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[Diegonightmare]

- off topic, sorry -

kc56, about your signature....is that what you believe?

Chuck stood and banged with Wanderlei for damn near 15 full minutes, taking some good shots and dishing out a lot more good ones...why the signature implying that Chuck took Wanderlei down because he was afraid of him?

Don't get me wrong, it's a funny sig, but if you're sporting it because it seriously characterizes how you feel, I don't get it

/end offtopic

Back on topic...if Fedor seriously wanted the Randy fight, as well as fights with most of the other best HW's in the world, there was a highly lucrative way to do that, which he was recruited hard to avail himself of.

I've said it before and I'll say it again...riding out the balance of your career in an obscure organization fighting daisies (relatively speaking) like Hong Can Choi doesn't befit the #1 HW in the world. The winner of Tim Sylvia/Big Nog gets my #1 HW in the world ranking, especially if the winner finishes the fight.

[KnowledgeKnown]

I don't believe this fight will happen unless the UFC is involved somehow. Randy has violated terms of his contract, why in the world would the UFC step back and let some other promotion reap the benefits of Randy not fulfilling his contract. Randy will be 60 before this happens.

[Clint]

Originally Posted by Crùsh

Is it even possible for Randy to wait out the contract without fighting in the UFC?

Randy's people are saying it is. Zuffa's people are saying it is not.

I am personally betting that Zuffa's people are correct.

[Warchief]

Originally Posted by Clint

I am personally betting that Zuffa's people are correct.

I hope not, i really wanna see this fight happen.

[rivethead]

Originally Posted by Diegonightmare

- off topic, sorry -

kc56, about your signature....is that what you believe?

Chuck stood and banged with Wanderlei for damn near 15 full minutes, taking some good shots and dishing out a lot more good ones...why the signature implying that Chuck took Wanderlei down because he was afraid of him?

Don't get me wrong, it's a funny sig, but if you're sporting it because it seriously characterizes how you feel, I don't get it

/end offtopic

Back on topic...if Fedor seriously wanted the Randy fight, as well as fights with most of the other best HW's in the world, there was a highly lucrative way to do that, which he was recruited hard to avail himself of.

I've said it before and I'll say it again...riding out the balance of your career in an obscure organization fighting daisies (relatively speaking) like Hong Can Choi doesn't befit the #1 HW in the world. The winner of Tim Sylvia/Big Nog gets my #1 HW in the world ranking, especially if the winner finishes the fight.

off topic...I can't speak for KC, but I thought it was weak to check the clock, and then ride out that last take down. It hardly befits the man who was once hyped as the "baddest on the planet."

It was a great fight, and Chuck deserved the win, but I was left wanting more. /off topic

I think a lot of people think Fedor should subscribe to their perception of the #1 heavyweight, particularly US fans. I don't think Fedor is really cares too much about internet voting and stats. He gets to fight Sambo, which is clearly his #1 priority, and he gets to please Japanese fans, who are the fans who made him.

I'd love to see him fight Couture, but until I see a case for someone to be ranked above him based on fight record and win resume --and not on "Oh, he's just fighting cans, so I'm voting for X" I don't really care where other people have Fedor ranked.

Time will tell. I've read posts...not sourced. reliable articles, but posts, that indicate every time Randy refuses a fight, it adds months to his contract. It that's true, it would explain why Nogs and Sylvia are fighting for an interim contract and not the HW title, since Randy has resigned. It would also preclude a Fedor/Randy bout for a loooong time.

So I hope it's not true.

rh

[jasonIndiana]

if what your saying is ture rivethead then i cant see this fight happening for a long time. personal i dont think randy should get this fight. he has always been spoiled by the ufc in the past and now just quit on them. and on top of that he hasnt beat all the top fighters the ufc has to offer. i would still like to see this fight due to the fact it has been so over hyped. but i dont think this fight would be as good as people think in a cage or ring.

[kc56]

Off topic, as to my sig, I saw it and thought it was funny. I will say that Chuck won that fight (although I thought the 2nd round probably could have went to Wandy)

However, to see Chuck who has said for 6 years that he will knock Wanderlei out watching the clock and riding out the clock off of a takedown? That was disappointing to me (even though I wanted Wandy to win)

Now, on topic. The copies of the contract we have seen on here do have the clause in it about the champion passing on a fight having the term of the contract extended.

Here is one of the recaps I could find.

October 31, 2007
by Adam Swift (adam_m_swift@yahoo.com)

The dispute between Randy Couture (Pictures) and Zuffa over his departure from the UFC has brought the terms of UFC contracts to the forefront of the MMA industry.

At a news conference Tuesday in Las Vegas, UFC President Dana White steadfastly refused to discuss the terms of Couture's contract. For his part, UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta said, "From our perspective, Randy is still under contract. We will do whatever we have to do to continue to protect our rights."

As previously reported, Couture's contractual status appears to be largely tied to a retirement clause. However, that clause is not the only interesting or potentially controversial one found in standard Zuffa contracts, a version of which Sherdog.com recently obtained.

