This week’s radio show features a recap of the Brook vs. Golovkin bout, the defeat of Phil “CM Punk” Brooks, Stipe Miocic’s Heavyweight Title bout with Alistair Overeem and Tony’s visit with former gues Antonio Tarver at a recent Philadelphia boxing event. Tom, Tony and Rich also look at some news from combat sports and preview upcoming UFC, Bellator and boxing events.
Tom, Tony and Rich discuss the week in Combat Sports, focusing on the recent UFC Fight Night in Hamburg, Γερμανία, the UFC debut of Phil Brooks (A.K.A. CM Punk) and the upcoming battle between Kell Brook and Gennady Golovkin.
Join Tony “Η Tornado” Penecale, “Rabble Rousin'” Rich Bergeron and “Μέντιουμ” Tom Padgett as we analyze UFC 202, discuss the budding Pro Fighters Association and go over the weekly combat sports schedule.
Με: Πλούσια Bergeron
Those who know me personally would all say I am a mellow individual, until you seriously cross me, σαν, for instance, if you become the subject of an investigative report I’m working on, ή sue me for $25 εκατομμύριο. Sometimes I may take things like that as a sign you might not want me to really find out who you are and what you do behind closed doors to screw hard working people over.
Αυτή την εβδομάδα, a certain individual who won’t even let me follow him in Twitter (https://twitter.com/danawhite) pissed me off to the point where I could only think of one thing to do. Because I’m officially blacklisted in every possible way by the UFC brass, and have even had restraining orders placed against my directly contacting the Fertittas and ANY UFC fighter, my best option is to publish a drastic diatribe here I am just going to call my “OPEN FU” to Dana “Effing” White.
I’m sure Mr. White will not take my calls or subject himself to a one on one interview with me. Έτσι, I will have to settle for a written FU…and a multi-tiered and multi-purpose FU.
FU, Dana “Effing” White… for many, many reasons…too many for one small blog post to do justice, but let’s just say Most of all FU….
For what you THINK you know about Holly Holm…
Γειά, Dana, you wanna talk about your “effing” reality show “Looking For a Fight????” I was actually looking for a fight when I watched that old reality “shit show” when you were supposed to box Tito Ortiz, but HE magically backed out at the last minute.
Τώρα, you, DANA “EFFING” WHITE, are telling Holly Holm about a decision YOU think she didn’t think through enough??? And now you act like someone pissed in your Wheaties because you have two upset wins at UFC 196 to work around and figure out how to make sense of somehow.
Boo “effing” hoo, buddy.
Welcome to how things don’t go as planned sometimes in the fight business, you ungrateful prick.
Do you wanna be an “effing” Υποστηρικτής, Dana “effing” White???
Holly Holm Was the Bantamweight Champion of the UFC when she allowed HER Manager (not Dana “effing” White) to negotiate the Tate fight on her behalf, and she knew (and her long-time manager knew, πάρα πολύ) what she was doing and what she wanted. And guess “effing” what, Dana? She wanted to fight.
Συγνώμη, Dana “Effing” White, but Holly didn’t want to sit on an “effing” sideline waiting for Ronda Rousey to finish her “effing” ROADHOUSE REMAKE!
Holly wanted to go to work… but unfortunately she has to work for a boss who has no idea what it’s like to step into HER office and handle HER daily workload with such tenacity, τάξη, dignity and grace.
And I think maybe she looks back a bit differently than you do, Dana, with no “effing” regrets whatsoever for putting her absolute all into that fight and just plain getting caught in her one area of weakness in a battle where she likely would have won a three-round fight. Maybe if YOU were a fighter, Dana, you might get that whole concept. Maybe losing in this case only makes her better, ισχυρότερη, and more durable as a career mixed martial artist. Who gives a damn if it makes her less marketable in your eyes? What do you really know, οπωσδήποτε?
UNLIKE YOU, Dana “Effing” White, Holly actually respects Miesha Tate and thought it would be a challenge to fight her. Ναι, she lost, but damn, she was absolutely correct about it being a challenge. I think the fight will go down as one of the greatest battles in female MMA history.
Τώρα, why don’t you open your “effing” eyes, Dana, watch the fight again, and quit bitching about what should have happened in that cage you never fought in yourself.
Be grateful you have a champion you just paid $92,000 in fight pay (before bonuses) to take your organization’s belt from the girl you WANTED TO WIN (and paid $500,000 just to be there). It may not be what you expected, but the anxiety you feel about it is what you DESERVE to feel for being such a douchebag to the fighters who built the UFC.
