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[joeodd2]

First I realize that this thread will not make me popular with many, if not most. I was actually quite enjoying watching my Rep go up, I must admit it's nice to see new Reps every other day or so. But if I don't speak my mind, then what's the point of posting right? I hope those who disagree can just say so and respect a difference in opinion...

I hope I see the day when the UFC doesn't have a monopoly on MMA in the US, where fighters will have real choices to make good money and a name for themselves. With Dana White's ego I can see the UFC making many mistakes and missing out on lots of exciting talent. Hopefully that talent will find a home in another U.S based promotion and hopefully give us more great fights outside of the UFC. What the other promotions need is an Anti-Dana White, a personality that's colorful and classy. Personally if I had the money to start an organization, I would probably look for someone like Bas Rutten to run it. I think he'd be a great counter to Dana White.

Now I know many will say that Dana White played a huge role in getting MMA where it is today, but you can make the same argument for Don King and Vince McMahon. Screwing over talent is still wrong. And a monopoly in combat sports leads to over hyped fighters and dumber fans who wear their "TapOut" and "Affliction" shirts while drinking "Bud Light" and chanting "UFC, UFC, UFC". Dana White is probably responsible for creating the dumbest MMA fans in the world. And this fact isn't lost on the mainstream media who look at our sport still as more of a "side show". I can't tell you how much I cringe when I hear MMA refered to as "Ultimate Fighting". Somebody needs to step up, hopefully Strikeforce can get it's act together someday, or maybe Bellator continues to make good moves and builds it'self up. I just know we need to see MMA evolve past Dana White's UFC......

[Chute_Boxe44]

I have to respectfully disagree here from a fan perspective. I like the idea of allll the best fighters in the world being in one stable and being able to fight one another a consistent basis. If this were not the case, MMA as a whole would be run like one big Strikeforce org where we would have everyone running all over the world without consistency. I mean look how hard it is for them to get there champion to actually compete and defend his belt against at least four possible contenders. I'm sorry, but as a fan I can't say that I would in any way shape or form want that.

I enjoy the fact that I am able to sit down once or twice a month’s with a case of beer and handful of friends and watch the quality cards (majority of the time anyways) that the UFC are at least able to produce. If this was not the case, we would have to find random streams or no name leagues with HORRIBLE production quality (Shark Fights) and let them take my hard earned money instead.

In the end I see where you’re coming from, I also get the frustration. But I feel the positives (once again, from a fan perspective) of what White has created far out way the negatives in my book. In the end not all of us will agree with one another, it’s just a matter of how each of us enjoy and appreciate the sport.

[kickass32]

Agreed with Chute_Boxe44....too much talent diluting, and not enough quality cards with a couple big players in N. America. Strikeforce is getting better, but still seen as a joke with their champions, and championship matchmaking.
I believe you need exclusive contracts otherwise you get AO fighting all over the world, except where he should be, defending his title.....Imagine if Sidney Crosby, or Lebron James played a few games with their teams in NA, and then went to Europe for a while, played a few games there....it would be a joke, and IMO it's that way in MMA without exclusive contracts..............Having said that, I don't like how Dana and the UFC can terminate a fighters contract after only fighting 2 0r 3 times on a 5 fight deal.

[CHAEL fan]

Originally Posted by joeodd2

First I realize that this thread will not make me popular with many, if not most. I was actually quite enjoying watching my Rep go up, I must admit it's nice to see new Reps every other day or so. But if I don't speak my mind, then what's the point of posting right? I hope those who disagree can just say so and respect a difference in opinion...

I hope I see the day when the UFC doesn't have a monopoly on MMA in the US, where fighters will have real choices to make good money and a name for themselves. With Dana White's ego I can see the UFC making many mistakes and missing out on lots of exciting talent. Hopefully that talent will find a home in another U.S based promotion and hopefully give us more great fights outside of the UFC. What the other promotions need is an Anti-Dana White, a personality that's colorful and classy. Personally if I had the money to start an organization, I would probably look for someone like Bas Rutten to run it. I think he'd be a great counter to Dana White.

