MMA-URLS

UFC President Dana White has finally spoken out on Alistair Overeem’s situation after keeping his opinions closely-guarded prior to this week’s NSAC hearing. Overeem, as many know already, faced Nevada’s regulatory board after testing positive for an elevated level of testosterone and was denied licensure until December 27, 2012 as a result despite arguing he’d only taken a substance prescribed to him by his doctor. “Whatever medicine you’re on, you’re supposed to tell them before you test, not after you test,” said White on The Jim Rome Show of Overeem’s attempt to explain away the testosterone with an excuse about anti-inflammatories. “I’m not a fan. I’m not a fan at all. You’re not gonna hear me today on your radio show defending Alistair Overeem, believe me.” Overeem Out Until 2013, Doctor’s Credibility Called Into Question “I know he lied to me,” the outspoken executive continued, referring to a conversation he’d had with Overeem where he denied the possibility of any illegal drug use. “I don’t like it. You know, you sit down and you have these guys that you do business with and you say, ‘Listen, be honest with me. What’s going on here? Let’s figure out how we can work together and how we can do business together.’ And if they’ll sit in front of you and lie to your face? I don’t know, not the kind of guys I want to do business with.” While White did not outright say he would release the UFC heavyweight based on his behavior it appears the possibility is more prevalent than ever before. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: ufc, business, overeem, face i, ” overeem

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You probably already know that Alistair Overeem blew his shot at facing UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos at UFC 146 this May when he registered an elevated testosterone-to-epitestosterone ratio on a surprise drug test. You may not know that the Dutch heavyweight told the Nevada State Athletic Commission yesterday that his elevated ratio (14:1) was the result of an anti-inflammatory “mixture” administered by a controversial doctor that he injected into his body without first asking what was in it. Though the NSAC fawned over the fighter and almost apologized for giving him a reduced suspension of nine months, many people think his excuse and his legal counsel’s presentation were a joke. UFC president Dana White is among that group. “I wasn’t very optimistic about his chances (of getting licensed),” White told Jim Rome on his radio show today. “I didn’t think that things were gonna turn out very well for him. As expected. Nine months? Nine months isn’t as bad as I thought it was gonna be. I thought he’d get a year. Easily a year. Here’s the rules: if that’s the case, if he was on anti-inflammatory meds or whatever the deal is you’re supposed to disclose that to the commission before you get any drug tests. … “Whatever medicine you’re on, you’re supposed to tell them before you test, not after you test. I’m not a fan. I’m not a fan at all. You’re not gonna hear me today on your radio show defending Alistair Overeem, believe me. I don’t know (if we’ll cut him or not), we’ll see what happens. We’ll see what happens, man.” Considering all that Overeem has cost the UFC in his very short tenure with the promotion, White is wondering aloud whether or not the trouble he’s causing is worth keeping him on the roster. “Before he went in there, he sat down in a lunch with me and my partners, looked us in the face and said, ‘I’m the most tested athlete in all of sports. They can test me whenever they want to.’ He flew in for the press conference, they tested him and now he’s on a nine-month suspension,” White said. “He claims that he was on anti-inflammatories, which he should have told them before he tested. I know he lied to me. “I don’t like it. You know, you sit down and you have these guys that you do business with and you say, ‘Listen, be honest with me. What’s going on here? Let’s figure out how we can work together and how we can do business together.’ And if they’ll sit in front of you and lie to your face? I don’t know, not the kind of guys I want to do business with.”

Posted in: ufc, business, overeem, alistair overeem, test

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UFC's second-youngest fighter has all the tools to become a star in the business, but he says fighting isn't everything to him.

Posted in: business, fighter, isnt, michael mcdonald, isnt everything

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When the MMA community discusses the name Greg Jackson it’s usually in relation to the coach’s reputation as one of the top trainers/corners in the sport. However, one word UFC President Dana White associates with Jackson that few others consider in relation to the sought-after sensei is “businessman”. White recently gave his thoughts on Jackson’s role in the situation surrounding light heavyweights Jon Jones-Rashad Evans (who fight for the divisional title this weekend at UFC 145). As has beaten into the psyche of every MMA fan, Jones and Evans were former teammates at Jackson’s gym and had a falling out after Evans decided to leave, citing a sense of betrayal brought on by Jackson and Jones’ behavior. “There is one thing that is an absolute fact, and no matter how often Greg Jackson pumps that family (expletive), Greg Jackson is a (expletive) businessman. The more top guys he brings in, the more money he makes. There’s nothing wrong with Greg Jackson, but he’s a (expletive) businessman,” said White in an interview with Yahoo Sports. “Some of these fighters, who ought to know better but don’t listen to that (expletive) and don’t take it for the crock of (expletive) that it is. These guys need to make the decision where they train based on where they think they’ll get the best work and develop the best, and not on this (expletive) crazy idea that you’re becoming a part of a family.” “Greg Jackson (expletive) told Rashad this wouldn’t happen, that they’re family and all that other (expletive), but look what is going on now. Look and see who is at Jackson’s and who is not,” continued White, adding a bit of advice for fighters along the way. “Train where you think it’s going to be best for you and if that’s Jackson’s, that’s fine. Just don’t buy into this family (expletive) because there’s nothing to it. This is the fight business, not the friend business.” The UFC has encountered other past issues involving teammates not wanting to fight each other such as Jon Fitch-Josh Koscheck and Evans-Keith Jardine. Similarly to the root of the issues between Jones-Evans, in those cases a sense of personal loyalty was cited rather than focusing on the business aspect involved. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/JACKSONS MMA