My biggest questions on this subject for Dana are: Why are you such a biased, crooked asshole who can’t bother to give Miesha the time of day FOR ALL HER HARD WORK? Why can’t you give credit where it is due…on both sides of that fight? Why can’t you shut the “eff” up about what you think Holly or her management should have or could have waited for?
It’s not your place to look back with 20/20 hindsight and act like Holly and her manager should have gone all Nostradamus on this fight when you obviously didn’t see this shit coming, είτε, you dome-headed dimwit.
Μαχητές “effing” πάλη, Dana. That’s what they “effing” do, which you should know, since I am pretty sure you used to be an “effing” manager of MMA fighters yourself. Ναί, that was many moons ago, but how could you forget?
Fighters don’t sit on their asses on corporate jets and stand at podiums in front of the press all day to earn the “effing” paltry paychecks your organization pays out to most of them. Most fighters simply cannot afford to wait around for shit to happen or for someone “worthy” enough in your eyes to step up and fight them.
Some fighters need to feed their kids. All of them need to pay their bills and for everything else involved with training camps, daily living expenses, travel and whatever costs medical insurance doesn’t cover when they have to address nagging injuries. Your shitty Reebok deal made it virtually impossible to get any other outside sponsors to help pay for anything like that stuff for many fighters, Dana.
Welcome to selling out and forgetting where you came from, Dana. You used to care more about fighters. Now you act like fighting in a cage is just like doing any other 9-5 εργασία. It’s not. Είναι “effing” hard work.
Έτσι, ναι, Holly chose to fight instead of waiting for Rousey to be ready for the rematch. And you think she needs your opinion now that everything didn’t work out as planned for you both?
FU, Dana.
She hurts a lot worse than you, and I can guaran-effing-tee that.
Ω…και…από τον τρόπο…fighters are way more responsible for the growth and success of the UFC/Zuffa organization than you ever have been. And that’s real talk, you rich bitch with a stick up your ass because you were never good enough in your life to ever have your own official fight.
Έτσι, get over the God complex and learn to respect ALL of your fighters, not just the ones you want to see win because you might think you can work with them better or you think they will move the organization in a better direction. Respect the effort, the sacrifice and the pain ALL your fighters go through each and every day to get where they get. That belt you put on Miesha’s waist was EARNED, and don’t you ever think it is “effing” cool to call the fact that Holly Holm had the guts to face Miesha Tate “a mistake.”
It rings hollow, especially when I would consider that handing you a microphone to talk about MMA at all was THE greatest mistake the sport ever made, περίοδος! Anyone who would try to knock a former champion down a peg that way in his own organization does not deserve to be recognized as that organization’s president.
You have no clue what it’s really like to fight, and your criticism of Holly Holm tells me you can never possibly understand the mindset that led her to take the Tate fight and not wait an idle year for Ronda “effing” Rousey to be ready to appear at one of your precious shows.
Έτσι, FU Dana White for treating your former champ like she’s an idiot who doesn’t know how to control her own career without you butting your stupid, bald head into it. Holly’s fine without your advice, and she trusts her manager, which might be something you’re not familiar with, but for other people it is actually a reality of doing business with legitimate people.
FU, Dana for being a piss-poor ambassador for the sport, disrespecting fighters who bleed (and sometimes suffer lifelong injuries) for you and the sport, and totally underestimating and failing to grasp what it really takes to actually be a professional fighter who actually competes against other fighters…
Do you remember the days when you had to settle for being a lowly boxercise instructor because your boxing trainer Boston slapped you too hard in the ear once? You never had a single competitive fight in your life, Dana “effing” White, and that’s a DOCUMENTED FACT!
Do you ever even look back at those days before the silver-spoon-fed Fertittas helped you claw your greedy, selfish, egotistical ass into the position of OFFICIAL UFC MOUTHPIECE?
Do you remember those “hairy” days when you blew through $40 million of Fertitta funds to perpetrate the “Zuffa Myth” while claiming credit for the UFC brass singlehandedly legitimizing the sport and getting it regulated all by your “effing” selves? As if not a single FIGHTER nor any other industry professional who pioneered MMA before you dipped your greedy little paws into it had anything to do with it?
Your Mom remembers those “coulda been a contender” ημέρες, Dana..when you thought you might be able to have an actual fight with another human being. Your own mother remembers even though you and one of your sleazy friends tried to silence her, BASH HER ONLINE, and even blacklist her BOOK, πάρα πολύ.
Do you remember the days when even Floyd Mayweather, Jr. thought you were cool, back when your daily driver was an “effing” Honda, Dana? Floyd Remembers. He knew you long before you could afford to blow a normal person’s yearly pay on a single hand of poker.