Now I know many will say that Dana White played a huge role in getting MMA where it is today, but you can make the same argument for Don King and Vince McMahon. Screwing over talent is still wrong. And a monopoly in combat sports leads to over hyped fighters and dumber fans who wear their "TapOut" and "Affliction" shirts while drinking "Bud Light" and chanting "UFC, UFC, UFC". Dana White is probably responsible for creating the dumbest MMA fans in the world. And this fact isn't lost on the mainstream media who look at our sport still as more of a "side show". I can't tell you how much I cringe when I hear MMA refered to as "Ultimate Fighting". Somebody needs to step up, hopefully Strikeforce can get it's act together someday, or maybe Bellator continues to make good moves and builds it'self up. I just know we need to see MMA evolve past Dana White's UFC......

Perhaps it's fans like you that give the sport a bad rep.

[joeodd2]

Originally Posted by CHAEL fan

Perhaps it's fans like you that give the sport a bad rep.

Awwwwe that's so cute.....you must have work all day on that little trap....despite that I won't insult your intelligence. Your name says everything about you that I just don't need to say....

[singinkangaroooo]

i actually think Dana has been great for the sport... he is a pretty blunt and straight forward guy.. if he doesnt like you its no secret and its not like hes talking behind your back hell tell u to your face he doesnt like you... sure there is talent in other places on this globe that Dana would like to have and cant because of the way he acts, but look at what he does have...

Dana has a HUGE majority of the elite athletes at each weight class and hes been getting talent to come in and keep his product hands down the best in the world... look at the state of the HW division a mere 3 years ago.. Tim Sylvia was the champ and it looked like he might stay that way with his BORING ass jab jab jab you to death style.. then Randy came back and the HW division became relevant with all the other talent Dana brought in GG, Cro Cop, Lesnar, Velasques, JDS, Big Nog and the HW division is now one of their strongest..

yes Dana definitely can be a jackass and its cost him, but i think that his personality has done much more good than it has bad.. fighters respect him because he does so many things that we dont know about for them that can only be explained by the way the fighters treat Dana.. Matt Hughes said on live TV that he was going to take the rest of the year off and hunt but now is fighting BJ as a favor to Dana.. that to me speaks volumes

so yes Dana has the personality that turns many people off but as a business man im not too sure that there are many people that are as successful as Dana White

[beau420]

Originally Posted by CHAEL fan

Perhaps it's fans like you that give the sport a bad rep.

LOL

Well, I agree with Joeodd2 kind of. I do like that one organization has the majority of the best fighters in the world. Until the fighters are able to create a union or until fighters start getting paid more (which would never happen unless there were other competing organization)

If we look at other sports like basketball, hockey or football, all of them had competition. Hockey had the WHL and the WHA. First big deal was when Bobby Hull was signed to the Winnepeg Jets (of the WHA) for the largest hockey contract ever 10 years $2.5million moving him out of the NHL. Then the NHL and WHA had players going for the highest bidder in both leagues until both leagues finally decided to merge.

Even the now infamous Wayne Gretzky originally joined the WHA. NHL didn't allow the signing of players under 20, so Wayne went to the smaller/less established WHA. Other WHA teams were thinking of doing the same to other top prospects, so the NHL felt they had to change their rules or take out the competition. So, they eventually merged. It was mutually beneficial to both sides because smaller cities that had WHA teams but had problems trying to get NHL teams were given NHL teams.

I eventually hope something like this would happen in MMA.

Without competition Randy Couture wouldn't be making the money he is making, without competition Brock wouldn't get what he makes. If there are no other big promotions, shit is gonna be stagnant for a while. Fighters won't get paid more, they will stay around the same place they are now.

It takes a Strikeforce or Bellator for the UFC to pay their fighters more.

I eventually see the UFC taking out one or both of those organizations, but not before I see more changes in MMA in relation to fighter salaries. Once we eventually find out what a company like the UFC makes a year (or once or if the UFC ever goes public) people will finally understand how much the UFC is making each event compared to their fighters.