Posted in: business, jackson, greg, expletive, fight business

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Family Guy? Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White is ignoring Michael Corleone's advice and taking sides against the family -- simply because he doesn't believe such a thing exists at Jackson's Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Just ask Rashad Evans. The former Light Heavyweight Champion, who's tasked with fighting former friend and teammate Jon Jones at UFC 145 this Saturday night (April 21, 2012) at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, "divorced" himself from head coach Greg Jackson after "Bones" won the 205-pound title from Mauricio Rua when "Suga" was forced to bow out of the fight due to injury. Out with the old and in with the new. That's the business side of combat sports, one that White tells Yahoo's Cagewriter he wants all fighters to realize when they align themselves with a particular gym. Underneath all the gooey feelings and "family" hyperbole, at the end of the day, it's still all business. Those comments, after the jump. "There is one thing that is an absolute fact, and no matter how often Greg Jackson pumps that family [expletive], Greg Jackson is a [expletive] businessman. The more top guys he brings in, the more money he makes. There's nothing wrong with Greg Jackson, but he's a [expletive] businessman. Some of these fighters, who ought to know better but don't listen to that [expletive] and don't take it for the crock of [expletive] that it is. These guys need to make the decision where they train based on where they think they'll get the best work and develop the best, and not on this [expletive] crazy idea that you're becoming a part of a family. Greg Jackson [expletive] told Rashad this wouldn't happen, that they're family and all that other [expletive], but look what is going on now. Look and see who is at Jackson's and who is not. Train where you think it's going to be best for you and if that's Jackson's, that's fine. Just don't buy into this family [expletive] because there's nothing to it. This is the fight business, not the friend business." This is not the first time White has been critical of the Jackson camp. Back in late 2010, he slammed the corner of Nate Marquardt for failing him in a unanimous decision loss to Yushin Okami at UFC 122, one that may have cost him a shot at the division title in 2011 and beyond. And Georges St. Pierre, who was put in an "awkward situation" when the "Jones vs. Evans" fight was announced, was the primary reason Diego Sanchez skipped town in the midst of his pursuit of the welterweight title in 2008. Out with the old and in with the new. The only upside for White and the UFC is the profits they stand to gain from this weekend's pay-per-view (PPV) extravaganza in "The Peach State," a direct result of how they did "business" in Albuquerque. Nothing personal.

Posted in: business, jackson, greg, family, expletive

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UFC's three card line-ups for March & April shows.

Posted in: ufc, business, lineup, card lineups, business ufcs

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Bellator’s first event in Windsor on Good Friday didn’t live up to its hype.

Posted in: business, friday, hype, lefko, windsor

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Bellator's first event in Windsor on Good Friday didn't live up to its hype.

