Benson Henderson: My phone keeps ringing, UFC fighters asking about move to Bellator

[KinG]

if it continues like this , bellator and ufc will be neck and neck within 3 years

 

[Kim Jong Un]

Now the revolution begins.

 

[AGEZ909]

Fighters actually want to fight. If he fights once this year, then complains on social media in October about not getting a fight like Brooks is doing, that's not a win.

well considering bellator upped their events from 16 to 24... im sure people will be getting more fights.

 

[rush61]

Competition breeds excellence.

UFC pay table is strange and the reebok deal is shit. More guys start leaving, Dana will have to fix these issues.

Hence the Monday Night Wars.

 

[LaneTM]

Cerrone vs Benson 4 on Bellator.

Spanning three different organizations..WOOD lol

 

[effedup]

Maybe because they want to fight the top guys in the world and be relevant in the mainstream sports world

That doesn't make any sense. Most of these guys have bills to pay. If one org (plus sponsors) are paying you 20-50% more, you wouldn't take it because you wouldn't be fighting the best competition?

Bellator is also picking up steam, partly because they're buying out all of the UFC's old contracts (so to speak), but there show isn't that bad. The tournament style fight is great and casuals can appreciate the 2 round fights.

Not only that but competition is clearly becoming subjective.. Sage Northcutt probably belongs in Bellator or WSOF but he's getting paid up to 50 thousand more per fight (most fighters start out with 15/15 contracts, Northcutt's getting 40/40).

Not to throw Sage under the bus, he has great potential but from what we saw last fight he illustrates the example perfectly.

 

[MMA-woooooh!!!!]

if you can make decent money fighting in different orgs, get sponsors that you like, and probably have easier fights then you totally should. ufc pays it's most marketable guys the best, letting other decent fighters go or paying them less than they deserve, so why not go where the money is? being the best ain't shit if you ain't gettin paid, luckily the champs seem to like their pay, but if you are one of those middle of the pack guys you should definitely go where they're willing to pay you closer to what you want and give you less restrictions on how to make more money.

 

[Roljo]

It is intreresting though. It depends on the fighter. Edson Barboza is my coach and says nothing but good things about the UFC. He said his past contract, they upped his pay significantly and that doesn't include bonuses which he has made a lot of. He says UFC are great people.

Edson is one of the most spectacular fighters on the ufc, of course he is getting taken care of. But a guy like Benson that is a former champ and still is one of the best but isn't as spectacular and as popular is getting funked

 

[Deleted member 429453]

Much like Strikeforce this model of Coker's Bellator will fail.

Viacom will give him money up until some point and then expect big results. Those will not come and much like Strikefoce, Bellator will fall hard. Sadly

Don't think strikeforce failed i think they cashed out and sold

Belator to me seems like it could be bigger than strikeforce was

 

[KantoTerror]

Much like Strikeforce this model of Coker's Bellator will fail.

Viacom will give him money up until some point and then expect big results. Those will not come and much like Strikefoce, Bellator will fall hard. Sadly

The point is having a competitive promotion is a fucking good deal for mma & the fighters...UFC is huge but they seem to fuck up more than they should.
You seem to hate Bellator existing like cancer and should fail. What makes them not fail is the reality that some fighters are able to transition when they're career in the UFC is not stable or worst...done( koscheck).
I will continue to watch every MMA promo because in the end I love MMA. I'm not happy with the UFC pay structure but that's their decision...it's up to the fighters if they continue to re-sign or shop around..

 

[LoopingRight]

Dana's going to be busy at the negotiation table.

 

[KantoTerror]

if it continues like this , bellator and ufc will be neck and neck within 3 years

Well the reebok deal lasts longer than that so 5 years you're saying Bellator would have the upper hand? I doubt it...UFC will always be bigger but all in all...it's good for the fighters to have that option B.

 

[method115]

I danced and celebrated when Nog beat him too but nothing made me as happy as when Randy beat him down especially after what Timmeh said before the fight.

That Randy fight was crazy. I saw it come on about a year ago when I was at a meeting in downtown during lunch. I literally didn't pay attention to one thing that was said I was just watching the fight the whole time. Luckily my boss did cause he had to break it down for me after that. Tv lined up perfectly so that I could make it look like I was paying attention to the speaker but I wasn't.

 

[legkicktko]

700k will get you an avg size house 30 mins outside Vancouver

His house is on the water in coconut creek. I'm sure most fighters aren't there financially but he still could be paid more as they all should imo.

I'm just saying you don't have to be a champ to live comfortably as some have implied.

 

[GENERAL AZUL]

Well, i think Bendo is pretty talented, but it's not like i'm looking forward to watch his fights. I guess he did what was best for his career.

 

[Mpower]

Benson will be on InsideMMA on AXS TV tonight. Could be entertaining, its the show with that jagoff Kenny Rice who cut Askrens interview short and went on a rant about Ben being crazy and how EVERYBODY wants to be in the UFC.

Kenny Rice is like a JC Penny's shoe salesman

 

[stillm93]

Hence the Monday Night Wars.

UFC Attitude Era!

 

[edirp]

I know for sure one of those fighters ain't Joe Lauzon. If I was Joe, I'll call out Benson for being classless and disrespectful. Joe would take his arm home if they fought right now.

 

[gokousupasayan]

Reminds me of back in the day when it was the WCW vs WWE (formerly WWF). Back when guys were all jumping from one promotion to the other.

 

[Deleted member 196663]

Wasn't Benson about to enter the next tier in the Reebok payscale?? What is his agent thinking??