You’re in a different place now, Dana “effing” White, and it’s a delusional place. Like on the distant planet you live on, people actually believe YOU really, τίμια, truly “effing” know what it’s ACTUALLY like to be an “effing” fighter? Do you actually believe YOU somehow could ever REALLY know that feeling?
REALLY?
Ξέρετε what A FIGHTER is, don’t you, Dana? A fighter is a man or woman who has the courage to willingly step into unarmed combat against another actual man or woman instead of just criticizing up and down the guys and girls who do have the guts to actually stand across from another human being while knowing and internalizing that the accepted goal is to physically destroy each other.
A fighter, in more simple terms, είναι “one who fights.” And let’s be clear about one “effing” thing, Dana “effing” White, I know fighters, και YOU are no fighter.
You are nothing like a fighter, Dana “effing” White, and you never “effing” θα ειναι. You are too weak, τόσο σωματικά όσο και ψυχικά. Until we see you go through a six-week training camp and then get into the cage against someone and kick his ass, we shouldn’t have to listen to one damn “coulda,” “shoulda,” ή “woulda” out of your cornfed mouth about what you think of any particular fighter’s performance or decision making process. Those people have the guts to do what you will NEVER do yourself, and you ought to respect that.
FU Dana White…For not recognizing Real Fighters Like Miesha Tate and Nate Diaz who keep at it no matter what and NEVER seem to earn your ULTIMATE RESPECT….
Nate Diaz stepped up to fight Conor McGregor for a reason. He had nothing to lose, and he wasn’t intimidated one bit. He famoulsy went on television with Fox Sports 1 on a split screen with Conor before that welterweight fight and quipped that his nemesis had already been choked out before, “by two lames.” Diaz also had the perfect instinct to add humourously that McGregor’s choke losses happened, “like a week ago.”
Diaz beat Conor in the shit-talk game long before he ever slapped him down and slipped that choke around his neck in the cage. The media created by that freakshow fight might have stopped the unchecked rise of your big, bold, six-headed dragon champion, but it created a new monster at the same time. And he’s a Reebok-hating, scowling, swearing, Stockton-slapping Mother-F$#king BEAST who doesn’t care what anyone else thinks about what he does or says.
You might think Diaz and his attitude are “bad for business,” but I think his victory was the best thing that could ever happen to all you smug punks running the UFC. It just proves once and for all that you do not control the MMA universe.
Nate Diaz went without respect and credit for being an MMA pioneer and a good UFC soldier for far too long. The bitterness brewed and boiled within him, and I loved every second of him letting it pour out in post-fight interviews after he choked the shit out of Conor until the Irish bloke tapped the “eff” out and left Dana White drooling in a stupor at the thought of having to congratulate a man who’s become more of a mortal enemy than a member of the big “team.”
More power to Nate and all the crazy, abrasive, in-your-face Diaz brother types out there in the UFC who will fight Dana “effing” White’s flamboyant fire with even more bravado and brash talk of their own. They can always say, “I learned it by watching you, Baldfather!”
As for Miesha Tate, she deserves true respect and admiration for being champ now after picking herself off the mat twice in the face of grueling losses to Rousey. Kudos to Tate for continuing her career and relentlessly focusing on getting by that Rousey armbar once and for all.
Though Miesha never did solve that Rousey submission dilemma, trying at all costs to get another crack at the belt paid dividends at UFC 196. Her never quit attitude led her to an opportunity of a lifetime, and she capitalized on it. Τώρα, Dana, you actually have to pay this young lady what most of her fans would say she was worth a long time ago.
And now you simply have to treat Tate with a bit of reverence and appreciation for once in your ungrateful life, Dana “effing” White. I know it must pain you so much to give this young lady the credit she’s worked so incredibly hard for, because maybe she touched a nerve when she called you out in the past for being the true clueless and disrespectful prick you really are. She was right, and you were wrong about how great she really is at fighting. Then again, weren’t you also WRONG about women fighting in the cage, περίοδος?
Έτσι, you DON’T wanna be a fighter, Ο κ. White? Then step aside and let the people who DO wanna be fighters go to battle for you so you can ride around the world on your jet and act like you know what the “eff” you’re talking about when you stand in front of a microphone to describe the sport’s true athletes and what they do to make a living in mixed martial arts.
The line from Dana that most stands out to me as comblete BS in this whole debacle is this one:
“He’s an old boxing guy who thinks he’s smart and he isn’t,” White said of Fresquez [Holm’s Manager]. “I feel bad for Holly because I don’t know if she really knows what she lost.”