Posted in: bellator, business, lefko, friday didnt, business bellators

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A new business venture is supposed to be difficult.  The new owners are supposed to be anxious or afraid of possible hard days ahead.  They’re supposed to worry about whether how they are going to get people through their doors, or how to build their business, or ultimately, the potential of their bottom line. Don’t tell that to Invicta FC‘s Shannon Knapp.  If she’s nervous, anxious or worried about her new venture, she isn’t showing it. Knapp, the former Strikeforce and IFL executive recently partnered with Janet Martin (formerly of Blackeye Promotions) to create Invicta, the first all-women’s MMA promotion in North America.  Drawing on their years of experience in the business, Martin and Knapp have partnered to bring a face to women’s MMA; one where women have the exposure to perform on a grand stage and can participate at their ideal weight classes instead of taking bouts outside of their proper division just to get to fight. Ever enthusiastic about the new challenge ahead, Fighters.com recently sat down with the effervescent Knapp where she discussed, among other things, how long the idea of Invicta had been out there and the importance of showing the strength behind the idea. “I want to say eight or nine months, but the more I think about it, I’d say April, or the first part of May,” said Knapp of the organization’s inception. “I like to fight the fight, and when you’ve been around as long as I have in this business, you kind of get to that point where you’re doing the same and you think…ah you know, it’s the same thing, and gets cookie cutter.” “It really started when Zuffa purchased Strikeforce, and I started getting a lot of calls, and a lot of panicked calls from the girls.  Bottom line was nobody knew what was going to happen,” she continued before reflecting on the possibility of Strikeforce’s demise, a situation many felt may have led to the end of their support of women on the Zuffa platform. “Everybody knew that if it did, the opportunity for females to stay under the Zuffa banner was almost certainly not going to happen, so the calls started coming in, and the girls were looking for some representation, though I’m not a manager,” explained Knapp. “I started looking at it, and kind of building the foundation and happened to meet my business partner (Martin) who had the same vision I had.  We pooled finances between us, and now we’re off to the races.” The end of the spring and beginning of what she hopes will be a marathon takes place on April 28 when Invicta’s first event emanates from the Memorial Hall in Kansas City.  The venue is no stranger to fans looking to watch a fight with memories of numerous MMA events and nearly 40 years of professional wrestling shows packing its hallowed halls.  Knapp knew, however, that an all-women’s organization would be an uphill climb.  To prove to the world that Invicta was serious, they put long hours in to ensure they first came out with a statement. “The card came together before we announced (Invicta),”  Knapp stated.  “I felt like it was a much stronger statement to come out and say you had a card ready than to come out and say ‘Hey come look at us we want to do this and this is our main event.’ We wanted to come out swinging by saying that this was our card.  We did add one fight after the announcement (Cat Zingano vs. Anita Rodriguez) but I mean, we were there.  When we came out, we came out hard and strong, and that’s what helped people look at us and say ‘Wow. They’re serious about this.’” Still, there are naysayers Knapp says she has encountered, some of which believe it’s a bandwagon ploy. “I keep getting the question asking if this happened because of the Miesha Tate/Ronda Rousey fight,” Knapp laughed.  “If people thought this only took a month, they’re crazy!  We’ve been working on this for a really long time.  It just so happened that the stars or the heavens happened to shine on us, and while we were looking at announcing, all of that came together and it’s helped us a bit too.” You can follow Knapp on Twitter @ShanKnapp and Invicta Fighting  Championships too @InvictaFights.  You can also “Like” Invicta Fighting Championships on Facebook by clicking here.  Invicta FC 1 boasts a number of the top female fighters in MMA today including action from Marloes Coenen, Liz Carmouche, Jessica Penne, Lisa Ellis-Ward, Cat Zingano, and more. Tweet

Posted in: fight, mma, business, invicta, knapp

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Watching the way UFC president Dana White does business behind-the-scenes is quite the sight to see.

Posted in: business, decision, sight, mma decisions, business behindthescenes

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submitted by NACHO_MOTHA [link] [comment]

Posted in: ufc, business, award, nachomotha, nachomotha link

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has been nominated for a 2012 Sports Business Award, which will be presented at the annual Sports Business Awards Ceremony, "a night celebrating excellence in sports business," on Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at The New York Marriott Marquis at Times Square in New York City, NY. The same state where mixed martial arts (MMA) is outlawed. The category is "Sports Event of the Year" and includes UFC 129: "St. Pierre vs. Shields," which took place on April 30, 2011, in front of 55,724 spectators at Toronto's sold-out Rogers Centre in Canada. Champions Georges St. Pierre and Jose Aldo retained their respective straps via unanimous decision. UFC 129 is up against some pretty stiff competition including the Carrier Classic, the Humana Challenge, the NBA finals and of course, Super Bowl XLVI. Video of the 2012 Sports Business Awards nominations (courtesy of SportsBusiness Journal-Daily) after the jump. Anyone think UFC 129 has a chance of winning?

Posted in: ufc, business, sport, award, sports event

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submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [comment]

Posted in: business, year, life, mattyblayze, mattyblayze link

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The coaches and the fighters are in place -- now a little more than a week remains until it’s officially time to get down to business.

Posted in: business, time, fighter, fx, week

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Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports posted an article on the need for HBO and Showtime to rethink its boxing business model. Iole points out that both networks are overpaying for license fees for its fights and a rethinking its business models may help the business. Unlike the UFC pay issue, Iole points out that some fighters are being overpaid and not producing for their paycheck. Via Yahoo! Sports: The problem from a fan’s perspective, of course, is that far too often the boxers earn exorbitant purses for fighting ordinary, at best, competition. And that gives them less incentive to take on a stiffer fight in the future. Iole points to HBO’s acquisition of the rematch between lightweights Lamont Peterson and Amir Khan. While its expected that most tickets for the Mandalay Bay will be comped, both fighters will make over $1 million. The challenge is putting on compelling fights that fans will want to see. Iole believes making the fights are difficult due to the fighter paydays. Both HBO and Showtime are looking into ways to market boxing and present compelling television. Iole suggests the following: Only pay the fighters who are willing to take tough bouts; who perform when they get those big matches; who sell tickets on a regular basis. Then, whatever money they save in salary, they can pour back into the sport by developing support programming that will actually help fans identify with the athletes and want to watch them compete. Payout Perspective: Its interesting that Iole’s suggestion is similar (not the same) to the UFC model. I don’t think I see this happening considering Showtime’s renewed interest in boxing and its hope to supplant HBO for big fights. One of the things that boxing needs to do is to introduce fighters to the public; present compelling stories so that viewers are drawn to watching their fights. NBC Sports Network is attempting to do this with its quarterly Fight Nights. We will see if Spike TV does something similar for its boxing programming (if it comes to fruition). The other, of course, is to make the fights people want to see. (e.g., Mayweather-Pacquiao). Obviously, the promoters are the other factor in this equation which is a definite roadblock to a retooling of the boxing business model. With HBO and Showtime actively competing for big events and offering top dollar plus the added benefit of utilizing the full force of its network partners for marketing and promotion, boxing could make a comeback. We’ll have to wait and see on how each will proceed.

