***spoilers*** UFC News and Discussion Thread

[NobBe Nobbs]

The other thing to note is that Dana driving Melendez away like this, while it probably won't lead to an exodus of stars, means that now middle-tier fighters, the sort of guys who know in their hearts that they probably won't ever be a title contender and guys who have almost certainly been bullied into signing lower contracts than they're truly worth, now have another serious option to consider, and you have to imagine that people will look at Dana and at Bjorn Rebney and start wondering whether it's actually worth the hassle of dealing with a guy as obviously power-mad as Dana is becoming on the vanishingly rare chance that they break into the top tiers of their divisions.

[Quom]

Isn't Bjorn also famous for fucking over fighters? Not just Alvarez, Tyson Nam as well and I'm sure there was another guy he signed who only got cash if he fought and Bjorn wouldn't give him a fight.

[Chris2K]

I don't think Bjorn is much better than Dana as a person, and he is still ridiculously entrenched in his belief in the tournament system despite how many problems it causes in making fights fans want to see.

Which is another point, Michael Chandler wants to fight Gilbert Melendez for the Bellator Lightweight title as either the champion, or as a challenger if Alvarez wins their third fight and the title gets vacated when Alvarez moves to the UFC. Sounds like the best idea for Bellator, the fans, and the fighters, right?

Of course theoretically that can't happen unless Melendez enters and wins a tournament first. In fact maybe Chandler would have to as well. Right now the reigning Lightweight tournament champion is Will Brooks, who really should be fighting Alvarez next and not Chandler if Bellator booked by the rules that they swear by. But then Alvarez shouldn't have got a shot against Chandler in the first place because he didn't win a tournament.

Meanwhile Quinton Jackson, by FAR the biggest star Bellator have, has to win a tournament before he gets a Light Heavyweight title shot because Attila Vegh is fighting Emmanuel Newton to unify an interim title which Newton holds because he won a tournament and beat Mo Lawal who won a different tournament.

This whole tournament crap just leaves me completely confused.

[Benjamin]

Will Brooks isn't the only one, Dave Jansen is the other tournament winner that the Lightweight champion has to face as well.

Also, Bjorn has also fucked over his own talent, the Eddie Alvarez being the big one, where it made even more news than this did. If anything Bjorn's a villain in the eyes of the fans now more so than Dana.

Melendez is a main card fighter, yes, but a UFC card will only need 2-3 big fights for a PPV / Fox card and a big fight for their Fight Night card. It's been their formula for the past year or two now. Again, Gilbert Melendez needs the UFC a lot more than the UFC needs him. He's just a member of the Skrap Pack, probably the stupidest group in MMA (God only knows why Jake Shields still hangs out with them ).

Dana has always called out his fighters when they don't want to fight, he's been doing it since the Tito versus Chuck fight, I don't know why people are still harping on about it. As for Overeem refusing to fight JDS, who else is there for JDS to fight? He'll smash everyone barring Cain, and Overeem is a guy who with just a win or two can be put into a title shot. His record of 1-2 in the UFC doesn't mean much, he was winning both those fights he lost, the face value of his record does not tell the whole story. A win of JDS would instantly give him a title shot, plus that fight would be big money for the UFC.

If anything, WSOF are the most fighter-friendly company in the PR department right now, especially after they let one of their big stars in Anthony Johnson go without a fight to sign with the UFC.

[Quom]

WSOF is so UFC friendly because there seems to be some sort of deal in place. It's why Dana wanted Askren to sign with them.

I have no idea what you mean by 'the fighters need the UFC', in what way do they need them? Which part is lucrative? The part where as you stated an entire card is built around one or two fights and the rest filler so if their opponent is injured they are forced to fight a new opponent on short notice and if they decide to pull out they get publicly shamed by the boss (or blamed for the card being cancelled)? The part where they get insulted by being offered less money than from these bush league B grade promotions? The part where they get to be insulted in the press by Dana for not doing or fighting exactly who he wants? The part where they can spend 10 years building the UFC and opening an entirely new market for them then getting insulted when they say they need a break for their mental health and because they're sick of fighting guys who could be juicing?

If I'm offered 1 million to fight in a promotion where I'm the fifth guy, not likely to be promoted or built around, likely to be insulted and ridiculed by my boss etc. etc. Why would it be wrong to accept 1.5 million to be a big fish in a small pond where the promotion makes me a huge deal and look like a cornerstone of MMA.

If Dana keeps following the current method of a solid co and main event and filling the rest of the card with meh, it won't be impossible for a promotion to sign all these guys who 'need' the UFC and putting on a proper card every couple of months and establishing a proper alternative. The fighters need the UFC until there are so many good fighters outside of the UFC that alternatives are established. It's not the fighters fault for leaving, it's Dana's fault for being so combatative and ridiculous with his employees.

[Rich]

I think everyone has a valid point

[9 to 5]

Sitting on the fence there? That is rather Rich of you.

[Benjamin]

WSOF is so UFC friendly because there seems to be some sort of deal in place. It's why Dana wanted Askren to sign with them.