I have only two more “effing” questions for you Dana “effing” White…
1.) What makes you think you are really in any “effing” position to EVER know or understand what Holly Holm lost the other night? Aside from a few bad poker hands and tons of respect, the only thing you ever lost is your mind.
2.) Doesn’t your backhanded quote about Holm’s manager describe your own shitty character a whole lot better than that of Mr. Fresquez?
ΚΑΙ…just in case after reading all this anyone STILL needs yet another reason to have beef with the Baldfather:
Με: Πλούσια Bergeron
Boxing is a unique sport, to say the least. It’s often referred to as “The Sweet Science” with terms from the sport frequently invoked to describe intense rivalries and matchups in a myriad of other sports. Boxing is also often referenced in metaphors about politics. Though the popularity of boxing is not where it used to be these days, it is still one of the most challenging and daunting sporting activities a person can legally participate in all over the world.
If you are interested in either pursuing a career in boxing or just looking to learn the basics, the benefits of mastering the craft of pugilism can be very rewarding. Συγχρόνως, there is a big difference between “going through the motions” and devoting the time it would take to be a successful professional. Είτε έτσι είτε αλλιώς, if you work hard and maintain your dedication to learning, your training will surely result in both increased confidence and enhanced physical fitness.
If you plan to take your lessons to the level where you are ready to compete at some point, you will need a serious training regimen of at least two to three hours per day. You will also need to find a reputable boxing gym. Online searches should lead you to a facility in your area, but you can also seek out a competent trainer who might be able to work with you from home if there are no boxing gyms near you. Here is a detailed article on how to find the best gym for your needs.
If you simply want to know how to move around, throw punches and defend yourself, there are specific facilities that specialize in the basics that can accommodate your needs. One of the most well-known and nationwide operations for basic boxing and kickboxing lessons is Title Boxing Club. They offer comprehensive workout sessions and group classes overseen by professional trainers that promise “to help you feel more confident, burn more calories and lose weight.” It is important to remember that facilities like Title Boxing Club are not really designed for competitive boxing training, as their offerings are primarily geared toward teaching boxing for self-defense, άσκηση, weight loss and stress release purposes.
It does not take much devotion or sacrifice to take up boxing purely for the fitness benefits. It is actually a part of the sport that is becoming wildly popular due to the fact that the training workouts provide benefits to nearly all the muscles in your body. Hollywood stars, models, and even reality television stars swear by boxing workouts as a way to maintain their attractive figures and their youthful appearances.
Time Magazine published a story το Μάιο, 2015 that described boxing as one of the hottest fitness trends of the year.
Ακόμη, boxing training for non-competitive purposes can be intense and agonizing for someone who never put on a pair of boxing gloves before. In addition to punching, footwork and defensive drills, there will be sit-ups, push-ups, jump-roping and most likely a great deal of running that will benefit your training and workout routine. You may not need the same kind of time commitment if you are not competing, but many of the workouts will be very similar to what pro boxers do in the gym each day when they are not sparring.
Sparring and fighting another boxer in competition brings your training to a whole new level. Boxing is a very high-risk activity, though headgear, mouthpieces and organized rules and regulations make it much safer today than it was when the first gloved boxing contest took place. People do still die in boxing matches, and some end up facing lifelong complications from single matches or long careers of taking too many punches.
For these reasons, the decision to box competitively should not be impulsive or taken lightly. You have to be willing to accept the risks of serious injury if you would like to make boxing a career. You have to be well versed in defensive techniques and be aware of the signs of a concussion or brain injury. Full contact sparring sessions should take place only under the supervision of trained professionals, and both fighters should be instructed to use about half as much power in their punches as they would in a real competition. Ακόμη, if you plan to box as an amateur or a professional, some type of injury is almost inevitable. At some point you will suffer a split lip, bloody nose, black eye and/or a nasty cut. Έτσι, if you do really want to be a competitive boxer, be sure to have adequate health insurance in the event you need medical attention stemming from your participation in the sport.
More so than the risks you face, it is extremely important that you know going into training that boxing is one of the most difficult sports on the planet. There is no team to carry you in competition if you have a bad day at the office. There are just two competitors in each match: you and your opponent. Anyone with courage and tenacity can step into a boxing ring and fight, but it takes a special kind of devotion and willingness to put in the time and work to win trophies, medals and/or money through your exploits in the ring.
Most boxers go through years of amateur boxing before their first professional match. It is not mandatory for a boxer to fight in the amateurs before going pro, but it is certainly recommended. Some boxers may never go into the professional ranks, even if they do excel in the amateurs. There is even a “Masters” division for folks 35 και άνω.