Posted in: fight, business, hbo, boxing, iole

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How many viewers can UFC events on Fuel draw?

Posted in: ufc, business, ufc events, mmasupremacy, politic

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A Federal Trade Commission investigation into the business practices of UFC parent company Zuffa, LLC has been closed with no action taken by the commission, according to correspondence sent from FTC secretary Donald S. Clark to attorney Stephen Axinn, whose Washington DC firm Axinn Veltrop, and Harkrider LLP, had been retained to represent Zuffa in the investigation. The letter was posted on the FTC's website. In it, Clark writes that while no action is warranted at this time, the closure "is not to be construed as a determination that a violation may not have occurred" and notes that the commission reserves the right to take future action. The investigation was initially launched last spring, shortly after Zuffa, through its subsidiary Forza, LLC, purchased Strikeforce through its parent company, Explosion Entertainment, LLC. The FTC had been determining whether the acquisition along with other business practices violated section 7 of the Clayton Act or Section 5 of the Federal Commission Act, according to the correspondence. The former deals with the creation of monopolies and the latter deals with unfair or deceptive acts or practices.From the beginning, Zuffa officials denied that their dominance of the sport constituted a monopoly. Last March, just days after completing the Strikeforce purchase, company CEO Lorenzo Fertitta dismissed talk of antitrust issues, saying, "There's plenty of competition and there's literally no barrier to entry. Anybody who wants to get in the business, they can go file for a promoter's license, put up some capital, go sign some fighters and go get a television contract. There's plenty of options there, too. It's a wide open market for anybody who wants to get involved." Complaints about Zuffa business tactics combined with the non-public yet widely known nature of the investigation brought intrigue to the situation, even as company officials declined direct comment through most of its duration. Ironically, Zuffa's case might have been bolstered by one of its last remaining rivals. In October 2011, Bellator was purchase by media powerhouse Viacom, which promised a heavy investment in the four-year-old promotion. Representatives from Zuffa could not be reached for comment late on Tuesday night.

Posted in: business, zuffa, investigation, ftc, business practices

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submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [1 comment]

Posted in: ufc, business, fox, mattyblayze

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UFC's second show on FOX was a step forward, but there's still progress to made made.

