Contract Dispute Question...

[CJRockstar]

So I was perusing other forums just cuz i was bored shitless and I was reading about GSP's possible departure upon the completion of his contract when I read this tasty little morsel of info:

as long as GSP has the belt the UFC has their hooks in him.... per the standard zuffa contract if someone is holding a belt when their contract expires the contract rolls over for 1 year at the same rate of pay automatically....

Anyone have any info as to if this is actually true? I mean, it has been said more than once that GSP is expecting to join affliction, his parent sponsor, once his contract expires. So I wonder if this has any validity.

[Badluck_33]

I heard this is true and I heard this way back when the whole ufc/couture battle started. Something that I think is called a "champion clause." Where the contract automatically rolls over if your carrying a UFC title.

Its very smart on the UFC's part and I'm sure every fighter in the UFC has this clause in there contract. Shit, I would!

If there was no such clause than you can potentially have a fighter that gets a UFC title and is a successful through out the rest of his contract, then shows up 3 months later in an eliteXC cage or a dream ring...with the UFC BELT?! No way! It would not make the UFC look good at all and this is the best way to protect themselves from this. I can see the UFC trying to prevent that in any way. It makes complete sense too.

It makes for some interesting scenarios too. If GSP/Couture or whomever has the title and there contract expires in a December, then has there contract roll over to the following year due to a title reign. Then lets say the next December that particular champion has to defend his title. If he wins he gets another year on his contract, if he loses than he is done with the UFC that night, unless they renegotiate a contract.

I personally dont see GSP going anywhere. He's very young and already #1 WW in the world. Consider him the LeBron James of MMA. Why would you let him go anywhere else? Unless he puts together a nasty string of loses but the way we have seen GSP over the last 2 years I highly doubt that will happen.

I know this is off topic (sorta) but....
Going back to the whole Couture thing; I think not a lot of people know how screwed up the situation is for both the UFC and Couture. IMO UFC can really really really fuck Couture and the UFC is definitely not the bad guys here. UFC has tons of respect for Randy and this situation can prove it. I can even see why Randy doesn't want to finish his contract with the UFC as champion. Because if he keeps winning, he'll never get out of the UFC with that "champion clause." The only way is to throw a fight and give up the title. I know he would never do that because he has too much pride in him self and I dont think anyone would think he would do such a thing. Plus it tarnishes his record and he doesn't want to be known as a fighter who throws fights. However if he continues to fight his contract and keeps winning and how UFC champions are fighting like 2 to 3 times a year he can potentially be locked in the UFC for as long as 2 to 3 more years if he keeps winning and with the UFC HW class as weak as it is it can very well be that long of a time.

IMO Randy wont win this war with the UFC. I can understand his concept of thinking but he will not win and the UFC knows it. If this was Tito Ortiz and not Randy Couture than Tito would have been embarrassed and thrown under the bus already by the UFC but no way the UFC does that to a Hall of Famer.

[Submission Fighter]

This is true but I'm not quite sure if it rolls over for one more year or one more fight. The contractual terms are different for every fighter. Some have alot of say in editing the "standard" terms and some have little say. On another note, if GSP does leave the UFC there could potentially be alot of great fights for him. I personally want to see Shield vs GSP. If he does join Affliction, I wonder if he would get a sponsorship/fighter contract or just a fighter contract with a HUGE base pay.

[Dimson]

Did GSP say he was leaving after his contract was up? Anyone got a direct quote or does everything think he will just because Affliction is one of his sponsers? That is like saying Lebron James will leave the NBA because Nike decided to start their own basketball league.

[Submission Fighter]

There isn't a direct quote but according to Frank Trigg that according to his source GSP is leaving the UFC after his contract expires.

[Submission Fighter]

I took it with a grain of salt.

[Nasty]

I remember reading that article. There's a lot of circumstantial evidence that would back up the claim (GSP not highlighted in the new UFC game, no GSP action figure, etc), but I don't buy it.

[Clint]

Originally Posted by Submission Fighter

There isn't a direct quote but according to Frank Trigg that according to his source GSP is leaving the UFC after his contract expires.

lol Frank Trigg is the worst source ever.

[chungt79]

Yeah, its a "smart" business move but its also an asshole of a move as well. If the UFC treats their fighters well, then there wouldnt be an issue of any fighters leaving the organization when they become the champ.

[Frag x 3]

Originally Posted by chungt79

Yeah, its a "smart" business move but its also an asshole of a move as well. If the UFC treats their fighters well, then there wouldnt be an issue of any fighters leaving the organization when they become the champ.

I want you to re-read what you posted and think really hard about it.

You'll then realize that it's really stupid. I like my job, I enjoy it for the most part. If a rival company came up to me and offered me 50% more money, I'm out. Just being nice to a fighter isn't going to keep them with you, they'll go where the money is.