Ακόμη, even amateur boxing involves a great deal of hard work. The main differences between amateur and pro matches are that most amateur matches are shorter in duration than pro fights and feature competitors wearing headgear that offers protection to the side of the head and some areas of the face. Ακόμη, the punches that land on that headgear can be just as hard to take as hits that connect on your bare skull.
Whether you plan to take your talents to the professional ranks or not, amateur boxing can be an excellent starting point. Here are a couple great articles that describe how to pursue amateur boxing opportunities:
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2010/11/18/amateur-boxing-for-beginners-a-how-to-guide-part-i/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/420913-how-to-get-started-in-amateur-boxing/
Some colleges also offer boxing, with the US military academies fielding the most dominant teams over the years. Though it is not offered at nearly as many colleges as traditional sports like football and baseball, the competition can be just as fierce as it is in those other sports, if not much more so.
No matter how you choose to start out your foray into boxing for fitness or competition, sticking to it will require a strong will and a healthy supply of both mental and physical toughness. Truly mastering the sport can take years, if not decades. Whether you box for money or for glory, it can be well worth the risks you take to participate. You will always remember that first time you had your hand raised at the end of a fight. Becoming a world champion may not be in the cards for you, but just stepping in the ring to fight an opponent will put you in a class of people that you will always be proud to be associated with.
Our latest interview with a true class act. Jeff Daniels took to the task of telling his older brother Terry Daniels’ amazing story with a passion for posterity and a supreme sense of attention to detail. Despite having no book-writing experience, Daniels created what he considered to be as classic as a Beatles album when he finished crafting his masterpiece about a bygone era in the sport of boxing and his brother’s battles with some of the biggest names in the heavyweight division. You can buy the book here: http://amzn.to/1WQMNFO, access Jeff’s site here: http://jeffdanielscompany.com/index.php/about-the-author and watch a short YouTube video promoting the book here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PDH_Laa6lY. Jeff shares some insights into the writing process during our interview here and takes us back in time in this amazing episode.
Kevin MacDonald is one of the most knowledgeable and professional referees in Mixed Martial Arts. Just last Sunday he was the third man in the cage for three fights on the UFC Fight Night 81: Dillashaw vs. Cruz card. Our interview covers a wide range of topics, from rule and weight class changes on the horizon to a few behind-the-scenes glimpses into the UFC’s operations. Psychic Tom Padgett and Rabble Rousin’ Rich Bergeron also recap the past week’s combat sports events (including Szpilka vs. Wilder and Cruz vs. Dillashaw) and preview the next UFC event headlined by Anthony Johnson vs. Ryan Bader.
Με: Πλούσια Bergeron
Γνωρίζετε ότι η μάχη του Reebok ζεσταίνεται όταν οι άνθρωποι παραβιάζουν τους όρους της συμφωνίας τόσο εικονικά όσο και ΠΟΛΙΤΙΚΑ:
Τι έλεγε περισσότερο για το περιστατικό, αν και, ήταν “Θείος Ντάνα” δεν παρεμβαίνει για να τιμωρήσει τον απογοητευμένο μαχητή για τον κατάφωρο σεβασμό ενός μεγάλου επιχειρηματικού εταίρου της UFC. Αυτή ήταν μια στιγμή λεκάνης απορροής για το “Reebok Εξέγερση.”
Τι θα μπορούσε να κάνει η Ντάνα, τελικά? Ο Myles έβγαλε μια σελίδα από το εγχειρίδιο μάρκετινγκ του Προέδρου της UFC. Ο Jury ήταν επιθετικός για να πουλήσει το επιχείρημά του. Η Ντάνα το κάνει αυτό κάθε μέρα.
Μαχητές υψηλότερου προφίλ τρίβουν συνεχώς τον κ. Λευκό με λάθος τρόπο αυτές τις μέρες όταν πρόκειται για τη συμφωνία Reebok, και παρόλο που έδωσε στον Jury και τον Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone ένα πέρασμα για την πρόσφατη κριτική τους, αντέδρασε ενάντια στους οπαδούς του Brandon Schaub.
Μπορεί να υπάρχει ένα διαφορετικό είδος πυροτεχνημάτων τον Ιούλιο, όταν αυτή η πρώτη συμφωνία ισχύει επίσημα και όλοι οι μαχητές που δεν συμφωνούν με τον Schaub και την κριτική επιτροπή αρχίζουν να συνειδητοποιούν τη μυωπία τους. Μερικοί από αυτούς τους αγωνιστές του UFC μπορεί να λυπηθούν ακόμη και να μην ενταχθούν στους συνομηλίκους τους στην ανεπίσημη δημόσια γραμμή του στύλου, όταν θα μπορούσε να είχε σημασία.