Posted in: ufc, business, show, fox, there

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I sat in on a short Q&A chat Chael had this morning. Here is it if anyone's interested: 11:03 Comment From Allan Why do you say that Anderson Silva will never fight again? Is it only a hunch or do you have some hot info? 11:04 Chael Sonnen: I think he may fight plenty of people, but I don't think he won't fight me. Our business is done. I want to focus on guys who will sign contracts and get onto the topics of people who will fight me. So I am letting people know, we will not fight again. 11:04 Comment From Jeff Chael, what would be your first order of business if you were elected President of Brazil? 11:05 Chael Sonnen: I'm not an aficianado on that country or culture. But they have a guy down there who has a PHD in charisma. They have the number five economy in the world. We could probably take some lessons from their president. 11:05 Comment From Jeff What was Big Nog's reaction when the bus wouldn't eat the carrot? 11:05 Chael Sonnen: I think he was just confused. You never know. He may have thought it was a llama or a goat. It was a weird thing. 11:06 Comment From Tiberiu Rusu When walking out to the octagon at UFC 136, do you remember what you were saying to yourself? Your lips were moving. 11:06 Chael Sonnen: Yes, I do. But I'm not sharing it. 11:06 Comment From Tiberiu Rusu How did you choose 'Too Much Fun' as your entrance song? Any special meaning? 11:07 Chael Sonnen: It does. It dates back to college. I enjoyed the song and I always thought to myself, when I'm in the UFC someday, this is the song I'm going to walk out to. And I actually told my friend that when we were kids. He laughed because he thought I would never get in the UFC. 11:07 Comment From Niall how much do you walk around at before cutting weight? 217? of muscle steel and sex appeal? 11:07 Chael Sonnen: 217 pounds of muscle, steel and sex appeal. Yes. 11:07 Comment From Brett What advice would Chael give a young amateur fighter or a fighter at the start of his professional career? 11:07 Chael Sonnen: Get a coach that you trust and respect. Show up every single day. 11:07 Comment From David Rodriguez Have you seen Anderson Silva singing in the Burger King commercia? If yes what are you thoughts? 11:08 Chael Sonnen: Yes I have. I thought he did a pretty good job. 11:08 Comment From mike-nava chael , will we ever see you in the wwe? 11:08 Chael Sonnen: Every time they come to Portland, I try to check out the show. But the last time I went, the tickets they gave me were up in the nosebleeds. Draw your own conclusions. My ego was affected that they invited me and sat me way up there. Why would you invite me if I can't see the show? 11:09 Comment From domenic who do you think truly built this business ? and how do you feel about the Gracie family and their contribution to the sport? 11:09 Chael Sonnen: The Gracie Family truly built the business of MMA. Anyone who starts a discussion about that doesn't know the fact. It's off limits. They are MMA royalty. 11:09 Comment From Davy Chael, how do u come up with the name Danger waffles for ur dog? its classic 11:12 Chael Sonnen: The dog is very small. He was supposed to get to 12 pounds. It turned out to be a con woman who fibbed about his weight. When I got him he was 4.2 pounds. That's what a girl weighs. I was embarrassed to have it. His little legs couldn't even climb up the stairs to go to bed at night. So I instantly named him Danger. And the next morning he jumped up on the table because he didn't know that table food was not for him. And when I came back to the kitchen, my waffle was gone. So I gave him the last name Waffles. 11:12 Comment From mike-nava if i walked the mean street of west linn oregon with my sonnen shirt, am i safe? 11:12 Chael Sonnen: 100%. 11:12 Comment From Dirty Dan Hey Chael...Fellow Eagle Here...Lorenzo talked about fighter incentives during his ESPN interview...Being a guy who promotes fights better than anyone else, and since you've fought in other organizations what's your stance on how fighters are being paid in the UFC? 11:14 Chael Sonnen: It's sure been nice seeing the numbers rise as they have. My first fight was in 2005 and was headlined by a bum named Andrei Arlovski, who was the heavyweight champ. That's the biggest prize in the industry. And his pay that night was $9k to show and $9 to win. And they told us that night that they wanted to pay us more, and that as soon as they could, they would. They just couldn't at the time. But the very second they started to grow, they made good on their word, and everybody's numbers went up. I get that everyone wants more. I do too. But you have to have an appreciation for the honest they have and the generosity they have. If this sport was like amateur wrestling, where you have to pay, I would still pay my entry fee and fight Michael Bisping on Saturday night. 11:14 Comment From SprUtch Do you really believe PRIDE was fake, and if so: do you think every fight was? 11:15 Chael Sonnen: I know that it was fake, without question. But not all of it. That was the briliance of PRIDE. They slipped in the fake stuff with the real stuff. 11:15 Comment From Adam Any thoughts on the retirement of Brock Lesnar? 11:16 Chael Sonnen: I am disappointed, but I am happy for him. He brings a presence and an excitement that is very rare. All he had to do was be him, to show up. He just has a presence. I was bummed. He was good for the industry and the company. But at the same time, I get it. If you can't fight, you need to not be in the fight business. 11:16 Comment From Erik Franklin Do you think the Bug (Anderson) will show up Saturday in Chicago and if so do you plan to address him once again, upon winning your bout? 11:18 Chael Sonnen: No and no. I don't think he's going to be here. I would imagine that would have slipped out and they would have used it as a marketing tool for the 2 or 3 fans he may have. I am just trying to get that guys name out of my mouth. I saved his career when they were going to release him. He's never repaid it and he's never done anything for me. It's better for me to move on and to find some competitors who will actually compete against me. The quicker I can get his name out of my mouth, the better off I will be. submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [1 comment]

Posted in: fight, business, show, sonnen, chael

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"It's not important on what my opponent is going to do. It's about what I'm going to do." – Michael Bisping

Posted in: ufc, business, media, michael, bisping

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Old pressures meet new in the UFC's game of scheduling a big slate of 2012 fights.

Posted in: ufc, business, schedule, slate, ufcs game

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(gif via da Middle Easies)

Posted in: business, joe rogan, rogan, business gif, easie

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The second biggest business story of the year shook the state of MMA. In March, Zuffa purchased its biggest rival, Strikeforce. It was reported that the purchase price was $40 million which included some debt repayment by Zuffa for Strikeforce. The deal occurred as Silicon Valley Sports and Entertainment, main financial backer of Strikeforce, wanted to refocus its business on its NHL, the San Jose Sharks and other business. It is also believed that it may be trying to acquire an NBA team to San Jose. Excellent coverage of the purchase is here and here is the text of the official Zuffa press release. Prior to Zuffa’s purchase, MMAPayout learned that there were other bidders for Strikeforce but Zuffa came up with the biggest monetary deal. Prior to the purchase, Strikeforce was in the midst of its Heavyweight Grand Prix which was supposed to create interest in what was arguably the best divsion in the sport. Surely, Strikeforce execs were hoping for a Fedor-Overeem Final. Fedor’s upset loss to Bigfoot Silva made the GP less appealing. And, a futile effort to hold a card in Japan for its HW Grand Prix caused a delay in the tournament. From the start, Zuffa stated that UFC and Strikeforce would operate separately although Zuffa execs (you know who) would provide input on its show starting with its April 9th show. The constant talking point was “Business as usual.” But, that’s not the case as we’ve seen numerous Strikeforce fighters move over to the UFC. Notably, Strikeforce welterweight champ Nick Diaz. Other fighters such as UFC 141’s main eventer Alistair Overeem came over to the UFC after time fighting in Strikeforce. In addition, some Strikeforce staff were let go and replaced by Zuffa employees. Finally, Scott Coker has lost a lot of power in the new regime as it appears from interviews that he no longer has any say with the direction of Strikeforce. Recently, Strikeforce and Showtime agreed to renew its television contract which was somewhat of a surprise considering the fact that many believed that Strikeforce would be consumed by the UFC. It will be interesting to see the Strikeforce product in 2012. How will it compete, or complement the UFC product? Who is the face of Strikeforce? Certainly, a Gilbert Melendez and Mo Lawal would have fit in nicely with the UFC creating interesting fights. But, it appears that they will be in Strikeforce for at least the next year. Links to MMAPayout coverage regarding the Zuffa-Strikeforce purchase can be found here: - Zuffa Purchases Strikeforce, Agrees to Blockbuster MMA Deal - Mystery Strikeforce Third Bidder, Early Signs Of Sale, & UFC Purchase Notes - Exploring Why SVSE Walked Away from Strikeforce & MMA

