Francis wants freedom to box, Fedor wanted freedom to do sambo - did UFC learned from past??

[fedja]

So, more or less 15 years latter indisputably best HW in the world is again in collision with UFC.

Fedor wanted freedom, Francis also!

Fedor said that he didn't want to be a slave, Francis also!

Fedor said that it is not just about the money, but about how UFC (Dana) was talking to him like he is not on same level as they are (as a person). Francis said the same thing, that he didn't like how Dana was acting (,,from power position").

UFC is still the same as before, as we can see.

Do you think that they will let another HW Goat go separate way, or will they be a little bit wiser (and more humain) this time??

2 things go Francis way :
1. UFC experience with Fedor, they all remember that they shit the bed in that one.
2. Francis is already their champion, so him leaving is worse than Fedor not coming in.

 

[markg171]

Only one of them has ever actually been the champion though.

 

[DS66]

It's tough. From a human level and from the perspective of the fighters, of course I'd want these guys to have the freedom to be able to compete in other orgs while under contract. But looking at it from the perspective of both the UFC as a company/brand and a fan's perspective, the exclusivity in UFC contracts makes a ton of sense. It's tough to argue that they actually made the wrong decision with Fedor, when you look at how much the UFC has grown in popularity (and revenue) since that time. In fact, it pretty much proved Dana's theory- That the UFC as a brand is bigger than the individual fighters, and that they will stick to their guns and won't bend their rules for anyone (unless that person grows to a point in popularity where their brand is actually bigger than the UFC's, which Conor is the only one to achieve). Once they start bending the rules for a guy like Francis, it's a slippery slope and they start losing leverage and we start seeing situations like boxing where the best never fight the best. Dana knows the power in the UFC brand and it's hard to blame him for using his leverage and sticking to his business model that has been so successful up until this point.

 

[Brigfa]

UFC lost nothing by not bending to Fedor and Ngannou is even less popular than him.
They are wise that's why they are not letting fighters screw them.
Btw Fedor made the right choice because if he were in the UFC, he would've ended like Ben Askren

 

[TheNinja]

It's tough. From a human level and from the perspective of the fighters, of course I'd want these guys to have the freedom to be able to compete in other orgs while under contract. But looking at it from the perspective of both the UFC as a company/brand and a fan's perspective, the exclusivity in UFC contracts makes a ton of sense. It's tough to argue that they actually made the wrong decision with Fedor, when you look at how much the UFC has grown in popularity (and revenue) since that time. In fact, it pretty much proved Dana's theory- That the UFC as a brand is bigger than the individual fighters, and that they will stick to their guns and won't bend their rules for anyone (unless that person grows to a point in popularity where their brand is actually bigger than the UFC's, which Conor is the only one to achieve). Once they start bending the rules for a guy like Francis, it's a slippery slope and they start losing leverage and we start seeing situations like boxing where the best never fight the best. Dana knows the power in the UFC brand and it's hard to blame him for using his leverage and sticking to his business model that has been so successful up until this point.

Only a very few like Conor were really huge names outside of UFC. Well I guess GSP, Ronda, Anderson, and some others. You are spot on. UFC is a name brand, it's not built on the fighters.

Whereas the NBA conversely, for a huge part now, is a players' league. They run they show. They decide where they'll play and when......b/c it's the players bringing in the money, not necessarily the teams. Nobody cared about Brooklyn before Durant and his grew. The Bucks before Giannis? an afterthought (unless you go WAY back).

Plus honestly, yes I want fighter's rights and freedoms. But do you think Dana' bottom line was affected in any noticable way without having Fedor? Likely not, and they won't lose much if Francis walks either. Cruel business.

 

[StoneColdSteveAustin]

He doesn’t want to box, he wants the money from it because the UFC won’t pay him properly.

 

[El Fernas]

Was Sambo a direct business competitor or something for the UFC business? Cause boxing in the US sounds like it is, MMA guys do BJJ competitions all the time, i dont see the UFC banning those, boxing for millions under a different promotion probably wouldnt fly for any combat sports promotion.

 

[saminex]

I don't think Fedor's contract disputes had anything to do with Sambo. It was b/c M1 wanted UFC to co promote if they gave up Fedor, to which Dana was unwilling to do.

 

[Orochimaru 大蛇丸]

The UFC should 100% pay these guys way more

But I don't blame them for not letting their fighters under contract compete in other sports for other people

 

[Sweater of AV]

He doesn’t want to box, he wants the money from it because the UFC won’t pay him properly.

