Seriously, I didn't even know this sort of thing was even legal. In short:
Jon Fitch among other fighters vs. UFC management.
Jon Fitch, with a 15 win streak including wins over Diego Sanchez and Thiago Alves, is the #2 fighter in the world in Welterweight. He co-holds the record for longest winning streak in the UFC (at 8 wins, tied with Royce Gracie). He lost a 5 round decision to Georges St. Pierre (#1 at the weight class).
As follows:
-Tuesday - Fitch signs an agreement to fight Akihiri Gono. He is offered a contract to sign his rights to his own name over to UFC for life to be used to videogames for life, and without compensation. Fitch among others refused to sign the contract; he was told there will be consequences to not signing.
-Wednesday, he is informed that his agreement to fight Gono had been terminated, along with his employment with the UFC.
-Dana White quotes: “We’re looking for guys who want to work with us and not against us, and frankly I’m just so [expletive] sick of this [expletive] it’s not even funny,” White told Yahoo Sports. “Affliction is still out there trying to build its company. Let [Fitch] go work with them. Let him see what he thinks of those [expletives]. [Expletive] him. These guys aren’t partners with us. [Expletive] them. All of them, every last [expletive] one of them.”
-Thursday (today) the story hits Sherdog
How can you possibly respect an organization with a CEO who thinks he's Tony Montana? The UFC name was already by far the biggest name in North America, to the point where "Ultimate Fighting" was synonimous with MMA. It's already bad enough that there's a clown stealing credit by claiming he built that brand; it was built in the 90's, to a fanbase of millions, years before Dana White. Zuffa has extensive connections, they (the Fertittas, Casino running billionaires from Vegas) got MMA sanctioned (the same Fertitta brothers that had been on the board who rallied against sanctioning MMA) and secured deals.
As a fan of top fighters, I really hate to see guys get screwed over like this. As Dana White said in his rant. At least there is Affliction to go to for the time... I can't even believe this sort of thing is actually legal.
“I never wanted anything more than to fight in the UFC and be a UFC champ,” said Fitch. “I put in a lot of blood and guts and sweat and tears into this and this is my reward I guess.”
-Sherdog
Jon Fitch among other fighters vs. UFC management.
Jon Fitch, with a 15 win streak including wins over Diego Sanchez and Thiago Alves, is the #2 fighter in the world in Welterweight. He co-holds the record for longest winning streak in the UFC (at 8 wins, tied with Royce Gracie). He lost a 5 round decision to Georges St. Pierre (#1 at the weight class).
As follows:
-Tuesday - Fitch signs an agreement to fight Akihiri Gono. He is offered a contract to sign his rights to his own name over to UFC for life to be used to videogames for life, and without compensation. Fitch among others refused to sign the contract; he was told there will be consequences to not signing.
-Wednesday, he is informed that his agreement to fight Gono had been terminated, along with his employment with the UFC.
-Dana White quotes: “We’re looking for guys who want to work with us and not against us, and frankly I’m just so [expletive] sick of this [expletive] it’s not even funny,” White told Yahoo Sports. “Affliction is still out there trying to build its company. Let [Fitch] go work with them. Let him see what he thinks of those [expletives]. [Expletive] him. These guys aren’t partners with us. [Expletive] them. All of them, every last [expletive] one of them.”
-Thursday (today) the story hits Sherdog
How can you possibly respect an organization with a CEO who thinks he's Tony Montana? The UFC name was already by far the biggest name in North America, to the point where "Ultimate Fighting" was synonimous with MMA. It's already bad enough that there's a clown stealing credit by claiming he built that brand; it was built in the 90's, to a fanbase of millions, years before Dana White. Zuffa has extensive connections, they (the Fertittas, Casino running billionaires from Vegas) got MMA sanctioned (the same Fertitta brothers that had been on the board who rallied against sanctioning MMA) and secured deals.
As a fan of top fighters, I really hate to see guys get screwed over like this. As Dana White said in his rant. At least there is Affliction to go to for the time... I can't even believe this sort of thing is actually legal.
“I never wanted anything more than to fight in the UFC and be a UFC champ,” said Fitch. “I put in a lot of blood and guts and sweat and tears into this and this is my reward I guess.”
-Sherdog
-Insert Inspiring Quote-
