Off-Topic/Minor MMA News and Notes

[oligarchy]

http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles...0538&my_page=3

"I never met Dana White, never spoke to him on the phone, never exchanged e-mails," Fedor said. "However, I did read a lot on the Internet about what he said in regard to me and Vadim []. I also read e-mails that he sent to Vadim; all of his correspondence was very upsetting. The contract that we were presented with by the UFC was simply impossible, couldn't be signed -- I couldn't leave. If I won, I had to fight eight times in two years. If I lost one fight, then the UFC had the right to rip up the contract. At the conclusion of the contract, if I am undefeated, then it automatically extends for an as yet unspecified period of time, though for the same compensation.

"Basically I can't leave undefeated. I can't give interviews, appear in films or advertising. I don't have the right to do anything without the UFC's agreement. I could do nothing without the OK from the UFC. I didn't have the right to compete in combat sambo compe ion. It's my national sport. It's the Russian sport, which in his time our president competed in, and I no longer have the right to do so. There were many such clauses; the contract was 18 pages in length. It was written in such a way that I had absolutely no rights while the UFC could at any moment, if something didn't suit them, tear up the agreement. We worked with lawyers who told us that it was patently impossible to sign such a do ent."

There is NO WAY this is serious. No wonder Dana called them crazy Russians.
I sort of believe the ability of the UFC to cancel the contract. I'm sure they don't want another Cro Cop on their hands.. payings millions for another can just wouldn't be pretty. Now, automatically extending a contract? I seriously doubt that.

Other than that, the UFC allows the fighters to choose sponsorships, be in films, etc. I think he should talk to a real agent rather than believing his manager. I'm sure his manager told Fedor a bunch of lies so Fedor wouldn't want to go to the UFC.

Also, I don't get his big fascination with Sambo. Nobody fights him anyways, so what's the point? Well, I guess UFC shouldn't care about Sambo. NEITHER SHOULD CARE.

[Evan]

Yeah that was such a one sided write up. Most sherdog writing is such one sided BS defending anything non UFC and pushing everything negative against the UFC.

"Fedor is sooooo used to living free!" Blah Blah Blah...........BS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lol! He grew up in communism and is now living in a dictatorship state that is slowly slipping back to communism.

Fedor has never known freedom.

[Evan]

The downfall of PRIDE

http://www.sherdog.net/forums/showthread.php?t=701332

Its a difficult read but worth the time and effort. Fedor's management team seems to be screwing him pretty hard.

[oligarchy]

I'm believing that Fedor has no clue as to what's going on. He'll figure everything else out too late.

[Evan]

I'm believing that Fedor has no clue as to what's going on. He'll figure everything else out too late.

Yep!

Anyone who follows hockey or Footy (world soccer) knows how bad these Russian management teams screw their athletes.

[Evan]

Maybe Monte Cox can get to him....

And the thing is...Fedor isn't an idiot. Things are just done different where he is from.

[dallaskd]

[Evan]

hahahahahahhahahaha......oh thats hilarious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LEONARD]

o on The Apprentice tonight...
http://bloodyelbow.com/story/2008/1/3/123955/5291

Want a UFC HW belt?
http://cgi.ebay.com/UFC-39-HEAVYWEIG...6581QQihZ004QQ

Ken Pavia starts his 2 weeks with Luke mo
http://mmajunkie.com/2008/01/02/livi...er-luke- mo/
http://mmajunkie.com/2008/01/03/livi...lifefood-diet/

Crocop doing pro wrestling
http://bloodyelbow.com/story/2008/1/1/152952/5264

[Evan]

is he going to drink his tinkle?

[LEONARD]

Have to stay tuned and see...

[Evan]

I have done this diet before. Back when I worked at a health food store where I was in awesome shape and didn't look like I was preparing to hybernate.

I am sure there are some differences but its the same concept.

It is something else...

[oligarchy]

Dave Meltzer's article on MMA (really the UFC)

-- WARNING: long read!

http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news;_yl...yhoo&type=lgns

• 1. Boxing: Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather, May 5: 2,400,000
• 2. Boxing: Mayweather vs. Ricky Hatton, Dec. 8: 850,000
• 3. WWE: Wrestlemania, April 1: 760,000
• 4. UFC: Chuck Liddell vs. Quinton Jackson, May 26: 675,000
• 5. UFC: Tim Sylvia vs. Randy Couture, March 3: 540,000
• 6. UFC: Couture vs. Gabriel Gonzaga, Aug. 24: 520,000
• 7. UFC: Liddell vs. Keith Jardine, Sept. 22: 475,000
• 8. UFC: o Ortiz vs. Rashad Evans, July 7: 425,000
• 9. UFC: Anderson Silva vs. Travis Lutter, Feb. 2: 400,000
• 10. UFC: Georges St. Pierre vs. Matt Serra, April 7: 400,000
• 11. Boxing: Manny Pacquiao vs. Marco Antonio Barrera, Oct. 6: 350,000
• 12. WWE: SummerSlam, Aug. 26: 344,000
• 13. Boxing: Miguel Cotto vs. Shane Mosley, Nov. 10: 340,000
• 14. UFC: Anderson Silva vs. Rich Franklin, Oct. 20: 325,000
• 15. WWE: Royal Rumble, Jan. 28: 314,000
*Numbers not yet available for UFC 78 and 79, which are expected to crack the top 15. Source: Wrestling Observer.