Το χειρότερο μέρος για όλο αυτό το φιάσκο είναι ο χρόνος. Σύμφωνα με πληροφορίες, η ομοσπονδιακή επιτροπή εμπορίου ερευνά για άλλη μια φορά το UFC μετά από μια σειρά υψηλού προφίλ καταγγελιών κατά της εμπιστοσύνης κατά της εμπιστοσύνης κατηγορίας που ξεκινούν από τα αστικά δικαστήρια.
Είναι δύσκολο να μην αμφισβητηθεί εάν η πιο ισχυρή προώθηση μικτών πολεμικών τεχνών στον κόσμο υπερβαίνει τα όριά της με τον τρόπο που προσπαθούν να ελέγξουν κάθε πτυχή της καριέρας ενός μαχητή.. Φαίνεται σαν μια πολύ κακή συμφωνία να ανταλλάξουμε λίγα χρήματα και το δικαίωμα να πολεμήσουμε κάτω από το πανό του UFC για το αίμα, ιδρώτα και δάκρυα που χρειάζεται για να μείνεις στην κορυφή του παιχνιδιού MMA αυτές τις μέρες. Ακόμη και το να είσαι στο μέσο του πακέτου στο UFC είναι μια πρόκληση. Οι μαχητές πρέπει να αρχίσουν να αναρωτιούνται όταν οι συσσωρευμένοι προσκρούσεις μώλωπες, εξάρσεις, σχισμένοι σύνδεσμοι, σπασμένα οστά και διάσειση γίνονται τόσο άσχημα που τα χρήματα δεν έχουν σημασία πλέον.
Τι θα συμβεί όταν ένα παλιρροϊκό κύμα πρώην μαχητών του UFC ανακαλύψει ότι η δόξα του να πολεμήσουν τις καρδιές τους για τους θαυμαστές δεν πληρώνει τους λογαριασμούς ή / και στέλνει τα παιδιά τους στο κολέγιο? Τι συμβαίνει όταν λήξει η άνετη ιατρική κάλυψη και η θρυλική σας κατάσταση μαχητή δεν σημαίνει τίποτα για τους γιατρούς και το νοσοκομείο που σας χρεώνουν εξωφρενικά και αστρονομικά τέλη για να σας κρατήσουν αρκετά υγιείς για να ζήσετε έως τα γηρατειά?
Ρωτήστε τον Marc Coleman. Δεν είναι όμορφο.
Όσο περισσότερο η εξίσωση μάχης ή πτήσης UFC στρέφεται προς το να μην έχετε ελευθερία να είστε επιχειρηματίας και καμία ικανότητα να δημιουργήσετε το δικό σας εμπορικό σήμα, περισσότερο Το τηλέφωνο του Scott Coker θα συνεχίσει να χτυπάει. Τουλάχιστον στο Bellator, μαχητές μπορούν ακόμα να έχουν τους δικούς τους προσωπικούς χορηγούς στα σορτς τους.
Δεν ρίχνουν όλους τους μαχητές τους για να χάσουν μερικούς αγώνες στη σειρά, είτε. Δεν επιτιμούν δημόσια τους μαχητές τους σε συνεντεύξεις τύπου μετά τη μάχη για μη συμμετοχή σε μια παράσταση. Πληρώνουν ό, τι μπορούν, και κάνουν το καλύτερό τους για να θεωρηθούν ανταγωνιστές UFC.
Ο Φιλ Ντέιβις μπορεί να είναι ο πρώτος από πολλούς αποστάτες του UFC που θα μπορούσαν να αρχίσουν να τσαλακώνουν εάν αυτή η συμφωνία Reebok εξαλείψει τόσα έσοδα και ευκαιρίες όσο ακούγεται όπως θα.
Είμαι πραγματικά απογοητευμένος που η Viacom δεν κάνει μεγαλύτερη ώθηση για να αποκτήσει περισσότερους μαχητές UFC με πιο προσοδοφόρα συμβόλαια, αλλά καμία επιχείρηση δεν θέλει να χάσει χρήματα. Είναι πιο δύσκολο για την Bellator να κερδίσει τεράστια έσοδα σε αντάλλαγμα για τις επενδύσεις τους στους μαχητές τους λόγω του γενικού κόστους της παραγωγής τους για δωρεάν τηλεόραση. Ακόμη, Την ίδια στιγμή, Η τρέχουσα διοίκηση του Coker και της Bellator φαίνεται να ενδιαφέρεται λίγο περισσότερο για τους ανθρώπους που πολεμούν κάτω από τη σημαία τους. Ξέρουν καλύτερα από οποιονδήποτε ότι οι χορηγοί σας μπορούν πραγματικά να σας κρατήσουν ζωντανούς.
