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[sodium_nitrate]

courtesy mmajunkie.com

UFC No Longer Issuing Signing Bonuses
UFC No Longer Issuing Signing Bonuses
Dann Stupp, MMAjunkie.com
December 28, 2007
In an effort that he hopes will help avoid complications during contract negotiations, UFC President Dana White says he's eliminated signing bonuses for fighters.

The UFC's CEO made the comments in a recent interview with the L.A. Times, citing the organization's ongoing problems with estranged UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture as a reason for the policy change. (The piece, which attempts to prove a rift between the UFC and fighters over pay issues, is available at latimes.com.)

The most notable "signing bonus" as of late resulted from Couture's decision to come out retirement (with a new four-fight deal) to fight then-champ Tim Sylvia at UFC 68 in March.

Couture scored a unanimous-decision over Sylvia and then made a successful title defense over Gabriel Gonzaga five months later. However, in October he resigned from the organization citing a lack of respect from UFC executives, though issues over pay were a major part of the ensuing public feud.

One of Couture's claims was that he never received a signing bonus -- something he was promised during negotiations -- and instead said he received an advance on his UFC 68 "locker-room" bonus (White and UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta said that the supposed advance was, in fact, his signing bonus.)

Unlike signing bonuses, those "locker-room" bonuses have become customary with many fighters. In fact, savvy managers and agents even negotiate the amounts immediately after a fight's conclusion. Those bonuses help fighters such as Keith Jardine, who earned an "official" salary of just $14,000 -- despite beating top dog Chuck Liddell in a major pay-per-view main event in September -- earn a respectable per-fight sum.

So, how much impact will the new policy of no "signing bonuses" have in the future. Arguably little. The UFC has already negotiated new deals with the majority of fighters who were part of PRIDE Fighting Championships, which Zuffa LLC (the UFC's parent company) purchased and disbanded earlier this year. Additionally, aside from a few rare exceptions, the sport's top free agents (such as Fedor Emelianenko) have already negotiated deals with the UFC or other rival organizations.

Check out more UFC News at MMAjunkie.com. This story originally appeared on MMAjunkie.com and is syndicated on Yahoo! Sports as part of a content-partnership deal between the two sites.

[Dork8503]

so Randy hoped he would help by doing what he did now he is actually hurting fighters, because they will no longer get resigning bonuses or anything thing like that.

kudos to Randy.

[smoogy]

If you think this is "randy screwing over other fighters" you must be a fuckin idiot

[whitey64]

Thats why I only believe in performance bonuses. Yeah if you win you should get more but not if you had a boring fight and signing bonuses well thats bullshit altogether, your already signing a contract for so much dollars and then your going to get a bunch more just for signing I personally think signing bonuses are just bribes to sign and more sports should get rid of them.

[Mr. Pink]

Smart move by UFC, no more confusion about what bonus is what. I do have one question though. Why would Randy need an advance on his locker room bonus? I don't think he's hurting for money so why would he need an advance? Kinda makes me wonder.

[Dork8503]

Originally Posted by smoogy

If you think this is "randy screwing over other fighters" you must be a fuckin idiot

I dont think it was Randys goal. I think he just wanted UFC to be fair to everyone but in turn caused them to drop nice bonuses off.

I dont think they will stop giving them though

[Bullock]

I don't really see this as a bad thing or see it as screwing over anybody.

[sodium_nitrate]

Originally Posted by smoogy

If you think this is "randy screwing over other fighters" you must be a fuckin idiot

yeah, i do. so what.

[twankydawg]

Originally Posted by Ramma

Agreed.... if anything, this is UFC doing something to get the fighters angry at Randy.


Randy Couture is not screwing the fighters.. Randy had no idea it would come to this...

I don't think they are doing this to make the fighters mad at Randy and I don't think they are going to quit giving bonuses. However, in the future, to avoid any confusion over what's what, they will give the entire signing bonus up front or in full either at signing or after the first match, and will properly list it as a bonus on the check.

[foutch550]

Originally Posted by whitey64

Thats why I only believe in performance bonuses. Yeah if you win you should get more but not if you had a boring fight and signing bonuses well thats bullshit altogether, your already signing a contract for so much dollars and then your going to get a bunch more just for signing I personally think signing bonuses are just bribes to sign and more sports should get rid of them.

I agree. I've always felt this way about alot of sports contracts. Good call.