General MMA Chat/News mk2

ASOT

Don't see Rory going myself but they threw money and Benson who was coming off a few wins so it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest, slowly but surely they will build a good roster a d then they won't have to put on freakshow fights. Still delighted for Matt, heavyweights should get a premium on top of there pay considering they take the most damage.

Swashbuckler

ASOT wrote: »

Don't see Rory going myself but they threw money and Benson who was coming off a few wins so it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest, slowly but surely they will build a good roster a d then they won't have to put on freakshow fights. Still delighted for Matt, heavyweights should get a premium on top of there pay considering they take the most damage.

How can they afford it in the long term? They're not as mainstream and won't get the same ppvs as UFC so what's their long term plan I wonder? They can't just keep throwing stupid money at fighters.

Subcomandante Marcos

I think Bellator/WSOF/Etc getting stronger is both inevitable and good for the sport.

If Jon Fitch and the lads win their law suit and the Muhammad Ali act is applied to MMA like it is to boxing (and it should be), then all the better.

The less control shisters like Dana White have over the sport, the better.

ASOT

Swashbuckler wrote: »

How can they afford it in the long term? They're not as mainstream and won't get the same ppvs as UFC so what's their long term plan I wonder? They can't just keep throwing stupid money at fighters.

Viacom are a billion dollar company they will keep Bellator afloat no problem, thev had some decent numbers aswell for certain shows and I'm sure there doing half decent gates, they will get there eventually at this stage.

Subcomandante Marcos

Swashbuckler wrote: »

How can they afford it in the long term? They're not as mainstream and won't get the same ppvs as UFC so what's their long term plan I wonder? They can't just keep throwing stupid money at fighters.

They're owned by Viacom, who are one of the biggest media companies in the world.

CurryFlavoured

Rory won't go, he's the best welterweight in the world.

Easy Rod

Don't think he'll go either. He's one of the few fighters who's earning potential in the ufc far outweighs the short term gain going to bellatir for big bucks. Rory headlining a card in Canada for a ufc title makes him much more than 5 fights in Bellator.

Dtp1979

CurryFlavoured wrote: »

Rory won't go, he's the best welterweight in the world.

The best welterweight champion that never was

Swashbuckler

Dtp1979 wrote: »

The best welterweight champion that never was

He will be yet. If he still has his chin after the Robbie fight.

Dtp1979

Swashbuckler wrote: »

He will be yet. If he still has his chin after the Robbie fight.

He could easily go on and never win the belt. Seems like he's destined not to win it.

CurryFlavoured

If he beats wonderboy, which I think he will, he'll get another shot at the title.

Gamebred

Goes to show what a hiding Robbie Lawler can take,when Rory head kicked him and rocked him with sick boxing and HellBows against the Cage I was sure it was over,freak that lawler.

LaGlisse

Forget about it being good for fighters if Bellator have more success,it won't be good for fans surely. Competition isn't always good for the consumer! (eg sky\BT].

shrewdness

Rory's been around a while but he's still young, he has plenty of time to claim the belt and he seems too good for it not to happen eventually. That's no guarantee of course but I do think he'll get it. Of course we don't know what that Lawler fight done to him but he rightly took plenty of time off and I think he'll be back strong.

Lukker-

Ben Henderson, Mitrione and possibly Rory McDonald.

I'd say a good few fighters nearing the end of their deals are considering, even if it just a bargaining chip to get a better deal with the UFC. More power to them IMO.

CurryFlavoured

If he loses I could actually see him go, he'll be a while away from a title shot and they might not be happy giving him a big pay rise. If he wins they have no choice. I'd be gutted to see him go, one of my favourite fighters.

Mellor

Swashbuckler wrote: »

How can they afford it in the long term? They're not as mainstream and won't get the same ppvs as UFC so what's their long term plan I wonder? They can't just keep throwing stupid money at fighters.

Because they only pay the single ex-UFC fighter on the card decent money.
The rest of them are paid peanuts. It's very ironic to talk about Belator paying meathead what he deserves, when guys on their undercards are making $1500.

