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[sandywh]

I'm not purposely trying usurp the rules here. This article is long as shit, but you have to read it if you're a fight fan.

This piece details the slimy underbelly of this business and why the sport will never grow as long as people like this are allowed to continue on.

MMA Spot - Shine Still Under Fire From Failed “Worlds Collide” Event

Highlights:

But the event never happened. Since then, the promotion has left a wake of unpaid debts across the state. Ranging from a venue left at the altar, a fill-in doctor who scrambled to arrive in time for the event, and a bevy of fighters not paid by the promotion. The event, or lack thereof, has shown the murkier side of fight promotions.

Price said all the right things on the call, telling the room that “Everyone will be taken care of; Shine plans to make sure everyone will be paid.”

Although the call was full of assurances, it did little to settle the nerves of those charged with getting their fighters paid for the training and preparation endured leading up to the event.

“We’re not getting paid. They didn’t have the money at the arena. They surely aren’t going to have it now,” stated one fighter, perhaps prophetically, as he angrily walked away at the conclusion of the impromptu teleconference.

How much does Shine owe from the remnants of “Worlds Collide?” Because contracts are protected by confidentiality clauses, an exact figure is unknown. However, the total sum of the unpaid balance from the canceled show could be as high as $75,000.

“We gave them every opportunity possible to make this right to the boxing authority and to the fighters. And, from our understanding, they were going to make it right, according to Mr. Price,” stated Merriweather. “After he called here, he said he was going to make everything right. And He did not respond on the tenth, then we gave him an additional seven days. Because once you file against a person’s bond, we automatically suspend their promoter’s license.”

Oh hell, the whole thing is great. Just read it!

MMA Spot - Shine Still Under Fire From Failed “Worlds Collide” Event

[Buffalo Soldier]

So they can screw over all but a few fighters and just leave town? Thats just too funny that they can have future events even though they did this.

Would this kind of be like Affliction cancelling Trilogy, then not pay anyone, and then have another show somewhere else? It, to me, sounds as if this is very wrong.

[GL Jeff]

Originally Posted by Buffalo Soldier

So they can screw over all but a few fighters and just leave town? Thats just too funny that they can have future events even though they did this.

Would this kind of be like Affliction cancelling Trilogy, then not pay anyone, and then have another show somewhere else? It, to me, sounds as if this is very wrong.

Did you read the actual article. It says at the end the unpaid fighters have contacted a commision, and it will be next to impossible for Shine to get a liscence in any state,province or reservation. Hopefully that sticks,and the fighters file a lawsuit ASAP.

[Tick]

Shine should not exist after pulling this shit... I want to see how they respond to this and if they can back up any claims they had that they paid fighters!

[sandywh]

for some of, many of, these fighters its all about the principal and treatment and not the money.

Take Zac George, whi I personally know had an iron clad contract. He's owed $3k, which is actually a good bit more than the 25% of show than some of these others.

But he turned down a spot in Bellator for the pportunity to fight in Shine. Was promised a PPV slot, and that was changed. No one from Shine has responded to any request to talk to him.

Suing for $3k would cost him $5k in lawyer fees, so it doesn't make sense.

His career has been perma-damaged because of all of this. He could have possibly won the 145 tourney. He could have gone to Japan to fight.

Now, he's got no money, no marquee win, no television coverage, and is embroiled in this Shine stuff.

Or what about Mario Staple, granted Staple hasn't had the best record. But here's a guy that has a young child at home. Flies from Germany to the U.S. on his own money. Gets set up for this fight to make less than his cost to travel to America and train for it. And then at the end of the day, he's stiffed. He has to go home, with no fight, no cash, and no new prospects to fight.....also turnd down fights to keep this one.

It's nuts.

And Affliction has nothing on this. Affliction canceled a week ahead. If those guys didn't get paid, that kinda sucks, but most hadn't even traveled to the location yet.

Part of what makes this whole Shine issue so brutal is that Shine is claiming they don't have to pay because the state commission canceled the event, not them. But the state canceled the event because of the multiple failures from Shine to properly arrange a show. No purse money in the arena, late doctor (replaced the orig Dr.), no blood pressure cuff, no main event, no CEO in the building.....add to that the fighters showed up late to the arena.

