing it publicly.

In seperate news, Jesse Taylor got dropped....again.

Dragan

dunkamania wrote: »

He has a point but he should be careful about expressing it publicly.

In seperate news, Jesse Taylor got dropped....again.

He's being bounced so much he should change from being a fighter to being a ball.

Fozzy

The discussion of fighters' pay comes up again and again. If the UFC had been paying everyone a huge amount in their early days they wouldn't be around anymore. If they did it now they wouldn't have enough money to go ahead with their expansion plans (which will lead to more money for fighters if successful)

Jardine was paid that much money because that's what he agreed to. The UFC was not making that money back by having him headline that PPV

I think it's very stupid of Huerta. The UFC have been positioning him as their top Hispanic fighter in a time that they're expanding to South and Central America. He stands to capitalise hugely from that, just as GSP has from the Canadian audience, yet it seems he's content to throw that away

dunkamania

I agree on the point that you get paid the amount that your contract stipulates, but there is more to it then that. There is a lack of respect from UFC for its fihters, a $50 per diem for a days work in London is silly. Also the UFC retains certain image rights even after the fighter leaves

Fozzy

dunkamania wrote: »

Also the UFC retains certain image rights even after the fighter leaves

But what image would a fighter have without the UFC? Tito for example, his image rights would be worth a lot and I would have no moral objection to the UFC retaining some of his rights because without the UFC Tito would have no image rights to speak of

Fozzy

From f4wonline.com:

The Dallas Court of Appeals yesterday ruled against a motion for summary judgment in favor of HD-Net in the lawsuit by Mark Cuban's company against UFC on the Randy Couture contract. Basically that means they ruled against a Texas court taking the case from the Nevada court and it's a victory for Zuffa, as Cuban was attempting to get a Texas court to rule ASAP that Couture would be free of his Zuffa contract.

Looks like we'll be waiting a til October at least for Randy. I think that ruling was expected

Advertising for the 10/11 Affliction show has changed from Fedor Emelianenko vs. Andrei Arlovski to Arlovski vs. TBD. Not good.

And from MMAWeekly.com: http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=6805&zoneid=13

The California State Athletic Commission have said that some fighters' A samples have tested positive for banned substances from the Affliction and the EXC shows. They're waiting for the B samples to come back and the earliest that the results will be released is August 11th

There are some big names from those shows who haven't been confirmed as having negative test results yet, so it could end up being someone big who gets suspended

liger

dunkamania wrote: »

In seperate news, Jesse Taylor got dropped....again.

What did he do this time? He looked in great shape for the fight against Cb Dollaway. Back on the booze?

Valmont

I think a great plan for affliction would be to have Arlovski vs. Barnett with the winner getting a shot at Fedor. I think this would serve to hype up the Fedor fight a great deal.

dunkamania

liger wrote: »

What did he do this time? He looked in great shape for the fight against Cb Dollaway. Back on the booze?

He made some ill-timed comments abouts the Rampage Rampage incident, along the lines of what comes around goes around, and he also was back on the booze for the post-party.


Fedor is out with a hand injury, not the thumb injury he got medical suspension for apparently.

Fozzy

There were a couple of good fights on the WEC show, one was the main event (Condit vs Miura) and the other was Varner vs Hicks

Fozzy

I was just reading some news from last week there about DREAM. I knew that they hadn't been getting great tv ratings but one of the head guys in the company said that it hasn't been a success so far and if they don't do better with their next show then DREAM could be finished in September (when their next show is)

That would be unfortunate, but so far they just haven't been able to capture the Japanese fans' attention. It was a big blow to have both Cro Cop and KID pull out of the last show because those two are probably the two biggest draws they have under contract

I wouldn't be surprised if they go all out with DREAM 6 now, maybe even getting a guy like Bob Sapp

It's been confirmed that Fedor's off Affliction's next show:

liger

Okay, Setanta show UFC but where can you catch the other promotions?

Fozzy

liger wrote: »

Okay, Setanta show UFC but where can you catch the other promotions?

The main channel would be The Fight Network on Sky Digital. They show stuff from a few promotions. Nuts TV on Sky Digital shows Cage Rage now

No channels over here show WEC (they had a great show at the weekend), DREAM (their last event was great too) or Affliction (not yet anyway). I think that Sky Sports started showing EXC recently. I'm not sure on that though as I usually just watch stuff on the internet

GBX

Wasnt it posted here recently that Eurosport were getting DREAM?

Fozzy

GBX wrote: »

Wasnt it posted here recently that Eurosport were getting DREAM?

Yes. Unfortunately that may just be for one more show

Fozzy

Sean Sherk vs Tyson Griffin for UFC 90 in October: http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=6822&zoneid=13

Sherk will probably win it in his usual style

Tito to Affliction official

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz has officially ended his turbulent tenure with the most popular mixed martial arts promotion in the world, opting to sign with upstart Affliction MMA and reuniting with his on screen “boss,” Donald Trump, from the “Apprentice.”

No specific details of the contract were revealed at this time; however, the “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” told SportsIllustrated.com that deal is “like no other.”

Here’s a snip:

“I guarantee you that my contract will be like no other. It will be a ground-breaking record contract for sure, without a doubt. There’s so much money to be made right now in mixed martial arts and it’s all about the fighters trying to make that money. It’s going to be a long-term deal where I put my heart and soul into the company and help build them. That’s something I’m interested in doing. They’re going to bring me on, not just as a fighter but also doing some of the back work also.”