ASOT wrote: »

Viacom are a billion dollar company they will keep Bellator afloat no problem, thev had some decent numbers aswell for certain shows and I'm sure there doing half decent gates, they will get there eventually at this stage.

Subcomandante Marcos wrote:

They're owned by Viacom, who are one of the biggest media companies in the world.

Viacom are loaded, and absolutely could keep them afloat while they grow. But I'd doubt they would give them a penny that they aren't sure to get back.

Foxtrol

ASOT wrote: »

Mitrione signs for Bellator, delighted for him hopefully he gets a decent wage, also Rory will be testing the free agency market after his fight with wonderboy.... The floodgates are opening.

So far they’ve signed Mitrione and Benson Henderson. Fair play to both for getting the best money they could but the UFC don’t want to overpay for guys who simply aren’t worth it.

I don’t think there’s any sign the UFC need to worry about their flood insurance yet.

Mellor wrote: »

Viacom are loaded, and absolutely could keep them afloat while they grow. But I'd doubt they would give them a penny that they aren't sure to get back.

I keep having to make this argument when the Viacom red herring gets thrown out there.

The money that Viacom have means little to nothing when they’ve shown no interest in risking big money to compete with the UFC.

It’s like telling someone that your mate could buy a mansion because he has a rich uncle. Just because he has a rich uncle does not mean the uncle is going to give him his cash.

Zero-Cool

Listening to both Mitrione and Rory, it's great to hear how happy Matt was with the deal and really looking forward to him fighting at Belator now. It's weird hearing Rory saying "I'm looking at my paycheck and saying 'what the f*ck". He said they got close to signing but UFC wouldn't meet their number. What are they thinking with the guy who was in the best fight of last year. Nearly hoping he wins and still moves to Belator.

UFC has gotten so much more popular in the last couple of years, it makes the Reebok deal even worse as it goes on.

jimmii

It will be interesting to see what happens to Gaethje when his deal is up in a couple of fights. He says he'll be on 80/80 for the last fight on his deal and has said he won't take a cut just to go to UFC. His leg kicks the other day were just brutal.

Foxtrol

Zero-Cool wrote: »

Listening to both Mitrione and Rory, it's great to hear how happy Matt was with the deal and really looking forward to him fighting at Belator now. It's weird hearing Rory saying "I'm looking at my paycheck and saying 'what the f*ck". He said they got close to signing but UFC wouldn't meet their number. What are they thinking with the guy who was in the best fight of last year. Nearly hoping he wins and still moves to Belator.

UFC has gotten so much more popular in the last couple of years, it makes the Reebok deal even worse as it goes on.

They’re making money by keeping wages down, just like Bellator are doing with their own fighters.

Free agency is very common within US sport, it’s not the same as soccer where if someone’s contract runs out it nearly guarantees they move. People really need to look at it from that perspective.

Fighters the UFC want to keep like Overeem, and likely Rory, will be re-signed having made a bit of extra money than if they hadn’t hit free agency while others who UFC would rather lose than overpay for, like Henderson or Mitrione, will go.

Rory’s problem is that he keeps faltering at the last hurdle before he would be guaranteed to move onto big money. I’m a huge fan of his but he also hasn’t seemed to have really clicked with the casual fanbase, though that may have changed after the Lawler fight. It would be interesting to know what sort of money he is demanding, he definitely is deserving of more than he is currently on but I could see why UFC might resist giving him top tier pay. They may fold on this though and having him headline a card is a good assessment of what a draw he now is.

Lukker-

Rory leaving hurts the brand. The guys is the second best fighter in the most stacked division.

If he leaves, you can be damn sure more will follow. Divisions will start to look lighter all of a sudden.

You have to wonder, would the likes of Mitrione, Bendo and possibly Rory have left if Reebok hadn't come in and removed a good portion of their sponsors.

DrPhilG

Dana and the UFC may be scumbags, but they're not stupid.

They will let some fighters leave, and they will rarely be proved wrong. Remember Okami and Fitch? Not exactly pulling up trees elsewhere.

Guys like Henderson and Mitrione leaving aren't the end of the world. Plus they are now examples of how the UFC is not a monopoly as suggested in the lawsuit.