I know 79 had to pull in 500k, at least. Sure seems like MMA (the UFC) is slowing down

:::
Related to the article:

The UFC vs. boxing news story proved to be overblown. UFC doesn't have a De La Hoya, and as long as he's active and the masses consider him a superstar worth paying to see, boxing has the potential to have the biggest single events.

Mayweather pulls numbers, but not like De La Hoya. He goes on to explain that UFC needs to brand more of stars as it is most likely that Couture is gone and Chuck isn't the same. He points out pushing Rampage, who I believe is the most marketable, GSP, and then Penn. Of course other stars could possibly pop-up next year, but those three should be the top draws.

There are other good sections in the article, but I don't feel like pulling out the quotes. A short summation would be that UFC is basically it (as far as Bodog, EliteXC, IFL, HDNet). I still HDNet as a wildcard because of Cuban, but I don't see M-1 as a threat in N. America. Also, Meltzer goes on to warn that the UFC needs to scale back their events or fall into the problems that WWE had, where people essentially pick and chose events during the year. The only problem I see with this is, it's wrestling. Marquee matchups, will always draw people. That's the key here; not the number of events, but the quality of events.

[Evan]

Very good read.

The only part I would argue is that the UFC is running too many shows.

I think right now that’s exactly what they need to do to kill the wrong type of compe ion. The UFC needs to keep garbage organizations like M-1 and Boxing s bags like Gary Shaw in check. Although I love EliteXC I cannot stand Shaw and s bags like him need to stay away. None of the current MMA compe ion has proven it can be stable. Hw many orgs have folded or been absorbed in 07? Almost all of them. And the IFL and Bodog look like they are soon to follow although that last IFL show looked so slick.

But, I think the EliteXC will be that much stronger if they can weather this storm which is a good thing.

[Evan]

And just to be more clear.

I think the only true compe ion to the UFC will end up being EliteXC and HDNet in 09. Compe ion is good and healthy but as this sport grows I think its good for MMA to have such a strong central focal point like the UFC.

[oligarchy]

I don't think EliteXC is going to make it. HDNet *could* be, but it's going to be awhile I would think. Cuban would have to make some radical moves, because the HDNet channel's market penetration is pretty much non-existant. He won't make it taking a slow burn and trying to get as much MMA content onto HDNet. That's why I said could.

[Evan]

If EliteXC were to fail I would be fairly alarmed.

[oligarchy]

Why would you be alarmed?

They have a few names, but not enough to continue big draws. Unless they can keep brining in talent, how can they continue to fill seats and tv sets? Without a combination of both of those, they will fail like all other have tried. We'll see, but I won't be alarmed. I think they will fall before Cuban does.

[Evan]

They are without question the most stable and "most full of potential" MMA organization behind the UFC. They have a few big names but the fact that they can afford multi fight deals with some of these people is amazing. Don't forget, they have only been around a bit shy of one year. And with the fact that they are on a major cable network is huge.

I am just concerned now that Gary Shaw is making so much noise wanting the camera on him.

[Evan]

IFL stock closed at .12 last night, opened at .11 today.

http://moneycentral.msn.com/detail/s...mbol=US%3AIFLI

Ruh Roh..........

[LEONARD]

Mike Pyle and Gray Maynard on Super Nanny tonight (8:00 CT on ABC)
http://xtremecouture.wordpress.com/2...nanny-tonight/

[LEONARD]

EliteXC snagged one of the Team Takedown guys...Eric Bradley. Possibly looking at the others too...
http://samcaplan.proelite.com/87276

[IX_Equilibrium]

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/spor...ghtweight.html

Anyone read this interview with Guillard? Goddamn, what a ing idiot. I really don't care to see this guy fight in the UFC ever again. His stupidity is astonishing.

[Evan]

I can't stand that idiot.

He really needs to grow up.

[oligarchy]

I don't think Guillard will be back. He says that he is "taking some time off from the UFC." If he doesn't have any fights left on his contract, don't expect him back. If he does have a fight, it'll probably be on the dark card.