Sure, Randy might make over $250k a fight and probably another $50k in sponsors, but if we find out that the UFC also makes $8million of that same event (after PPV buys and gate sales), and some of the fighters on the undercard are making $6k a fight, something is wrong.

I hope that owners of Strikeforce and Bellator, which appear to be in it for the fighters and the fights, not strictly about making money first and fights second and fighters third....I hope those owners help change things up.

I think the ideal situation for fighters is if the UFC purchases Strikeforce or Bellator and uses them as a farm team, keeping their TV contracts.

What I like about lets say the NHL union, is that if you get a 3 year contract, if you get injured after the first couple months, they have to keep paying you, or if you start playing like crap, they can bench you, but they keep having to pay you (similar to the NFL)

I hate seeing high prospect fighters come to the UFC, sign a 4 or 5 fight contract, then have maybe 2 fights and then get thrown out like a used jizz rag, ruining their once high ranking prospect, making only a third of what their contract was for.

Look at a guy like Rolles Gracie. He got $15k for his first and only fight in the UFC...much higher than most guys. I don't like how the UFC can sign a fighter to a 4 fight contract and then just ditch a guy if they fight poorly.

At least Strikeforce and Bellator actually stick with the fighters they sign. Look at Roger Huerta as an example. He was suppose to win or at least get to the finals of the 155 tourney. The UFC might have fired him once he lost to Pat Curran, but Bellator sticks with him and gives him another fight (sure, against the champ they want him to face, but he is willing) and I am sure if he loses again, they will give him another sho and might get him to pick his next opponent if he loses as not only a sign of respect, but to help him....and to help his career.

I find the UFC really doesn't care about a lot of their fighters, especially doesn't care about some of their fighters careers after the UFC....when they are done, or once they have lost a few fights in a row.

Another good example is a guys like Keith Jardine or Mark Coleman or again, Huerta. These guys have been huge to the UFC and the UFC's success and have done everything for the UFC.

That is one thing I like about Japan and Japanese organizations. If a guy like Aoki wants an easy fight, he lets the promotion pick his opponents, if he wants a challenge, he calls out a fighter and they sign to fight one another. If he wants to go to the US and fight a champ over there, they let him.

Fighters come first in Japan. Ask any fighter who has been there, and apart from the politics (and getting paid on time), that is what they love the most. That win or lose, if you fight your ass off, they respect you and will usually give you another fight.

In the UFC fighters get very little say in to who they fight (unless they are popular and get tv/media time) And if the UFC doesn't like you, they usually give you a horrible matchup.

Do you think in Japan if Franklin and Chuck Liddell had just fought, that a DREAM official would come out at the press conference and say that Chuck should retire? Never. Respect is paramount in some other organizations, which is one of the fundamental rules in most martial arts, but when it comes to Dana, it's normally business first.

When the UFC was going through that make these fighters sign their names away thing....for the UFC video game and using the fighters likeness in other products...that shit would never have gone down in Japan. Threatening fighters that they would never fight for the promotion again if they didn't sign the rights to their name over. A few fighters nearly got fired during that fiasco and the UFC really just bullied all their employees into doing it.

I am sure in another 10 years we will be looking back at the UFC and we will compare it to other sports like hockey or football in the 70s and 80s and how fighters/players got taken advantage of.

Sure it's better this year than last, but I think there is still a lot of progress to come when it comes to fighter contracts.

[NLRepublic]

Originally Posted by joeodd2

First I realize that this thread will not make me popular with many, if not most. I was actually quite enjoying watching my Rep go up, I must admit it's nice to see new Reps every other day or so. But if I don't speak my mind, then what's the point of posting right? I hope those who disagree can just say so and respect a difference in opinion...

I hope I see the day when the UFC doesn't have a monopoly on MMA in the US, where fighters will have real choices to make good money and a name for themselves. With Dana White's ego I can see the UFC making many mistakes and missing out on lots of exciting talent. Hopefully that talent will find a home in another U.S based promotion and hopefully give us more great fights outside of the UFC. What the other promotions need is an Anti-Dana White, a personality that's colorful and classy. Personally if I had the money to start an organization, I would probably look for someone like Bas Rutten to run it. I think he'd be a great counter to Dana White.