That “back work” likely includes an opportunity to somehow help grow the business behind the scenes. Ortiz — one of the most recognizable and controversial faces in the sport — has been a part of several of the top-grossing pay-per-view (PPV) events ever.

He can likely leverage that star power to contribute to the success of the promotion.

The interesting thing here is that Ortiz is clearly set to likely make a lot of money, which is not uncommon within Affliction MMA. For its first show, in fact, the promotion shelled out an astounding collective payroll that exceeded $3.3 million, cutting into any potential profit significantly.

And company Vice President Tom Atencio has been adamant that he’s not in the business to lose money. Furthermore, he has indicated that he intends to scale back the purses for the encore event, which is slated for the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on October 11.

Can the promotion handle another huge salary? Time will likely tell that tale. Ortiz, meanwhile, is optimistic that his new home will soon become the best show in town.

Here’s another snip:

“Mr. Trump sees it as a business and no more than that. He understands that and there’s nothing personal to it at all and that’s what the UFC has problem with. The UFC takes the work they do very, very personal and in any business once you let your personal feelings get involved with it everything goes to [crap]. Mr. Trump is a strict businessman who respects the fighters. This is going to be one of the biggest losses [the UFC] has ever had to date and one of the worst mistakes they’ve ever made.”

Ortiz has all of his professional fights, 22, under the UFC banner in a career that dates back to 1997. He has three wins, two defeats and one draw since he returned to action in 2006 from a brief hiatus. And those three victories have come at the expense of a past-his-prime, Ken Shamrock (twice), and a controversial split decision over Forrest Griffin.

If this is indeed a mistake then he will have to prove it where he first made a name for himself — inside the ring. His first test could come against Renato “Babalu” Sobral at “Day of Reckoning” on October 11.

Rest assured that everyone will be watching. However, if he loses, for how much longer? This appears to be yet another gamble that Affliction hopes will pay off in the long-term.

Literally.

A good move for Affliction when you consider that Tito has been involved in most of the UFCs highest grossing PPVs in their history. This gives them a real chance IMO.

Frank Bullitt

Tito and Babalu?

Babalu by submission!!!!

Dragan

Some good potential for fights for Tito depending on what weight he is willing to fight at.

Most important thing is getting him on the card. Don't know how Tito would do in a ring tbh but its in Afflictions interests to have him win at least his first fight, which is why I doubt he'll face Babalu off the bat.

Juanito comments on Rampage

he doesnt say too much and doesnt confirm or deny that he's been fired by Quinton. Just says he hasnt talked to him.

Vince135792003

Deleted User wrote: »

its in Afflictions interests to have him win at least his first fight, which is why I doubt he'll face Babalu off the bat.

It's in Afflicitions interest to start making money ASAP before it's too late. And with no tv deal, it means putting on the biggest fights they can in the hope they can pop a ppv buy rate.

Dragan

Vince135792003 wrote: »

It's in Afflicitions interest to start making money ASAP before it's too late. And with no tv deal, it means putting on the biggest fights they can in the hope they can pop a ppv buy rate.

But how big of a fight is Babalu Vs Tito for the general public. Babalu managed to make his way to fighting Chuck twice but is still not the much of a name from his UFC days in fairness.

Vince135792003

Dragan wrote: »

But how big of a fight is Babalu Vs Tito for the general public. Babalu managed to make his way to fighting Chuck twice but is still not the much of a name from his UFC days in fairness.

Your right. It'll only make a little difference. Without a good tv deal that, it's very hard, near impossible to make an MMA company work.

Here's what Tito said, taken from the sports illustrated site:

"Mr. Trump works fast and gets busy in a lot of the things he does and he's going to give me the best deal possible," said Ortiz. "I know they want to make some money and I know they got over 100,000 pay-per-view buys on their first show and with me it's guaranteed to be over 500,000 pay-per-view buys just by the number of fans that are going to follow me no matter where I go so they're going to get there money's worth just in pay-per-view no matter what."

Tito in 2008 is still a draw. He's not a 500,000 ppv buys draw with tv. And without tv, he's nowhere close to it.

dunkamania

I am thinking Tito vs Frank Shamrock, ten year anniversary rematch dealie. Two of the best fighter promoters in the game. Could be awesome, and Tito would probably win which is good for Affliction.

Dragan

dunkamania wrote: »

I am thinking Tito vs Frank Shamrock, ten year anniversary rematch dealie. Two of the best fighter promoters in the game. Could be awesome, and Tito would probably win which is good for Affliction.

Do you really think Shamrock would take that fight? He seems to be picking his opponents really carefully lately.

I loved his quote about not fighting to win, but fighting to entertain after he lost his last go around.

dunkamania

dunkamania wrote: »

I am thinking Tito vs Frank Shamrock, ten year anniversary rematch dealie. Two of the best fighter promoters in the game. Could be awesome, and Tito would probably win which is good for Affliction.

I dont know about that. Theyre both way past their best but I wouldnt write Frank off in that fight.


And Dragan, Frank said in an interview recently that he expects 3 of his next 4 fights to be against Tito, Ken adn a rematch with Cung Le.