Μαχητές που εκτιμούν την ελευθερία τους και θέλουν λίγο περισσότερο έλεγχο στην καριέρα τους μπορεί να αρχίσουν να βλέπουν τον μοναδικό διαγωνισμό UFC ως ένα πολύ πιο πράσινο λιβάδι μετά την αποκλειστική σύμβαση ένδυσης αυτού του γίγαντα sneaker. Αυτό που υποτίθεται ότι μοιάζει με ένα σημαντικό βήμα προς τα εμπρός για το UFC μπορεί στην πραγματικότητα να αντιπροσωπεύει τρία βήματα πίσω για αυτόν τον οργανισμό που ήδη αγωνίζεται με ακυρωμένους και αναβαλλόμενους αγώνες λόγω κυρίως ενός αυξανόμενου αριθμού τραυματισμών κατά την εκπαίδευση κορυφαίων μαχητών..
Φυσικά δεν μπορούμε να ξεχάσουμε τον πρώην πρωταθλητή ελαφρού βαρέων βαρών UFC, Jon Jones, που φέρεται να συντρίβει ένα νοικιασμένο SUV στο αυτοκίνητο μιας εγκύου γυναίκας και έσπασε το χέρι της πριν φύγει από τη σκηνή με τα πόδια. Αυτό είναι ένα ακόμη ατυχές παράδειγμα του UFC που δεν ενδιαφέρεται αρκετά για τους μαχητές τους. Πώς δεν μπορούσαν να αναγνωρίσουν ότι αυτός ο τύπος είχε ένα πρόβλημα που έπρεπε να αντιμετωπιστεί πολύ καιρό πριν να ξεδιπλωθεί αυτό το τραγικό συμβάν? Πώς μπορεί το UFC να δικαιολογήσει ότι δεν έχουν τη δική τους τυχαία δοκιμή ναρκωτικών όπως άλλα επαγγελματικά αθλήματα? Πώς είναι εντάξει τα παράνομα ναρκωτικά για έναν μαχητή εκτός ανταγωνισμού? Ποιος δημιούργησε τους κανόνες με αυτό το κενό που υπάρχει?
Georges St. Ο Πιέρ ήταν ένας από τους πιο έντονους επικριτές του UFC στο μέτωπο δοκιμών PED. Ο πρώην πρωταθλητής συνεχίζει να κάθεται στο περιθώριο αφού ένας από τους πιο καταδικαστικούς αγώνες της καριέρας του τον οδήγησε να ανακοινώσει τη συνταξιοδότησή του με την πόρτα που αφήνει ανοιχτή μόνο μια ρωγμή. Μόνο ένα ευρύ, Ένα ολοκληρωμένο πρόγραμμα δοκιμών ναρκωτικών μπορεί να τον επαναφέρει τώρα, St. Ο Πιέρ διατηρεί.
Ακόμη και μαχητές όπως η Ronda Rousey ενοχλούνται λίγο με τα μέτρα ελέγχου της σταδιοδρομίας που τους ασκούν τα μεγάλα αφεντικά τους. Το UFC δεν θα αφήσει καν τη Ronda να εμφανιστεί σε μερικά σενάρια WWE. Ακριβώς επειδή αυτά τα σκετς διαρκούν περισσότερο από μερικούς από τους πραγματικούς αγώνες της, δεν σημαίνει ότι είναι πολύ διαφορετικά από αυτά που κάνει στην καριέρα της στην ταινία. Τα αφεντικά της UFC είναι καλά με τους ρόλους της ταινίας δράσης, οπότε γιατί να μην κάνεις μια ψεύτικη πάλη? Ίσως είναι το γεγονός ότι το WWE έκλεψε τη μάρκα Tapout και το πήρε αμέσως από το κλουβί και στο δαχτυλίδι πάλης. Ίσως είναι ζήλια που το WWE έχει το είδος της θαυμαστής που τους καθιστά νόμιμη απειλή, και είναι το είδος των θαυμαστών που χρειάζεται το UFC. Ίσως είναι το γεγονός ότι το UFC έχασε την ευκαιρία να διατηρήσει ξανά τις υπηρεσίες του Brock Lesnar και εξακολουθούν να το ξεπερνούν.
Όποιος κι αν είναι ο λόγος, το UFC πιέζει όλο και περισσότερο για το τι μπορούν και τι δεν μπορούν να κάνουν οι μαχητές μέσα και έξω από το κλουβί, και ξεπερνά κατά πολύ την ψεύτικη πάλη. Οι συμβάσεις γίνονται όλο και πιο περιοριστικές με κάθε τρόπο.