Posted in: ufc, business, strikeforce, zuffa, purchase

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Scott Coker talks Strikeforce business with Erik Fontanez.

Posted in: business, title, strikeforce, coker, scott

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The latest edition of the Sports Business Journal lists Lorenzo Fertitta and Dana White in its annual “50 Most Influential People in Sports Business.” It is the first time that either Fertitta or White have been listed. Other notable individuals on the list include Fox Sports Media Group’s David Hill and Eric Shanks who were collectively ranked at number 5. Hill and Shanks played a role in the UFC-Fox deal. NBC Universal Holdings President and CEO Steve Burke ranked at number 1. The Sports Business Journal described Fertitta and White as, “[t]he Las Vegas billionaire and his bombastic front man” and taking the UFC “from outlawed to in thing.” Payout Perspective: The inclusion of Fertitta and White on the list, which includes the top executives of professional sports leagues and sports business, is a sign that MMA is beginning to gain mainstream respectability. The Fox deal and the company’s global expansion are cited as successful business moves made this year for the company. We will see if they can maintain their spot on the list with its business moves this year.

Posted in: business, sport, list, fertitta, business moves

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Lorenzo Fertitta and Dana White recently made the "most influential" list from the Sports Business Journal, signaling the company's emergence into the mainstream sports world.

Posted in: business, sport, power, companys emergence, power player

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Filed under: UFC, News, Sports Business and MediaFresh off the momentum of signing the first network deal in UFC history, organizational executives Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta have been listed among the "50 Most Influential People in Sports Business" by Sports Business Journal, a leading publication among movers and shakers in the world of sports. White and Fertitta were paired together at No. 41, sandwiched between New York Yankees general partner and co-chairman Hal Steinbrenner, and Major League Baseball Players Association executive director Michael Weiner. The publication cited the UFC's move to FOX-owned networks as well as expansion into South American and Asia as a "watershed year" for the promotion. It was the first time UFC brass made the cut for the SBD list, which has been released each December since 2004. White and Fertitta were among the many heads of major sports named to the list. Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig was first among them, followed by NFL boss Roger Goodell and NBA head man David Stern. The pubilcation's overall choice for No. 1 was Steve Burke, the president and CEO of NBC Universal Holdings, who heads both NBC Sports as well as Versus, which is soon to be renamed NBC Sports Network. He was cited for his winning Olympics rights bid as well as other major business moves since the recent Comcast-NBC merger. Meanwhile, White and Fertitta's new partners at FOX were also named among the leading powers in sports, with FOX Sports media group chairman David Hill, and co-president and COO's Eric Shanks and Randy Freer collectively ranked at No. 5. SBD cited several FOX deals in 2011 but noted "its biggest splash might been with the UFC, which it brought to broadcast television for the first time." The seven-year deal between the two sides is reportedly worth about $700 over the full term. It officially begins in January with a Jan. 20 show on FX followed by a Jan. 28 show on FOX. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, business, sport, fertitta, lorenzo fertitta

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TORONTO - If you're in the Jon Jones business, well, business is good. The 24-year-old phenom passed his latest test with flying colors, and in doing so, squelched any of the few remaining doubts about his abilities inside the cage. Within the octagon, he seemingly has no peers. And outside the cage, he's been just as flawless.

Posted in: business, jon, jone, cage, cage hes

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submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [3 comments]