The company exerts contractual power mainly in the form of clauses that allow for the term of a contract to be extended in any number of circumstances and in some cases indefinitely. As the promoter, Zuffa must live up to its end of an agreement, such as filling a specific number of fights during a certain term. But these clauses, many of which can be found in contracts of competing organizations, allow for the effective term of the contract to be largely at the discretion of Zuffa.

The most infamous clause is the so-called retirement provision, which is largely responsible for the war of words -- retirement versus resignation -- between the UFC and Couture since his Oct. 11 departure from the company.

"If at any time during the Term, Fighter decides to retire from mixed martial arts or other professional fighting competition," the clause begins, "then ZUFFA may, at its election, (i) suspend the Term for the period of such retirement; (ii) declare that ZUFFA has satisfied its obligation to promote all future Bouts to be promoted by ZUFFA hereunder, without any compensation due to Fighter therefore; or (ii) elect to provide Fighter with notice of an Acceleration."

For all practical purposes, sub clause (i) allows Zuffa to retain the rights to a retired fighter in perpetuity. Sherdog.com has confirmed that this clause does not appear in every Zuffa contract; it is believed to be reserved for top fighters.

The term of the contract may also be extended indefinitely for any period when a fighter is "unable, unwilling or refuses to compete or train for a Bout for any reason whatsoever."

This clause may explain White's statement at Tuesday's news conference that he intended to offer Couture a fight against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (Pictures) later this week. If, as expected, Couture refuses the bout, Zuffa would have another ground on which to extend its agreement with Couture.

However, per another clause in the contract, Zuffa retains the right to count a fight offered and refused as fulfilling a bout under the contract. This is another example of the tremendous power the company wields in determining the effective term of its contracts. This clause could seemingly also be at issue in the Couture dispute.

For the better part of last year, speculation circulated about a clause that extended Zuffa contracts if a fighter becomes UFC champion. The clause was reportedly a sticking point in negotiations with Fedor Emelianenko (Pictures).

Sherdog.com has confirmed the existence of a so-called champion's clause, which provides that "if, at the expiration of the Term, Fighter is then UFC champion, the Term shall be automatically extended for a period commencing on the Termination Date and ending on the earlier of (i) one (1) year from the Termination Date; or (ii) the date on which Fighter has participated in three (3) bouts promoted by ZUFFA following the Termination Date ("Extension Term"). Any references to the Term herein shall be deemed to include a reference to the Extension Term, where applicable."

This clause is designed to protect the company against a fighter leaving as champion and to prevent the company's champions from using their contractual status to demand more money. Zuffa appears to see the clause as an option of last resort, though, because it has consistently refused to grant a title bout to fighters with only one fight remaining on their contracts.

The term of the contract may also be extended in the event that a fighter claims to be injured or disabled. Zuffa may extend the term for the length of the injury or six months, whichever is longer, declare that it has fulfilled its duty to promote one of the fights on the contract without compensating the fighter, or terminate the contract through acceleration of the term. An additional clause provides Zuffa with the right to have a fighter claiming an injury examined by a medical doctor of its choice at its expense on one day's notice.

At all times Zuffa retains the right to accelerate the term of the contract and therefore terminate the company's obligations if certain conditions are met. Among these conditions: fighter loses any MMA fight; fighter fails to participate in the minimum number of fights for any reason other than injury; fighter breaches the contract; any of the various representations or warranties made by the fighter in the contract are false or no longer true; fighter's license is suspended or revoked by any athletic commission.

A significant feature of the standard contract is the exclusive negotiation period and matching period that follow the expiration of the term. The fighter agrees to negotiate exclusively with Zuffa for 60 days following the term. Following expiration of the exclusive negotiation period, Zuffa has a one-year period in which it has the right to match any offer made to the fighter.

Exclusivity is an integral part of Zuffa's promotional model, as reflected by a series of exclusivity clauses regarding promotional and ancillary rights in the company's standard contract.

However, the agreement also includes a clause outlining certain guidelines under which a fighter may be granted a fight outside of the UFC at the sole discretion of Zuffa. Another clause gives the company the absolute right to "assign, license, or transfer" the right to co-promote any fight without the fighter's consent, even though Zuffa has steadfastly opposed any suggestion of co-promotion.

If a fighter believes Zuffa has breached the agreement, he must provide the company with written notice and at least 10 business days to cure the alleged breach. At that point the fighter may seek termination of the agreement. The clause provides that the sole remedy available shall be payment of remaining compensation due under the contract, excluding potential win bonuses, and that "in no event shall Fighter be entitled to any consequential, incidental, or punitive damages of any sort."

A standard confidentiality clause making public disclosure of any part of the agreement a breach of the contract is also included. Following Couture's news conference last week, White told Yahoo! Sports that Couture's presentation of a bout agreement was a violation of the confidentiality clause.

Perhaps most importantly, in the event of a legal challenge to the provisions of the contract, the standard contract also includes a severability clause, which provides that if any part of the contract is found to be "illegal, invalid, or unenforceable as to any circumstance," the entire contract would not be void as a result.

Asked Tuesday whether he felt the dispute between Couture and the UFC would eventually find its way to court, Fertitta responded, "That's up to Randy."

Source Inside the Standard Zuffa Contract
Originally posted here by Noob here http://forums.mmanews.com/general-mm...ting-read.html

If this is true, I don't see them letting Randy go.