Rory will get his pay bump and stay, I'd guarantee it. And you can bet your ass that both Henderson and Mitrione would have stayed if the UFC had chosen to match their contract, even without the extra sponsorship money.

Bellator may be in a position to pay some good wages, but they have a bizarre business plan, (lots of good fightera but often lean heavily on freak show fights like the Kimbo/Dada/Royce/Shamrock nonsense).

LaGlisse

article here saying UFC could get the go ahead for New York events this week
http://fightland.vice.com/blog/breaking-news-mma-in-new-york-bill-could-pass-this-week?utm_source=fightlandfbus
Could makeMcgregor fight trips a lot more affordable+Madison square garden capacity is about 20K (for basketball anyway)

Paully D

I was unsure where to post this and didn't want to create a new thread, so figured here would be best.

This is a very sad story for all concerned:

http://www.mmamania.com/2016/3/15/11234814/conor-mcgregors-ex-coach-pro-mma-fighter-jonathan-dargan-kills-retiree-dublin-street-fight-mma

Just over a year ago, professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Jonathan Dargan was using his proficiency in Taekwondo to help Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight phenom Conor McGregor prepare for Dennis Siver in Boston.

"It's great having Johnny around," SBG Ireland head coach John Kavanagh said prior to UFC Fight Night 59. "He's a hero to all the guys. I have never seen anyone that can move as fast as Johnny Dargan. He's got some freak genetics. I'd love for a scientist to measure his output, because it's absolutely bizarre what that man can do."

Those genetics weren't enough to garner him a winning record inside the cage, as "The Dragon" (1-3) was knocked out by Lukasz Parobiec at BAMMA 22 back in September, his second consecutive loss after Karl Roche submitted him at BFC 13 earlier in the year.

As far as his vaunted speed, well, that may have been instrumental in the death of 57-year-old Paddy Mullally, who was killed after getting slugged by Dargan in the streets of Dublin back on March 5. Mullally, who stopped to help settle a dispute between Dargan and his girlfriend, fell backwards and hit his head after being struck.

He died the next day.

"I'm so sorry, it was an accident," Dargan said (via Independent.ie). "I'm devastated and heartbroken for that man and his family. All I can say is I'm crushed. If I could take back everything that happened that night I would, but all I can do is beg his family for their forgiveness. It was a genuine mistake."

It was 3:30 a.m. and Dargan, 41, had been drinking since 8 p.m., according to the report, which led to the argument with his girlfriend.

The case has since been filed with the Director of Public Prosecutions.

It could very easily happen to anyone. It certainly makes you think.

Gamebred

Have no opinion on this individual case,but anyone interfering in disputes on the street are asking for trouble now obviously a woman getting raped or kicked around is an exception but an arguement is none of your business how many times has this happened the 'hero' gets worst end of the stick.

Lukker-

Manslaughter is manslaughter. Don't know what type of argument it was, the man who intervened could have been concerned for her safety.

Unless someone strikes you first or they are threatening you in some manner, punching someone is always a terrible idea and a cowardly move if you catch them unaware.

riffmongous

Paully D wrote: »

I was unsure where to post this and didn't want to create a new thread, so figured here would be best.

This is a very sad story for all concerned:

http://www.mmamania.com/2016/3/15/11234814/conor-mcgregors-ex-coach-pro-mma-fighter-jonathan-dargan-kills-retiree-dublin-street-fight-mma



It could very easily happen to anyone. It certainly makes you think.

Depressing story, the victim was just coming home from his retirement party too

riffmongous

Lukker- wrote: »

Manslaughter is manslaughter. Don't know what type of argument it was, the man who intervened could have been concerned for her safety.

Unless someone strikes you first or they are threatening you in some manner, punching someone is always a terrible idea and a cowardly move if you catch them unaware.

A bunch of people intervened from what I read and he hit two of them

It is understood that Dargan told gardai they were first approached by a man on a bicycle who asked what was going on and that Dargan had cursed at him.
Dargan then recalled that there were two or three people around him.
It is believed he told gardai that he hit one of them and had a row with a second man before another person tried to drag him away.
After he got out of this person's grip he thinks he hit Paddy, grabbed his girlfriend and got back into his car.

darced

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