***The UFC/MMA THREAD***

[Homo Sapiens' Sapience]

http://www.fightersonlymagazine.co.uk/news/viewarticle.php?id=3440

Wow, that's just pathetic. I hope UFC will start losing viewers as well as fighters. Hopefully Strikeforce has good management who can take advantage of this.

[Harbinger]

Response from clinch gear.

Let me clear a few things up. Dan Henderson owns the Clinch Gear, and I manage that business for him. We did have an agreement with Zuffa and were paying them monthly for the right to sponsor fighters in the UFC. The WEC does not currently charge a fee.

I received a phone call from a Zuffa representative about 10 days ago informing me that Dana decided to terminate our agreement and ban Clinch Gear from the UFC and WEC because Dan declined their most recent contract offer. Considering Zuffa's history, it was neither surprising nor unexpected--it's just business. If Dan ever returns to the UFC, I would imagine that the ban on Clinch Gear will be lifted.

Zuffa has every right to ban Clinch Gear, so we are appreciative that they allowed us to follow through with the three fighters we had previously agreed to sponsor for UFC 105, as I would have hated to leave those guys in a lurch the week before the event.

On a related note, I was also informed by the same representative that RVCA was banned due to their sponsor relationship with Fedor. Ironically, he had just been featured in one of their shirts on TUF a day earlier, though the episode was filmed months before.

We will continue to sponsor athletes in organizations such as Strikeforce, so we certainly are not without alternatives. Furthermore, because we serve the endemic market, we are far less dependent upon an affiliation with the UFC as are the many lifestyle brands. In fact, most casual viewers who don't train have probably never seen our products in retail setting, as we currently focus exclusively on distribution through gyms and MMA specialty stores. In addition, we offer custom shorts and rash guards for MMA gyms and wrestling teams, and that business is booming.

Due to our modest budget, we primarily sponsored undercard fighters in the UFC and the WEC, and the people most affected by this decision are those athletes. It narrows their options and could reduce their income, as many larger clothing companies limit their sponsorships to fighters who are scheduled for the televised cards.

Clinch Gear will remain a core brand in the MMA industry and will continue to develop innovative products and business strategies. Dan and I are thankful to everyone who has supported the Clinch Gear brand and contributed to our growth and success.

Aaron Crecy

Clinch Gear

[dajusta]

The UFC doesn't have to cross promote anything. Cross promotion may work for an up start company, but not for a company with the size and global reach and appeal that the UFC has.

I disagree. UFC is dominant in North America, not globally.

Fedor doesn't need to be in the UFC to establish his greatness. He is already considered a legend, and that was before he beat Tim Silvia and Andre Arlovski.

If Dana White truly wanted Fedor, he would have done everything to get him. Don't think that strikeforce will go away soon either - Fedor is gonna keep that alive.

[dajusta]

That's Fedors M.O. He always bleeds. he always takes some punches. He always looks like someone can take advantage of him. He always wins.

Agreed.

So who's next for Fedor in Strikeforce? Once he beats Overeem and Werdum, there's going to be nobody left unless they sign some young guys.

The UFC has Carwin, Velasquez and Dos Santos. Those are the guys he's going to have to go through at some time. I couldn't care less about Lesnar.

You mean, what's next for Lesnar?

Dana was just BEGGING to get Fedor into the UFC to fight Lesnar, but now after Carwin (and i guess Lesnar will win), what's next for Lesnar??

Fedor can go through Overeem, Werdum, and pretty much retire his legendary status. He can pull a Floydweather and come out of retirement once the right guy comes along. Lesnar can't do that. He's a Mike Tyson with no opponents around him.

Edited November 18, 2009 by dajusta

[Hordichuk]

Lesnar's looking at three fights against Carwin, Dos Santos and Velasquez. Maybe Minotauro in the middle there if he gets healthy and takes down another opponent. As much as I like Mir, I don't think he's the best the UFC can offer up to Lesnar.

In my mind, Lesnar is the most beatable of the UFC Champions. I fully expect Carwin to be him when they eventually fight.

[Harbinger]

Taken from a thread on sherdog I found to be a little humorous.

Dana White: "Coleman is a washed-up, 50 year old can!" The greatest thing about listening to Dana White run his mouth off is knowing there's a record of every hypocritical, contradiction and bald-faced lie he tells anyone with a pen or a microphone!

It's amazing that he doesn't seem to mind being proven a hypocritical, contradicting, bald faced liar.

The latest:

In March of 2007, in an attempt to discredit Fedor's win over Mark Coleman at Pride 32 Dana White said that Mark Coleman was a "...washed-up, 50 year old can that hasn't won a fight in years."