Το UFC συνήθιζε επίσης να καλλιεργεί ένα κλίμα όπου κανένας μαχητής δεν θα τολμούσε να μιλήσει μια άσχημη λέξη για τη διαχείριση ή για οποιαδήποτε διαχείριση επιχειρηματικής συμφωνίας. Η τιμωρία θα ήταν χειρότερη από πρόστιμο, αν η Ντάνα αποφάσισε να σας δώσει τη μεταχείριση του Brendan Schaub στον τύπο.
κανω παραπονα, και θα λέγατε δειλός ή αλήτης. Δεν είστε ομαδικός παίκτης, ορισμένοι ανίδεοι θαυμαστές θα συνεχίσουν να λένε όταν κολλάτε έξω ενώ βρίσκεστε σε σύμβαση UFC. Ακόμη, αυτό το κλίμα δεν είναι αρκετό για να σταματήσει αυτό το νέο μικρό κύμα διαμαρτυρίας που μπορεί να εξελιχθεί σε ένα τρομακτικό crescendo λίγο πριν ή μετά την επίσημη αυτή η συμφωνία Reebok.
Οι ανόητοι minions που ασκούν κριτική στους μαχητές για να μιλήσουν για τα καλύτερα συμφέροντά τους τρώνε ακριβώς από το χέρι της Dana White, ακόμα και όταν μοιράζει δηλητήριο αρουραίων. Είναι αηδιαστικό να ακούμε και να βλέπουμε τόσους πολλούς ανθρώπους να συμφωνούν με έναν άντρα που δεν πολεμούσε ποτέ ούτε έναν επίσημο ερασιτεχνικό αγώνα οποιουδήποτε είδους αντί να ακούει κάποιον που στην πραγματικότητα προσπάθησε να ανταγωνιστεί σε έναν ακόμη επαγγελματικό αγώνα κλουβιού.
Όταν πρόκειται για θέματα του τι σημαίνει πραγματικά “να είσαι μαχητής F # $%,” Η Ντάνα μπορεί να δώσει όλες τις λαχταριστές ομιλίες που θέλει, αλλά είναι οι πραγματικοί μαχητές που αιμορραγούν για χρόνια κάτω από το πανό του UFC που έδωσαν σε αυτήν την ομιλία πραγματικό νόημα και απήχηση στους θαυμαστές που τώρα λατρεύουν το έδαφος που περπατά η Ντάνα. Για το μεγαλύτερο μέρος, αυτοί οι οπαδοί τους αρέσουν τόσο πολύ στον Λευκό επειδή μιλάει και μιλάει σαν αυτούς. Ακόμη, ένας μαχητής UFC που πήρα συνέντευξη πριν από χρόνια μου είπε ότι υπάρχει κάτι λάθος με το άθλημα όταν η πιο αναγνωρίσιμη φιγούρα στο MMA είναι η Dana White. Δεν μπορούσα να συμφωνήσω περισσότερο.
Η ελευθερία δεν είναι μια λέξη που πρέπει να θεωρηθεί ελαφριά, και η ελεύθερη ομιλία δεν είναι τόσο ελεύθερη όσο ήταν. Συνδεθείτε στη διακεκομμένη γραμμή για να μπείτε στο κλουβί UFC, και πρέπει να παίξετε με τους κανόνες τους, ακόμη και αυτά που δεν σας αρέσουν ή δεν συμφωνείτε. Αυτό ήταν αρκετά κακό όταν ήταν το μόνο πρόβλημα που αντιμετώπιζαν οι μαχητές. Τώρα, it’s much worse because of the Reebok deal and the ramifications and ripple effects it will cause.
Some people forget this deal also alienates other long time sponsors of the UFC and its fighters. Think of all those apparel companies who will not be able to sell their products now in association with any official UFC event. The upcoming UFC Fan Expo situation is a prime example of how the UFC just doesn’t seem to care about the businesses and backers that helped put them on the map in the first place.
The people behind this powerhouse MMA league will alienate anyone or any group of people to make a buck off the backs of better men than themselves. This Reebok deal is living proof of that. Even if all the money from the Reebok partnership does go to the fighters, all those businesses that end up locked out of fighter sponsorship deals will have to line up to sign exclusive contracts with the organization itself. Either that, or they will convert to Bellator supporters and follow burned UFC fighters to that organization.
Suddenly that second fiddle is sounding like it could steal the show, and my prediction that Bellator could fail looks premature and presumptuous now.
“So you want to be a f$%^ing fighter?”
Let me give you Scott Coker’s number.