Most of these fighters had done everything except punch each other. They traveled, cut weight, re-weighed (an NC requirement), got to the arena, warmed up, got taped up, checked the ring, and were ready for the pre-fight medicals....then BOOM the plug is pulled. In my eyes, they made their "show". They did absolutely everything asked of them. They did nothing to cause the event being canceled and literally did everything but fight.

To not pay them their full show money is ridiculous, to not pay them their 25% of show is even more ridiculous. And then to add insult to injury, Price & Chambers have refused to return calls, emails, texts to the fighters and their managers.

[Clint]

Originally Posted by GL Jeff

Did you read the actual article. It says at the end the unpaid fighters have contacted a commision, and it will be next to impossible for Shine to get a liscence in any state,province or reservation. Hopefully that sticks,and the fighters file a lawsuit ASAP.

it's hard to tell on this though...Virginia has already licensed them but the fighters are pushing the ABC to put a hold on them. The problem is that the VSAC is only an associate member of the ABC, so they don't necessarily have to listen to the commission, we can only hope that they take the recommendation to pull the license.

[beau420]

Shine should not be allowed to put on an event again. It should be a lesson to all up and coming fight organizations.

I still see it as Don King and the Commission really helped completely fuck the event up.

Look for example at fights in Japan, like K-1 or DREAM (FEG)....or ImpactFC in Australia. Recently a few fighters have claimed they only got paid their partial purse...some complaining they got nothing....but you know what? They got to fight on PPV TV. Not only do they get their names out there, but they get extra exposure/sympathy for not getting paid.

At an event like Shine, except for articles like this, everyone just forgets about all the fighters and all the work they had to put in. Because they didn't fight, I never really thought twice about this whole event since a couple days after it was suppose to take place and all the shit about Don King and missing doctor and missing money came out.

The commission has rules like having to have all fighters money in cash on hand for the event. Do you think fighters getting paid 50-70 percent of what they were suppose to get paid + letting them fight on PPV had the event actually gone through.....do you think that would be better or worse than not fighting at all?

Only way these fighters get paid (like sandywh mentioned, Zac and others) is to go on a TV court show....Joe Brown, People's Court whatever....and get the judge to side with the fighters.

The american personal court system is shit. A guy who is a lawyer himself, like Shine President Devin Price, can defend himself in court and drag his feet through the system wasting the courts time while a guy like Zac George doesn't have the money to go through the legal system and even if he does win in court, it could cost him more money than he would win. (here in Canada, loser usually also has to pay the winners court costs)

If Don King had never filled an injunction I think the event would have gone through. If this event was held in a state like Texas or on a native reserve, I am sure it would have gone through....people would have been paid (maybe not all their money, but at least some, and they would have got the exposure)

In this particular case, I think the commission did the fighters a disservice. Say Shine had $40k cash in hand. I think the commission should have taken it....fined Shine the remaining $30k that is missing and require that they pay the remainder of the money to all fighters and others involved before they can hold an event again.

But currently Shine could try and go anywhere they want, and try and hold another event. (even though the NC commission will try and prevent that...they could be coming to a city near you)

Sucks for everyone involved...and none of the people at fault get dealt with. Too much bureaucracy surrounding this entire event.

[sandywh]

I want to come here. Put down my flag for just a minute. And stick out my hand tto thank Smoogy for backing me up on this story.

[LethalStriker]

I don't understand why all of these other veteran fighters are signing to fight for Shine after what happeneed on the previous event. Do you really trust Shine to not do something like this again? I know I wouldn't if put in that situation.

[sandywh]

who are you talking about?

Bennett? - he charges a fortune and is always risk to fail piss-tests, and may not even show up for the fight
Fickett? - he's like 2-7 in his last 9 and even had a fight canceled because he showed to the arena drunk
Warfield? - he's still under his original Shine contract
Areulio? - good fighter, but no one wants to sign a "former UFC" fighter that is known as a decision machine
Cronkilton? - would you even remember him if his name wasn't so funny?