Posted in: title shot, business, title, rashad evans, shot

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Nothing personal, just business. If anyone understands what it means to fall by the wayside when it comes to UFC title shots, it's former 205-pound champion Rashad Evans. That's because "Suga" missed his chance to challenge for the light heavyweight crown when Jon Jones squashed Mauricio Rua at UFC 128 back in March. "Bones" went on to defend against Quinton Jackson while Evans body-blew Tito Ortiz. The promotion teased him with another title shot, but ultimately gave it to Lyoto Machida at UFC 140. Evans ain't even mad. In fact, he's grown accustomed to the UFC doing what's best for business, even it if stands in contrast to what's best for him. Which is why he tells ESPN that Carlos Condit "can't be too upset" about getting bumped from a 2012 title fight against Georges St. Pierre: "You have to understand that the UFC is a business, and it is about putting together the fights people want to see. At the time it made sense for Carlos Condit to step up for the fight, but the reality of the situation was the real fight was Nick Diaz vs. Georges St-Pierre. So he can't be too upset about that. He was the first to be called [to replace Diaz] so he should know exactly where he is. So he should be thinking, 'OK, they thought enough of me to call me in that situation. If I win my next fight then I'll definitely be in that situation.'" Condit was expected to challenge St. Pierre at UFC 137 back on Oct. 29; however, "Rush" blew out his knee and was forced to put their fight on hold until early next year. In the meantime, Nick Diaz pummeled former champion B.J. Penn at the same event, doing enough in the process to convince the UFC that the former Strikeforce 170-pound kingpin was the better, or at least more marketable, contender. And it was a fight Diaz had already been assigned, until some media tomfoolery got him demoted. In the end, all that matters is that Diaz and St. Pierre will be throwing down on Superbowl weekend. And "The Natural Born Killer" will need at least one more fight to get back to the mountaintop. Again. Nothing personal, just business.

Posted in: ufc, fight, diaz, business, title

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Roy ‘Big Country’ Nelson says he will never put fighting spirit before business sense ever again.He fought Frank Mir at UFC 130 under the ill...

Posted in: business, nelson, roy nelson, roy, business sense

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MMA Nation Senior Editor Luke Thomas speaks with John Ourand of the Sport's Business Journal about the Fox and Direct TV dispute.

Posted in: business, mma nation, luke, journal, john ourand

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In the latest edition of our Business of MMA series, we talk to the team that represents Urijah Faber, Joseph Benavidez, Anthony Pettis, and others.

Posted in: mma, business, faber, mma series, benavidez

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There's been a lot of talk over the past few days about bringing Gilbert Melendez to the UFC. "El Nino" would be the fourth Strikeforce champion (behind Nick Diaz, Alistair Overeem and Dan Henderson) to be uprooted from the former San Jose-based fight promotion since the blockbuster acquisition made by Zuffa earlier this year. Whoever said "no man is an island" should probably talk to recently crowned middleweight champion Luke Rockhold. The mantra has been "business as usual" -- which translates to "Dana White has a business to run and can't wait around for Showtime to decide whether or not they want to be in the business of cagefighting." "The ball is in their court, you either wanna be in this business or you don't. The problem is, we're [already] running a business, I can't sit around and wait for decisions to be made. Do you wanna cut a deal and be in the mixed martial arts business? I'm not gonna cut a stupid deal. I'm not gonna cut a deal that's gonna hurt me and put me out of business. It's not just about getting on TV. Yeah it's great if you get on TV, but if you're paying the whole bill, you're dead."   The UFC President breaks it all down (via MMA Weekly) after the jump. Over/under on the dissolution of Strikeforce. +/- three months? What say you?

Posted in: business, strikeforce, deal, el nino, blockbuster acquisition

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UFC president Dana White has thrown the ball to Showtime, declaring, "Either you want to be in this business or you don't."

Posted in: business, dana, showtime, ball, ‘ showtime

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In the world of MMA it's not very often where teammates will openly say they will fight each other.

Posted in: business, mike, cruz, mike easton, teammate

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We don't know much about Chuck Liddell's newish career as the UFC's Executive VP of Business Development. We know he has to travel a lot and he built the UFC 129 card, but beyond that it's a mystery. I don't even think Chuck knows what's next in queue as far as his duties are concerned. Probably playing the Battlefield 3 beta. Luckily for us we have this collection of MMA media gathered around The Iceman asking him to explain his duties as the VP of Business Development in detail (who is the P?) and if Chuck still has that overwhelming itch to compete. [source]

Posted in: ufc, business, chuck, business development, development

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What, you thought this was over? Silly little MMA fan! Crumbling commentator Larry Merchant, who according to UFC President Dana White is senile and out of his mind, respects what the foul-mouthed fight promoter has done in his short time as leader of the mixed martial arts movement. After all, he made a multimillion dollar business out of street fighting and turned it into a so-called sport. At least that's what Merchant told Chris Robinson at Boxing Scene: "Let’s see, anyone who can make a multimillion dollar business out of street fighting has to be respected. My opinion is that anyone is allowed to put up a tent, put on a show, and invite people to come. And obviously he’s had a lot of success. Good for him. I don’t watch it. I don’t get a so-called sport in which you can have a 6-2 record and be called a world champion. I just don’t appreciate the finer points of MMA. It’s a free country. I’m a commentator, and if I’m commenting and observing on others than how can I not be open to others observing and commenting on me?" So what's the beef between these two? White, a lifelong boxing fan, came out swinging against Merchant when the aging analyst interrogated Floyd Mayweather following his controversial win over Vitor Ortiz at the "Star Power" pay-per-view earlier this month. The situation with Mayweather escalated to the point where Merchant, on air, was asking for a time machine to go back and "kick his ass." Have a look: Well Maniacs, what say you? Should White mind his own business? Or does he have a right to cheer and jeer his favorite sports just like any other die-hard fan? Thoughts?