Now, Dana wants UFC fans to buy a PPV headlined by an even older, washed-up can!

It never ends with this guy!

Here's some more quotes to humor you:

(classic DW quotes)

The Japanese are F....ing idiots!

Pride are the dumbest people on the planet.

Tito is a F...ing moron!

The Russians are F...ing crazy!

No one gives a sh.t what Josh Barnett thinks!

The IFL is the dumbest business model on the planet.

The IFL won't be around in another 6 months.

Why would I sign Shogun? No one knows who the hell Shogun is.

Why would I want Wanderlei to fight Chuck, he just got executed by Crocop!

Wanderlei is ducking Chuck.

I've been waiting for years to sign Wanderlei and it's finally happened!

(Posts signing video on the UFC website. When was the last time Dana White EVER posted a video of him signing a fighter?)

Signing Wanderlei is the highlight of my 7 year career with the UFC.

Chuck getting KO'd by Rampage was like Buster Douglas knocking out Mike Tyson!

(Chuck was 20-3 before being KO'd by Rampage and had already been TKO'd by him in 2003. Chuck held only one belt and was only the UFC champion, not a world champion. Mike Tyson was undefeated at 37-0 and was the undisputed World Heavyweight Champ of 3 organizations, holding 3 belts. Absolutely ZERO comparison, unless you're Dana White).

We're not signing Crocop!

We got him - we just signed Mirko Crocop, the most devasting striker in MMA.

We want the best fighters on the planet.

We're in negotiations with Fedor, the number one Heavy Weight on the planet.

We're confident we'll have Fedor by the end of the year.

Fedor and Randy will be the biggest fight in MMA history.

Randy would smash Fedor easily. he's overhyped and untested. He hasn't fought anyone in the last year and a half.

They're full of crap (Fedor's managers) and that's the bottom line.

His managers are F..ing liars!

Fedor is a fraud...he isn't even a top five fighter!

Brock Lesnar and K-1 is a circus act!

We're excited to announce the signing of Brock Lesnar!

Randy hooked up with some scumbag Hollywood agent that I bitched-slapped about a month ago.

Oh he (Couture) definitely belongs to me, no doubt about it!

#2 (permalink) What a difference 8 years and millions of dollars makes.

This is an interview with Dana White four days after Zuffa first bought the UFC from SEG in 2001. It's interesting to see how many things that Dana had said in 2001 has turned out to be the exact opposite. Very different attitude then today. He talks about wanting all the organizations to cooperate, wants to share fighters with Pride like Mark Kerr and Sakuraba. Doesn't have a problem co-promoting. Would like to see everyone use the Octagon (instead of suing them for it today). *(credit to Tbonetron2.0 for this interview)

http://www.bloodyknu....hp?t-7941.html

(interview by PrimeTimeFighters.com)

Take note of several things as you read this:

Dana doesn't cuss or swear a single time during this interview.

Dana doesn't bad mouth or trash talk ANYONE in the business including fighters and promoters.

Dana called Pride and KOTC owners to tell them that any prior feuds are over and he wants to work with all organizations and promotions.

Dana admits that Pride paid better than the UFC and that the reason why Pride fighters didn't come to the UFC was because the UFC couldn't afford to pay them what Pride paid them.

Dana claims that "boxing is doing so well in Las Vegas!"

"We have no problem co-promoting with Pride or other organizations, it works well for boxing!"

Quote:

Interviewer: Who owns Zuffa Corporation?

Dana White: Lorenzo Fertitta, Frank Fertitta III and Blake Sartini

Interviewer: What is your position with Zuffa?

Dana White: President.

Interviewer: What does Zuffa mean?

Dana White: It's Italian and it means to "fight" or to "scrap".

Interviewer: What other businesses are they associated with?

Dana White: The Station Casinos: Palace Station, Boulder Station, Texas Station, & Sunset Station.

Interviewer: Why did you buy the UFC?

Dana White: First and foremost because we're fans. But also because we feel we can take the UFC to where it should've been taken a long time ago.

______________

Interviewer: There has been some negativity about the previous owners.

Dana White: Right. I think Bob (Meyrowitz) burned a lot of bridges. A lot of conflicts. That's what made it tough for him to move forward with it.

Interviewer: So he was difficult to do business with?

Dana White: You have to look at it like this: He had a company that was doing business with the cable companies and he lost cable. And it was just a constant fight to get it back.

Interviewer: He obviously never got it back. That must be a goal of Zuffa.

Dana White: That is our goal: To get it sactioned in the state of Nevada and get it back on cable.

Interviewer: Are you President of the UFC or Zuffa?