He absolutely wants to box. The only reason he started in MMA was because it was an easier route to making money.

 

[StoneColdSteveAustin]

He absolutely wants to box. The only reason he started in MMA was because it was an easier route to making money.

If the ufc paid him properly I doubt we’d be hearing much about this.

 

[Sweater of AV]

I don't think Fedor's contract disputes had anything to do with Sambo. It was b/c M1 wanted UFC to co promote if they gave up Fedor, to which Dana was unwilling to do.

It had to do with quite a few things, including Sambo, image rights etc.

There was never a chance in hell both sides would agree.

 

[SeattleFightFan]

What exactly are you suggesting they learned?

So, more or less 15 years latter indisputably best HW in the world is again in collision with UFC.

Fedor wanted freedom, Francis also!

Fedor said that he didn't want to be a slave, Francis also!

Fedor said that it is not just about the money, but about how UFC (Dana) was talking to him like he is not on same level as they are (as a person). Francis said the same thing, that he didn't like how Dana was acting (,,from power position").

UFC is still the same as before, as we can see.

Do you think that they will let another HW Goat go separate way, or will they be a little bit wiser (and more humain) this time??

2 things go Francis way :
1. UFC experience with Fedor, they all remember that they shit the bed in that one.
2. Francis is already their champion, so him leaving is worse than Fedor not coming in.

Are you suggesting that UFC wishes they’d signed Fedor and given away production rights to Eastern Europe?

If so, I disagree.

 

[Sweater of AV]

If the ufc paid him properly I doubt we’d be hearing much about this.

Let me put it this way. If he was being paid equally then he would definitely box.

In his interview today he said he wants to be treated as a free man and it's not just about money. He turned down a big offer from the UFC in the weeks before the fight.

 

[StoneColdSteveAustin]

Let me put it this way. If he was being paid equally then he would definitely box.

In his interview today he said he wants to be treated as a free man and it's not just about money. He turned down a big offer from the UFC in the weeks before the fight.

I feel like his opinion of the ufc and Dana has soured the last year.

 

[Poirierfan]

He doesn’t want to box, he wants the money from it because the UFC won’t pay him properly.

Francis just said on the MMA hour that he missed out on 7 million by not resigning.

 

[HHJ]

I don't think Fedor's contract disputes had anything to do with Sambo. It was b/c M1 wanted UFC to co promote if they gave up Fedor, to which Dana was unwilling to do.

There was alot of shit,it wasnt just one thing.

Fedor before this was pretty free to do whatever he wanted,and didnt have things in the contract forbidding him to leave as champion,shit like that. I could understand a guy with options not wanting to sign with such restrictions.

We were in a time where things were changing real fast.

 

[StoneColdSteveAustin]

Francis just said on the MMA hour that he missed out on 7 million by not resigning.

He could make more in one high profile boxing match.

 

[Psychedelic]

He doesn’t want to box, he wants the money from it because the UFC won’t pay him properly.

He said he left 7 million dollars on the table between the Stipe and the Gane fight.

The UFC offered Francis a much more lucrative contract, and he still turned it down.

 

[Shaddows]

So, more or less 15 years latter indisputably best HW in the world is again in collision with UFC.

Fedor wanted freedom, Francis also!

Fedor said that he didn't want to be a slave, Francis also!

Fedor said that it is not just about the money, but about how UFC (Dana) was talking to him like he is not on same level as they are (as a person). Francis said the same thing, that he didn't like how Dana was acting (,,from power position").

UFC is still the same as before, as we can see.

Do you think that they will let another HW Goat go separate way, or will they be a little bit wiser (and more humain) this time??

2 things go Francis way :
1. UFC experience with Fedor, they all remember that they shit the bed in that one.
2. Francis is already their champion, so him leaving is worse than Fedor not coming in.

OK, let us separate two things:
1) Fedor was already the GOAT. Francis is not even close to that.
but
2) The UFC did change, and Conor is prof of that.
The UFC did it with Conor, they can do it with Francis.
So IMHO the issue here is how much the UFC is willing to pay, and how much Francis will think it is fair.
Beyond that, since it already happened with another UFC fighter, this is not about if they "can do" something, but if they are willing to do.

It is a strictly business decision, and the UFC banked they did not need him (since they had Gane, but Gane lost and now they are stuck).

It will be an interesting year for sure!