UFC: The Promoter Is Not Your Friend

Mike Fagan, the esteemed host of the annual MMA Tournament of Bad, says it quite often. “The promoter is not your friend.” UFC fans and fighters are once again finding that out this week.

Most fighters don’t get it. They say, “just tell me who and where I’m fighting” and that’s the end of it. They don’t care about the money, the media, the opponent, the venue, or anything. They just want to step into the Octagon and punch someone in the face. They feel that their job is to fight and as long as they do their job, the UFC will take care of them. UFC loves those fighters. They’re easy to deal with and easy to take advantage of. Joe Lauzon has been fighting for the UFC since 2006. He made $56,000 to show and $56,000 to win (he lost) in his last fight. Ten years of fighting for the biggest MMA company in the world and he barely clears $50,000 before getting hit in the head.

The UFC loves Lauzon. He’s willing to fight for bonuses over guaranteed money. He defends the company and laments other fighters who don’t agree with UFC policies. He’s a fuckin fighter.

Some fighters do get it. They realize that a fighter has a short shelf life. If you’re lucky, you have a 15-10 year career with 4-6 years as a peak fighter. If you’re only fighting 2-3 times a year, you have to make every fight count. That’s why guys hold out for more money or want to re-negotiate after every fight. Conor McGregor made $75,000 to show and $75,000 to win in his fourth UFC fight. He wasn’t an established draw at that point (UFC 178 did 205,000 buys with him on the card as the third fight from the top), but he understand his value and made sure to cash in on it.

The UFC tolerates McGregor. They love the revenues that he brings in but hate that they have to split it with him. They don’t like his public posturing and grandstanding. He’s a fuckin businessman.

Al Iaquinta recently found out that the promoter is not his friend. Iaquinta, a decently known fighter from New York, was scheduled to fight Thiago Alves at UFC 205 in New York. He verbally agreed to the fight, but balked when he saw the contract. Iaquinta signed a four-fight contract 18 months ago, prior to the UFC/Reebok deal and knee surgery. His new contract was going to pay him 26/26, a $3,000 raise from the 23/23 he made in his last fight. That $3,000 and the the $5,000 in Reebok sponsorship money wasn’t going to make up for the sponsors he lost due to the Reebok deal and the time that missed due to the surgery. Iaquinta wanted more, the UFC didn’t want to give it to him, and Iaquinta decided that he didn’t want to be a fuckin fighter.

The UFC/Reebok deal is the ultimate proof of “the promoter is not your friend” as the fighter’s had no say in the deal and ended up being the biggest losers during the whole thing. But that’s a dead horse. At least they have color options now.

What’s extra troubling is that the UFC decided that Iaquinta would be ineligible for Performance of the Night bonuses for three fights. Iaquinta was given three strikes; trashing a hotel, cursing on television, and skipping a fighter summit while he was in the middle of training camp. They felt that those three offenses equaled up to what could’ve been an extra $150,000 for Iaquinta. The bonus money, potentially $50,000 extra per fight, would’ve matched his show/win money on a per fight basis.

You can say, “well, he had three strikes” and that’s a fair point. But he didn’t know the consequences and was given no warning. Based on the arbitrary strikes, I’m pretty sure Nate Diaz has more than three strikes, but that doesn’t stop him from winning Performance of the Night bonuses every time he steps into the cage.

Cris Cyborg fights on Saturday. Maybe. She needs to cut 20-pounds this week to make the 140 lb weight limit. Maybe, you don’t feel sorry for her because she agreed to fight at this weight and that means she should make the weight. But why is this fight taking place at 140 pounds? Her opponent, Lina Lansberg, typically fights at 145 lbs, so why is the fight taking place at 145 lbs, where both women are far more comfortable? There’s no 140 lb division, just like there’s no 145 lb division. So why put Cyborg at risk for what amounts to a meaningless fight in a division that doesn’t exist?

If you believe that they want Cyborg to make 140 so they can do a fight between Cyborg and Ronda Rousey at 140, that’s fine. I have my doubts that the fight will ever happen and if it does, make Cyborg cut to 140 at that point. Until then, don’t force her to kill herself to make a weight that doesn’t matter.

Cyborg should have refused to fight at 140, but the UFC deserves some blame for making it an option when it’s pointless and unnecessary. And if she refused to fight at 140, chances are she wouldn’t be fighting in the UFC at all.

Chael Sonnen recently ended his retirement and joined Bellator in order to cash in on whatever name value he has left. Sonnen was a staple on the UFC on FoxSports1 pre and post fight events. He was a company man through and through, always taking the side of the UFC and Dana White when it came to any sort of public dispute between the company and the fighters. Sonnen says that he is coming back because he’s tired of people complaining about money. That he just wants to fight. And I believe him, but that doesn’t explain why he left the UFC.

While the true story may never come out (and if the story is coming from Sonnen or Dana, it’s probably not true), the USADA testing probably nudged Sonnen towards Bellator. You know USADA, the organization hired to clean up the sport, but really they’re making it worse by pulling main event fights the week of the event. You know USADA, the organization hired by the UFC without giving the fighters any say in the matter. Yup, USADA.

The UFC will continue to do what is best for the UFC. They are not around to be friends with the fighters. They are around to make money off of the fighters. The quicker the fighters realize this, they better off they’ll be.

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