Now I know many will say that Dana White played a huge role in getting MMA where it is today, but you can make the same argument for Don King and Vince McMahon. Screwing over talent is still wrong. And a monopoly in combat sports leads to over hyped fighters and dumber fans who wear their "TapOut" and "Affliction" shirts while drinking "Bud Light" and chanting "UFC, UFC, UFC". Dana White is probably responsible for creating the dumbest MMA fans in the world. And this fact isn't lost on the mainstream media who look at our sport still as more of a "side show". I can't tell you how much I cringe when I hear MMA refered to as "Ultimate Fighting". Somebody needs to step up, hopefully Strikeforce can get it's act together someday, or maybe Bellator continues to make good moves and builds it'self up. I just know we need to see MMA evolve past Dana White's UFC......

ugh...

ok, first off, any fighter who has the talent and record to make "big money" are doing in in the UFC. If you are referring to the guys who are scraping to get by and only making like $12,000 in the UFC, well those same guys would only be making like $4,000 in other orgs. The UFC has the most money so that would be the obvious ultimate goal for most fighters who want to make money (baring a few outliers and exceptions). And make a name for themselves?? Are you kidding me man, where in the U.S other than the UFC would be a better place for a fighter to make a name for themselves? And dont give me that Strikeforce/CBS crap. They have like 3 shows a year on CBS at most and I don't think King mo or Mussasi have any bigger names today than they did before CBS

Why want all the fighters to leave the UFC to go to another organization and have all the talent in the one place if you already have it all in the one place? If it ain't broke don't fix it

OK guy, I love Bas, but if you would actually invest all of your own money into an MMA org. and pick Bas Rutten to run it as a perfct counter to Dana White then Id consider myself lucky that you don't have the money to do so. What basis do you believe Bas has the business sense and ability to run a multi-billion dollar company?

Comparing Dana White to Don King is ignorant

Other than Toney vs Randy, and the Kimbo experiment, the UFC pales in comparison to the freak shows put off in Dream, Strikeforce and even Pride did.

I too hate it when people call it "ultimate fighting" but what are you saying? Bring everyone to Strikeforce or Bellator and hopefully they will call it "Strikeforcing" or some shit? Having one large company with the majority of all the best athletes in the one place is not bad for a sport. If all the talent is in the one place, with exclusive contracts, then we get to see the best fights. Look to the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB for evidence. If people are scattered throughout organizations then the talent pool gets diluted and we see less of the best match-ups

[rodneykm]

I want to see the best fighters fight the best fighters. If you don't have that, what is the point? You might as well just go watch boxing.

[Pasha K]

Originally Posted by CHAEL fan

Perhaps it's fans like you that give the sport a bad rep.

mmmm I would like to remind you that you need to have "Chael sucks" as your status and "Andersons bitch" in the signature.

Now I agree in part with TS, but the problem is that having a classy promoter is not enough, Scott Coker is very classy and respectful, he has a very good roster but at least at this moment they are no competition for UFC.

Tom Atencio was also very classy, and where he is now?

Dana White is a douche and everybody knows that, but he is not stupid, he knows how to do business, he is also surrounded by smart businessmen so that is why he is so succesful.

About the stupid fans part I completely agree, its disgusting to see fat rednecks screaming "Boooooooooooo" if there is no enough brawling or "USA, USA, USA" when an american fighter is fighting a not american fighter.
But that is not exclusive in UFC, in SF we see basically the same shit.

There are things I like about UFC (many good fighters and they do shows frequently) and there a lot more that I dislike. Pride FC was for me the perfect example of what a MMA organization should be like, many people criticized Pride for having some freakshows, and so what? They had some freakshows but they also had a lot of awesome fighters. BTW at least I prefer a fighter without any skill but at least fat as hell or tall (so it would be entertaining to watch) rather than seeing a "normal" guy without any skill either.