Dana White: Both UFC and Zuffa.

Taken from a thread on Sherdog because it's quite humorous

Interviewer: Will the UFC and Zuffa co-exist here at the same Las Vegas location?

Dana White: Correct.

Interviewer: There was already at least one fight card already scheduled, are you going to keep that?

Dana White: Yes. Trump Taj Mahal, Atlantic City Feb. 23rd, 2001. You won't see too many of our changes right away. You're gonna see some changes in the first UFC but the show was already planned so it's too soon for us to make any real changes.

Interviewer: Taj Mahal is not on an Indian Reservation, why is it allowed there?

Dana White: Because it's been sactioned in New Jersey. In fact, Paul Smith's IFC is holding another event this weekend there as well. That's the key.

Interviewer: There has been alot of talk that the UFC didn't pay very well. Will that change?

Dana White: Right. That's gonna change. See, that's what we really want to change. We're gonna bring back alot of the fighters that left the UFC for that reason and the other reasons that they were chased away.

You have to understand Lorenzo and I.

Lorenzo comes from the Nevada State Athletic Commission, and what do they do? Their job is to look out for fighters. I was a manager, what was my job? To look out for fighters. So we really want to put alot of emphasis on the fighters. The old UFC's emphasis was the UFC. That was the main thing that they wanted to promote and publicize. We want to create superstars.

Interviewer: When will the UFC be in Las Vegas?

Dana White: That we don't know. We're working hard and we're hoping within 18 months.

_____________________________

Interviewer: There are other people watching you, other organizations, pulling for you to get the UFC in Las Vegas.

Dana White: The first thing I did when we bought the UFC was call Yukino Kanda from PRIDE. I told her there was always a war between the UFC and PRIDE... I told her the war is over.

Our office staff started clapping and cheering when I made that call.

Then I called Terry Trebilcock from King of The Cage, Paul Smith from IFC. I talked to Jamie Levin from WEF today. Basically, these guys were all at war with each other and I want to work together. The sport of mixed martial arts is fighting so many other foes, whether it's cable companies or political foes, that we need to stick together and work to further the sport.

Interviewer: Will you keep the UFC in Las Vegas once you start holding shows here?

Dana White: Well, I think Las Vegas will become the mecca of mixed martial arts. I mean you can have fights in New Jersey, but it's cold in the winter time. Las Vegas is warm, it has so many other things to see and do, it's cheap. It's a great place to come and visit for a weekend. It's a good excuse to come and watch a fight.

I think that's why the boxing business does so well here. Everybody's looking for an excuse to go to Vegas

Interviewer: You can no longer manage fighters, right?

Dana White: Right. That's been a big issue with us and it's a big issue right now. Anybody who's involved in the promoting part of the UFC has to pick one or the other. Either they promote or manage but you don't do both. It's totally unethical and a conflict of interest.

If you have a guy that's getting paid to set up the fight and getting paid from his fighter's pay as well, it's not right.

Interviewer: Who's going to take over Tito (Ortiz)?

Dana White: A gentleman named Jim Gallo has taken over Tito and Chuck Liddell. He's an attorney here in Las Vegas. Smart guy, good guy, fair guy. And Tito and Chuck love him.

Interviewer: Is he familiar with the fight game?

Dana White: Yes. He's one of the best contract lawyers as far as puting contracts together. And kicking promoters' asses. He's good.

Interviewer: Who will join that stable with Tito and Chuck?

Dana White: Jim Gallo has some pretty decent boxers, and I think Alfonso Alcarez, a mixed martial arts fighter, will be joining them. Alcarez and Jens Pulver fought to a draw. He's a tough little guy. Look for him and Pulver to fight again soon. Because I'm sure Pulver would love that fight too so he could redeem the only bad mark on his UFC record.

There's a fighter out of Texas, Yves Edwards that will join Gallo also.

Interviewer: So Gallo will continue to represent both MMA and boxers?

Dana White: Yes.

____________________________

Interviewer: What big names do you want to bring back to the UFC?

Dana White: (Smiling) I've talked to a lot of them already. I'd love to see Mark Kerr back. I'd love to see Coleman back, Frank Shamrock, Ken Shamrock if he's interested in fighting still.

Interviewer: Those are definitely some names...

Dana White: (Smiling really big) ...And my main goal, the main guy I want to get together with. Even if I have to co-promote with PRIDE, and we don't have a problem with co-promoting, they do it in boxing... is Sakuraba.

Interviewer: Will he come here? Because I heard he doesn't like to fight outside Japan.

Dana White: I think he will. I think we can work out a deal with Yukino over at Dream Stage (PRIDE's parent company). Besides, money talks.