Posted in: business, &rsquo, i &rsquo, merchant, dollar business

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Filed under: UFC, StrikeforceDENVER -- Near the end of Wednesday's UFC 135 pre-fight press conference, a particularly insistent fan decided he didn't need the microphone in order to grill UFC president Dana White about the future of Strikeforce's women's division, of which he seemed to be an ardent supporter. What would become of the female fighters, he inquired, after Strikeforce...well, you know. "After Strikeforce what?" White shot back. Though really, he didn't need to ask. He understood the unstated assumption as well as anyone in the room, and the sheepish grin on his face said as much. "Are you assuming that we're going to shut Strikeforce down?" White asked, as if it was the first time he'd heard the idea. To hear White tell it, it's not a question of whether Zuffa wants to continue to operate the lesser-known organization it acquired last spring. Instead, he insisted, it's up to Showtime, which broadcasts the fights on its premium cable network. "Who knows what's going to happen? The way this thing works is, it depends on Showtime. The ball's in their court. They need to decide whether they want to keep Strikeforce around or not," White said. Of course, with the UFC picking off Strikeforce champions left and right, it seems as though White isn't giving Showtime a lot of reasons to keep the flagging organization alive. Former Strikeforce heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem and former welterweight champ Nick Diaz both have UFC dates in the near future, and vacant Strikeforce titles in their wakes. The UFC also recently signed Strikeforce light heavyweight champ Dan Henderson to take on Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 139 after "smooth" contract negotiations, according to White, and the stakes for Hendo are indeed big in his return to the Octagon. "It would be tough not to give the winner of [Henderson-Rua] a title fight," White added. "After Rashad [Evans]." But while Strikeforce continues to play out its Showtime contract, White doesn't seem terribly interested in following the action. He claimed not to have seen the most recent World Heavyweight Grand Prix event, which got very little hype from Zuffa or Showtime, and received dismal ratings after drawing a paltry live crowd. Showtime reportedly has an option to extend the Strikeforce contract, but White added there was a "deadline" for the network to decide by. "It depends on whether they seriously want to stay in the business, the mixed martial arts business," White said, before hinting that he thought Strikeforce had signed a bad deal when it aligned itself with Showtime. "Everybody that comes into this business thinks that pay-per-view or free TV is the holy grail, the answer to everybody's problems. Bulls--t. Either of those two things will put you out of business. You get into a bad deal with one of these companies, and the next thing you know you're $30 million in the hole." It's comments like that that have many in the industry assuming it's all just a matter of time before Strikeforce disappears for good. With the Showtime contract expiring soon, and with ratings worse than ever, it seems unlikely that the cable network would want to continue to air an organization that is rapidly losing its few stars to the UFC. And maybe that's the whole point, even though White won't confirm or deny it. "I'm UFC, man," he said. "I'm all UFC and you guys know that. I wanted nothing to do with this thing. And it's not like I'm Showtime's best friend. Lorenzo [Fertitta]'s much nicer than me. Let Lorenzo go deal with that." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, business, strikeforce, showtime, contract

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The heavyweight opponents discuss hanging out together outside of the cage.

Posted in: fight, business, heavyweight, heavyweight opponents, do

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submitted by valetodo [link] [23 comments]

Posted in: business, valetodo

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The New York Times reports on the payout Floyd Mayweather is set to receive from his fight against Victor Ortiz Saturday. With all said and done, Mayweather could be paid $40 million. In addition to his reported $25 million payout for fighting Victor Ortiz, Mayweather will receive a portion of the gate, concessions, souvenirs and PPV revenue. Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions explained the structure to the NY Times. Via NY Times: To explain the business model, Schaeffer starts with a pie. A little more than half goes to the distributors (Time Warner, DirecTV, etc.). The balance goes to the network, HBO or Showtime, which takes its distribution fees and hands the rest to the promoters. In this case, Golden Boy has one contract with HBO and another with Mayweather Promotions. But the money, less what distributors and networks take, is under Mayweather’s control; normally the promoter would control it. In addition, there is the PPV revenue which Schaeffer includes other revenue streams from that: Those streams include foreign sales for a fight broadcast in 168 territories; closed-circuit revenues (in 2,000 or so bars and restaurants nationwide, in theaters and in rooms at Las Vegas casinos); site revenue (ticket sales, merchandise); and sponsorships. Its an unprecedented payment structure that rationalizes the opulence Mayweather flaunts.  But for the spoils, there is the risk as Mayweather, or Mayweather Promotions, must put up $10 million in expenses to market the fight. Payout Perspective: This is an intriguing structure for payment. It does involve some risk as the astronomical dollar figures would only come at the back end of the fight. Meaning, Mayweather is not guaranteed the reported fight purse until the final numbers are determined. Still, it shows that despite his bombastic persona, Mayweather is a shrewd business person. Its amazing to see how much money and control Mayweather has over his own fights. It shows how different boxing and MMA is with respect to business model. Even though certain fighters receive a portion of the PPV revenue and/or gate, its not as much as Mayweather will receive for his fights.

Posted in: fight, mayweather, revenue, ppv revenue, business

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