MMA News Forums » MMA Forums » General MMA Forum

[Sakara=Excitement]

UFC Adds "Dangerous Activities" Clause to New Bout Agreements | MMAWeekly.com

When 2012 is over it may most be remembered as the year of the injury.

Numerous main events, co-main events, featured bouts and even an entire card fell victim to the injury plague that has cancelled many fights from taking place this year.

While training injuries are part of the sport, the UFC and parent company Zuffa are doing their part to at least hopefully curb the injuries that happen outside the gym.

Sources have told MMAWeekly.com that new bout agreements issued for the latest round of fights that have been signed include an additional clause to prevent “dangerous activities” from taking place.

Some of these activities include snowboarding, wakeboarding, and mountain climbing, as well as driving a motorcycle or participating in any kind of exhibition game for sports like basketball or football.

The fighters enter into this new contract when signing a bout agreement for a fight being scheduled. This is not an amendment to new contracts as a whole, only bout agreements. Essentially, when a fighter signs on for a fight they are now contractually held to not participate in ‘dangerous activities’ outside of normal recreational sports like swimming or hiking.

Some of these details were recently revealed in an interview with UFC lightweight Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in which he spoke about the new dangerous activities addition to contacts.

To clarify however, the new ‘dangerous activities’ clause is only on bout agreements in relation to eliminating these types of activities once an athlete has signed on to compete on a show.

The motorcycle clause is undoubtedly in reference to UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo, who recently had to drop out of UFC 153 in Brazil due to an injury caused from an accident while he was riding a motorcycle.

The other activities listed on the new bout agreements are also subject to approval from the UFC if the fighter requests and is given permission by officials.

These new bout agreements are not unlike contracts in other major sports where teams protect themselves from players participating in dangerous activities outside of the realm of training and preparation.

In 2003, Chicago Bulls guard Jay Williams suffered major injuries from a motorcycle crash that effectively ended his playing career outside of a couple failed comeback attempts. Due to the clause in his contract for ‘dangerous activities’, the Bulls legally did not have to compensate Williams anything, but ultimately paid him $3 million to help with rehabilitation costs before releasing him from his contract.

The biggest difference of course is the UFC clause for dangerous activities only applies when a fighter signs into a bout agreement. It would be similar in nature to a band or performer who signs into an agreement with a concert promoter for a set number of dates to avoid certain activities while on that tour.

When a fighter is on their own time not in a fight camp with a signed bout agreement, they are free to conduct their business however they see fit.

[Cat--Smasher]

Oh that Cowboy, he is such a rebel.

[Fe1]

Yeah, that's all fine and good but that still isn't going to prevent people from training too hard and getting injured.

At least we won't be hearing things like "Aldo involved in motorcycle accident" and crap like that.

I think that this should help the matter but not completly solve the issue. People will still get injured and fights will still be cancelled. I have a hard time thinking that Hendo was injured bungee jumping...

[Supe]

I think this is pretty standard and I, for one, am surprised it wasn't included before.

[Daellusx]

Doesn't the NFL and NBA have similar clauses?

I actually like this idea and since it is only for fighters who are scheduled to fight, i dont see a problem with it. If guys like Cerrone want to go bull riding, sky diving, etc, they can still do it. They just cant jeopardize a card by doing these things when they are scheduled to fight.

[Kimbo> Rampage]

Yes... the bigger sports seem to have this down better...

putting those types of activities within the contract... Although clearly it wont stop it completely... people have free will...

Look at Rothlesburger

You would think that Jose would have learned from the Mir case as well as what happened to his teammate.... Dont get on the damn bikes!

It could be a lot worse, he should feel very lucky... but a major fight did get canceled as a result...

[Pasha K]

This is pointless. Almost all injuries happen during the training camp. It is not that fighters get injured because they were playing basketball or doing some snowboarding.

I doubt a lot that this will have any effect.

[Sakara=Excitement]

Originally Posted by Pasha K

This is pointless. Almost all injuries happen during the training camp. It is not that fighters get injured because they were playing basketball or doing some snowboarding.

I doubt a lot that this will have any effect.

[Rise]

Originally Posted by Daellusx

Doesn't the NFL and NBA have similar clauses?

They do as well as MLB it's written directly into players contracts at least the really valuable ones who they are paying millions a year to.

[The8thPlague]

If the UFC really wants to make a difference for injuries, here's what you do:
Tell the fighters you have 5-6 WEEKS to train for your fight. That's it!!!
These 8-12 week training camps are fucking ridiculous. NO ONE needs that long to train for a fight. It's too much and most of the injuries that occur usually happen after they've already trained for about 8 weeks.
TRAINING CAMPS ARE TOO LONG!
And another plus to shorter training camps means that we can see those same fighters fight a few more times before the years end.
THAT'S What Needs to be the New Clause.