I have no idea what you mean by 'the fighters need the UFC', in what way do they need them? Which part is lucrative? The part where as you stated an entire card is built around one or two fights and the rest filler so if their opponent is injured they are forced to fight a new opponent on short notice and if they decide to pull out they get publicly shamed by the boss (or blamed for the card being cancelled)? The part where they get insulted by being offered less money than from these bush league B grade promotions? The part where they get to be insulted in the press by Dana for not doing or fighting exactly who he wants? The part where they can spend 10 years building the UFC and opening an entirely new market for them then getting insulted when they say they need a break for their mental health and because they're sick of fighting guys who could be juicing?

If I'm offered 1 million to fight in a promotion where I'm the fifth guy, not likely to be promoted or built around, likely to be insulted and ridiculed by my boss etc. etc. Why would it be wrong to accept 1.5 million to be a big fish in a small pond where the promotion makes me a huge deal and look like a cornerstone of MMA.

If Dana keeps following the current method of a solid co and main event and filling the rest of the card with meh, it won't be impossible for a promotion to sign all these guys who 'need' the UFC and putting on a proper card every couple of months and establishing a proper alternative. The fighters need the UFC until there are so many good fighters outside of the UFC that alternatives are established. It's not the fighters fault for leaving, it's Dana's fault for being so combatative and ridiculous with his employees.

I'm not saying they need the UFC. But, if it was relative (I think I'm using the right term here), the fighters need the UFC more than the UFC needs the fighters. And I'm not talking the big money making fighters (Jon Jones, 'Reem, GSP), which most of your argument was about, I'm talking about the guys like Gilbert Melendez, who haven't moved past the point of being a star. A talented fighter, yes. A star, no. The people who have the leverage when it comes to negotiation are not the fighters, it's the UFC. And it won't change until a big name fighter (and not one who's value as a star-like fighter has been blemished like Tito and Rampage) does something about it.

GSP is the first big star to leave the UFC in the modern era while still having some actual bargaining clout (I guess you could say second if you count Brock). Now there's someone who could actually change the situation. Jon Jones has also had some run-ins with the UFC, even regarding what he said about them pushing Ronda more than they push him. He could actually make a difference as well. But unless someone like them do it, it's going to be nearly impossible.

[Rich]

I like Dana, I want all the best fighters in one place, does Dana go too far? Yes. Are the UFC heavy handed? Yes. But when for a long time you have been the only show in town you try and take advantage of that. It may look dickish but I understand the UFCs stance from a business perspective. That is they will offer what they think he is worth. Melendez has not proved to be a tv ratings, ppv buyrate or even a general interest draw, if he was he'd be earning GSP money or something. The fan in me hates it, but at least I can be pragmatic about it.

As for Dana, the guy works hard and has done wonders for the UFC and by proxy MMA, but realistically, yeah, his tirades come off a lot less than professional when the sport is supposed to still be growing into the mainstream.

[NobBe Nobbs]

Dana has always called out his fighters when they don't want to fight, he's been doing it since the Tito versus Chuck fight, I don't know why people are still harping on about it.

BECAUSE IT'S A BAD FUCKING THING FOR THE PUBLIC FACE OF A PROMOTION TO BE DOING.

Fucking hell, that shouldn't be a difficult concept to grasp. Maybe early on it was good, because it implied he's just a fan at heart, but now the UFC has arguably plateaued in popularity - they're certainly not on the rise as they were back in the Tito/Chuck days - he's just coming off like an asshole and a terrible, terrible boss to work for.

Try to think of it in terms of other sports. Dana and co desperately want the UFC to be seen as one of the Big Leagues, so imagine the unbelievable shitstorm that would ensue if Gary Bettman came out and said he was rooting for Chicago to win the Stanley Cup again, or if Roger Goodell called Patrick Willis a pussy for not playing through an injury, or if David Stern talked about giving members of the Lakers bonuses out of his own pocket for making a game they'd played exciting. For Dana to be acting like that makes the UFC look bush league and he is a liability for it.

[Rich]

To be fair though Tito was being a pussy way back when.

[Benjamin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSl_k8x3rHs

Guys, guys, I so want to watch this weird shit!

[Gazz]

Fake

[JasonM]

That's the stupidest shit ever.

[Cymbols]

It's probably quite damaging to the reputation of the sport. However, I'd probably watch it just for the utter ridiculousness of it.

[Benjamin]

It won't be damaging, no one will care about it.

[Rich]

So the fight pass events have a new announce team:

Ring announcer - Andy Friedlander

Play by Play - John Gooden

Colour commentator - Dan "The Outlaw" Hardy

[Chris2K]

My only boo to that is that Joe Martinez is still without a regular ring announcing gig .

Also I'm not sure Dan Hardy is going to be too good explaining ground work. Surely Frank Mir could be eased back into an announcing role now?

[EddieG]

Didn't he spend like 5 rounds on the ground against GSP?

[HC]

I just realized the Gus/Manuwa card is going to be on that Fight Pass nonsense. Boo!