Dana White: 'No problem' if Eddie Alvarez wants to finish career outside UFC

[skylolow]

Dana chews you up and spits you out when you’re used and broken.

That is the way of the UFC. Thanks for getting brain damage on my program, now don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

Seriously, what do you guys expect MMA orgs to do???

In all sports you reach a point where you just don't have it and its time to retire. Nothing more or less. Yet, some of you make it out like the these orgs should pay you until your in the grave. Life isn't fair and its even more unfair in the business /sports world.

 

[Bobby Boulders]

I think some of you misunderstood what Dana was actually saying. Eddie isn't going to get the same kind of money he wants fighting for the UFC. Dana was saying that if some other org offers him a great deal with a lot of money, he doesn't blame Eddie for taking it. He wasn't shitting on Eddie, he was saying that Eddie isn't going to come back on a huge contract.

 

[Rebel_LioN]

Hockey...back in the 70s?

Isn’t the 70s like 50 years ago?

Seriously, what do you guys expect MMA orgs to do???

In all sports you reach a point where you just don't have it and its time to retire. Nothing more or less. Yet, some of you make it out like the these orgs should pay you until your in the grave. Life isn't fair and its even more unfair in the business /sports world.

Maybe stop raping them for their money? Taking the majority of the money and paying them peanuts in dividends? Let them earn some sponsor money?

 

[Dave Poodle]

He came to the UFC on a great contract because they had to outbid Bellator. They went after him because there was high demand to see him in UFC. They're not going to offer him anything close to that now. He could be valuable to other promotions though and Bellator are now flush with DAZN dollars and have said they're going to pursue high profile free agents. UFC will keep him if they can get him at a cheaper rate but I have a feeling he's going back to the underground where he was king.

 

[machidafan99]

Eddie took a big risk with the Poirier fight being his last on his contract.

Eddie should have asked for at least $10 mill for the Conor fight. (which was supposed to be "easy money")

Maybe he consulted Big Country on that decision.

 

[CerebralKnievel]

Dana's so stupid. You don't let exciting fighters walk. You just don't.

The subtext here is that Dana would love to keep Eddie (he's as exciting as a fighter gets) but the UFC won't be willing to pay him what he's been making, because they see him as on the decline.

Basically, this is a cop-out. This is the fight business. Exciting fighters tune in viewers. The UFC just doesn't want to pay anyone unless they're on the rise and they feel compelled to, or that person markets themselves (because we all know the UFC is apparently incapable of conducting their own quality marketing).

 

[neandertal]

So he dont want to pay him.. wants hm to go

 

[MMA4Life]

Difficult to pass judgement on this approach by Dana until we see the contract offer provided to Alvarez.

This comment coupled with a £100,000/£100,000 fight contract for an old vet who always brings it on fight night? Cool.

This comment coupled with a £20,000/£20,000 deal? Shithouse behaviour.

Going to Bellator you get away from the Reebok kits but Rory McDonald made 100k for his last fight. They paid Sonnen and Rampage 300k on the same card so maybe he gets a deal like that but to actually get to my point if he is only going to make 100k in Bellator, the UFC should match... I still am kind of baffled they let Rory go and he is not making that much in Bellator so the UFC must have lowballed the shit out of him. Sage Northcutt will probably be offered a better deal than Rory was.

 

[Dave Poodle]

Basically, this is a cop-out. This is the fight business. Exciting fighters tune in viewers. The UFC just doesn't want to pay anyone unless they're on the rise and they feel compelled to, or that person markets themselves (because we all know the UFC is apparently incapable of conducting their own quality marketing).

Unfortunately his last fight did terrible numbers and was the lowest rated UFC on Fox ever despite being a great card and getting more promotion than the average Fox card. I love watching his fights but that's going to hurt him when it comes to negotiations.

 

[basedgodfedor]

Bad move

 

[Azure]

He said “at the end of the day we are looking for young guys that want to be champions”. That’s something every fighter should remember before signing their next ufc contract.

Of course they want that.. Every league wants new young stars.. But what Dana said was.."If you want to sign here great..If you want to leave, good luck. It is up to you."(paraphrase)

I don't see anything wrong with anything he said and it was probably one of the most reasonable things he has said over the last year or so.

 

[XxWolfXx]

CM Punk was a young guy looking to be champ.

LOL

 

[drbolony]

Damn, feels bad man.

 

[Ozze]

Dana just being real. Eddie is on his way down, so it will be his money deals from now on.

Unless he somehow finds a good deal outside the UFC. Dana is just saying that at this point, when you're on your way out is better to just secure your future. No more dreams to chase, it's all black and white now.

 

[TheShogunner]

He didn't really say anything bad here, I don't think. Basically said he thinks if Eddie gets a better offer elsewhere, he should take it and harbors no ill will towards Eddie if he decides to do that.

This is what I'm thinking as well.. I think people are reading a bit too much into it. And I'm not a Dana supporter

 

[HaulParris]

I disagree with Dana. Having fighters like Cerrone, Immortal, Barbarian, Magny, Alvarez, Boa Constrictor, etc, is very important to every division. These dudes are not gunning for a belt, but they help sustain a healthy deep weight class, filling out the middle between the rising prospects on the bottom and the champions/contenders on top.

 

[beastman]

Good LW's over 34 y/o are very rare.

 

[Mammothman]

He can easily be champ in ONE FC or WSOF, another nice belt to his collection of belt from other organizations

 

[Ying Li]

I already started a thread on this. He's elite but past prime. He should sign with a no name overseas org like One FC or Rizin for a big paycheck, crush cans for 2 years then retire.

OR he can be cannon fodder for the up and comers. Bad idea.

 

[Kinku]

This tough pill swallow for Eddie, he had small taste of being a ufc champ. Being a UFC for more profitable than any other organization but at his age and stage of life I would think he would put his family first before him.