"Office Politics"

Metalhead · #1 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 05:28 PM

How much politics do you guys think or know of that goes on behind the scene, especially in UFC? We hear a lot about guys not going to fight certain guys because their friends or whatever. To me it should be as simple as Zuffa says fighter A fights fighter B. IE Tito will fight Rampage. But it really doesn't seem to happen that way.

Then you look at pride and non title fights. It makes sense that Champion A puts the belt up against the challenger. Doesn't seem to be happening liket hat.

The Sundance Kid · #2 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 05:31 PM

So what's your question?

Metalhead · #3 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 05:54 PM

How much politicing do the fighters do? Do they actually get to pick their fights?

BigBanda · #4 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metalhead

How much politicing do the fighters do? Do they actually get to pick their fights?

Quite obvious that some fighters have a lot of pull/say in who they fight while others do not. Also there is to consider what the actual details/stipulations are in the contract the fighters signs.

Dork8503 · #5 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 07:08 PM

im sure chuck, randy and tito have a big say who they will and wont fight, same goes with like hughes, they dont get the final say but im sure they have some pull

The Sundance Kid · #6 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 07:11 PM

on the other hand, i assume most new comers and some other fighters have very litte say so on who they will be fighting.

CHUCKtheCHAMP · #7 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Sundance Kid

on the other hand, i assume most new comers and some other fighters have very litte say so on who they will be fighting.

yeah like mr. nick diaz...

Jza · #8 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 07:15 PM

But at the same time as not having a lot of say someone like Rashad Evans who is a fairly big name (due to TUF not necessarily how good (or bad) you may think he is) can just say he has an injury and can't fight someone who he would not wish to and Zuffa would do little to nothing about it, whereas someone like Joe Lauzon saying that would probably not get another oppurtunity.
Sorry if that made little sense but I'm tired and hopefully can word it better later if anyone cares enough to know what I meant and didnt understand

neonatural45 · #9 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dork8503

im sure chuck, randy and tito have a big say who they will and wont fight, same goes with like hughes, they dont get the final say but im sure they have some pull

Fighters rarely will choose, UFC has final say and if its a UFN the spike and the UFC have final say. Hughes doesnt choose who he fights. He asked for diego and they said no. Tito has alot of friends at LHW and imo that gets in the way of matchups.

BigBanda · #10 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 07:40 PM

The thing I found weird was with Evan Tanner. The thread I posted on him today was an interview. Tanner said he has 1 last fight on his UFC contract. He has not fought in almost 1 year and now says he isnt going to fight until the school is up and running and he has his competitive team established. So that right there tells me that Tanner's contract probably gives him some sort of control.