MMA Fighters: Can payouts become a hazard to the sport?

Steel · #1 (**permalink**) 05-05-2007, 02:34 PM

I got to thinking about a post made earlier by Joekickass regarding a supposed $3m per fight payout to Fedor.

How do you see these large multimillion dollar deals affecting MMA as a whole?

Smaller promotions won't be able to afford certain caliber talent..but in the same respect will they be able to find and promote hungrier fighters?

Will the dollars in the development budget make the UFC an unstoppable force via talent raids, buyouts etc.?

I watched Hockey lose much of its following to greed..I would hate to see this ever happen to a sport that is even less mainstream than Hockey.

Food for thought...let us discuss!

SnakeD · #2 (**permalink**) 05-05-2007, 02:45 PM

I think all sports benefit from developmental leagues. Because of the buyout of Pride, there now is even more distance between Pride/UFC, and the smaller promotions. I don't count Bodog, give them five years, then judge them. Those smaller, already established shows, will have to accept their position as minor leagues, paying lesser known fighters smaller amounts, or face bankruptcy trying to secure 1-2 superstars to long term deals. Build up these fighters, send them to the big leagues. A big leaguer gets roughed up, send him down for a couple of fights.

Only established superstars should get the big cash. If they have proven their ability to draw, it only makes sense to reward them.

sandywh · #3 (**permalink**) 05-05-2007, 02:55 PM

Any payout over $1 million is rediculous. If Fedor had a fight at $3 mil, it better be against the absolute #2 in the world. And it would only be 1 fight. Its the lack of absolute greed that makes most MMA fighters more appealing to fans than boxers. I love that fact that a guy like Matt Serra lives in a house 1/2 the size of mine and sacrifices in order to do what he does. The major brands are having enough trouble keeping the sharks (Don King, Goosen) out their sport without some "sideshow" inviting that kind of trouble in. The last thing I want to see is MMA become boxing: paper champions, rigged fights, ducking guys because "the money's not right", this can't fight that guy because the promoters won't work with each other. etc.

smoogy · #4 (**permalink**) 05-05-2007, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandywh

Any payout over $1 million is rediculous. If Fedor had a fight at $3 mil, it better be against the absolute #2 in the world. And it would only be 1 fight. Its the lack of absolute greed that makes most MMA fighters more appealing to fans than boxers. I love that fact that a guy like Matt Serra lives in a house 1/2 the size of mine and sacrifices in order to do what he does. The major brands are having enough trouble keeping the sharks (Don King, Goosen) out their sport without some "sideshow" inviting that kind of trouble in. The last thing I want to see is MMA become boxing: paper champions, rigged fights, ducking guys because "the money's not right", this can't fight that guy because the promoters won't work with each other. etc.

That is an interesting premise since Couture, Liddell and Ortiz have all made more than $1m for a fight before in addition to some Japanese fighters in PRIDE getting multi-million paydays. The thing you are overlooking is that the UFC and any other promotion that runs a successful PPV show is making millions, if not tens of millions per show. The marquee fighters deserve a good chunk of that, and right now only the very top guys get a cut of that, and it usually isn't a huge cut either.

Oh, and MMA has already had paper champions and rigged fights.

Diegonightmare · #5 (**permalink**) 05-05-2007, 03:43 PM

What rigged fights have occurred? In a major promotion, or a smaller org?

valheruking · #6 (**permalink**) 05-05-2007, 03:50 PM

I believe Takada vs Coleman was rigged, it definately looked like it.

smoogy · #7 (**permalink**) 05-05-2007, 03:56 PM

From the UFC Japan Wiki:

Quote:

Superfight: Vitor Belfort vs. Joe Charles

Belfort wins by submission (armbar) at 4:04 of round 1. Belfort opted not to throw any strikes in this bout, in an effort to show himself as a well rounded fighter. Vitor claimed he was sick, and said that he would not fight unless he got to handpick his opposition. He chose Joe Charles who was a trainning parter of Belfort's. Belfort won what was pretty much a grappling match.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFC_Japan

There have been many fights in Japan over the years accused to being fixed.

As for paper champions, Tim Sylvia a few months ago and Sean Sherk right now.

sandywh · #8 (**permalink**) 05-05-2007, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smoogy

From the UFC Japan Wiki:

There have been many fights in Japan over the years accused to being fixed.

As for paper champions, Tim Sylvia a few months ago and Sean Sherk right now.

I have seen some questionable matchups in Japan, but I can't remember a "marquee" matchup appearing fixed.

Champions that caught a great break are different than "paper champs" Sylvia still had to go through Arlovski and Monson to get the title. Sherk is the LW champ for lack of quality depth in the division when the fight was penned. I beleive when that fight was announced there were only about 10 possible LW fighter that could make 155 at the time.

smoogy · #9 (**permalink**) 05-05-2007, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandywh

I have seen some questionable matchups in Japan, but I can't remember a "marquee" matchup appearing fixed.

Champions that caught a great break are different than "paper champs" Sylvia still had to go through Arlovski and Monson to get the title. Sherk is the LW champ for lack of quality depth in the division when the fight was penned. I beleive when that fight was announced there were only about 10 possible LW fighter that could make 155 at the time.

You are right about the LW division being weak when Sherk won the belt; actually, that is one of the reasons I consider him a paper champion. They should have waited until there was a legitimate challenger. And Sylvia didn't have to go through Monson to get the title. Arlovski was the best fighter to hold that iteration of the HW belt and he didn't have to beat anyone impressive to get it, so it is a paper championship.

sandywh · #10 (**permalink**) 05-05-2007, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smoogy

That is an interesting premise since Couture, Liddell and Ortiz have all made more than $1m for a fight before in addition to some Japanese fighters in PRIDE getting multi-million paydays. The thing you are overlooking is that the UFC and any other promotion that runs a successful PPV show is making millions, if not tens of millions per show. The marquee fighters deserve a good chunk of that, and right now only the very top guys get a cut of that, and it usually isn't a huge cut either.

Oh, and MMA has already had paper champions and rigged fights.

Plenty of guys end up pulling in $1 million + after the fight. Some guys have percentage clauses in their contracts. But you don't have guys refusing to fight until evey dollar is agreed upon.

BTW - Pride did have the huge paydays. Pride also sold out because of financial problems. Right?