But, Yukino and PRIDE really want Tito. And we really want Sakuraba. So I don't see why we can't work something out. I enjoy working with PRIDE. I respect them, so I don't see a problem.

Interviewer: You've told me Tito doesn't like fighting outside the cage.

Dana White: Right. That's something we'd have to work out in the contract. I don't really think Sakuraba would have a problem with that because he's fought in the UFC before.

Interviewer: Any other Japanese fighters?

Dana White: Sakuraba's the main one. He's the man. Him and Tito would be a dream fight.

Interviewer: Ali - Frazier I, Twenty First Century style.

Dana White: Exactly. Tito currently has the title, so the way I see it: Put Sakuraba and Tito together, and Frank (Shamrock) gets the winner.

Interviewer: That will sell you some pay-per-view.

Dana White: Yes it will.

Interviewer: Any other middleweights you have in mind?

Dana White: Jeremy Horn, Chuck Liddell, Evan Tanner who is fighting Tito in this next UFC, Bustamante.

Interviewer: There's a lot of people in the 199 and under division. What do you see in the heavyweights?

Dana White: Igor, Mark Kerr, Mark Coleman, Kevin Randleman, and of course our champ Randy Couture.

Edited November 18, 2009 by Harbinger

[Oranje]

A little humourous? That's fantastic stuff. The other week I spent a good few hours watching Dana White interviews on Youtube.

Some of his rants I saw him go on regarding fighters and other promotions were epic. It's easy to disagree with the guy, but I find it so hard to hate him, he's great entertainment.

"Mazzagatti, as a referee?" White said. "This f**king guy shouldn't even be watching MMA on TV, let alone refereeing it. I think he's the worst ref in the history of any fight business, ever. He's horrible. We don't pick the refs. The athletic commission does. Those guys are picked by the government. It's not that I don't like him, he's a nice guy. He's an absolute nice guy, he has no business whatsoever being anywhere near mixed martial arts."

Gold!

Edited November 18, 2009 by Oranje_1986

[hank4hire]

Carwin, Velasquez, and Nogueira are all injured right now. Not even talking about Lesnar here.

GSP wants to wrestle in the 2012 Olympics.

Next TUF would most likely feature GSP and Hardy, Canada vs UK.

Where the hell did ya get that from?

Showdown joe mentioned this on MMA connected, sportsnet but unconfirmed

[MusclePrime]

Greg Mousasi needs to come to the UFC. Not many opponents outside of the UFC left for this guy.

Edited November 19, 2009 by MusclePrime

[Oranje]

Greg Mousasi needs to come to the UFC. Not many opponents outside of the UFC left for this guy.

I'd love to see him fight Shogun and Machida.

[Bobby Hoff]

Anyone know if WEC is on TV tonight?

[Hordichuk]

Anthony Johnson actually weighed in less than his opponent did for once.

He came in at 170, Koscheck came in at 171. So stoked for this fight. I flipping hate Kos.

I'm also betting that Johnson will be heavier than Kos tomorrow. As much as I dislike Kos, he's explosive. So's Rumble. This is going to be an awesome fight.

[Steve Danger]

Haha, Greg Mousasi. It's Gegard.

Unfortunately I'll be missing tomorrow's show due to work which is too bad because there's a couple fights I'm really interested in.

[MegaNuck]

Wow, that's just pathetic. I hope UFC will start losing viewers as well as fighters. Hopefully Strikeforce has good management who can take advantage of this.

I wish Pride didnt go under. I found it alot more entertaining than UFC.

[Raoul Duke]

I can't stand arguing which organization is better than the other. I just enojy MMA in general. I don't need to go on four pages and pages of links of b.s., yadda yadda yadda.

Let's try and get this topic back on track. Nobody wins this argument, people!

[Electro Rock]

I can't stand arguing which organization is better than the other. I just enojy MMA in general. I don't need to go on four pages and pages of links of b.s., yadda yadda yadda.

Let's try and get this topic back on track. Nobody wins this argument, people!

I'd say this matters more than some random fight talk, MMA would be so much better off in there was a decent counterweight to the UFC.

[King of Anarchy]

What a stacked card tonight.

Hopefully Griffin doesn't sprint away from the octagon if he loses again.

[Harbinger]

I hope George Stroumboulopoulos totally kicks donkey.

[Down by the River]

Hahaha. Anyone watch the camera pan the UFC crowd? There was a MILF with some pretty fake looking breasts out on a platter for everyone to see. The camera passed by her for about 2 seconds, and then panned back to the MILF and closed in. Gold.

[Harbinger]

Damn George is going to be bragging about this on the Hour for weeks.