How I would handle Okami and Fitch if I was Dana

[jodka]

I would give them the "Werdum" treatment.

Dana's mistake is not cutting them, that is a business decision. It's how he did it.

He should handle guys like he handled Werdum initially. After Werdum got KTFO by JDS, the UFC offered Werdum a substantial paycut to stay with the UFC. Werdum refused so they parted ways.

They should have done that with Fitch and Okami. Offer them new contracts at 50% paycut. If they say yes, cool. If they say no, then you part ways because you couldn't agree on financial terms. It's way cleaner than simply cutting them, because in a way it was partially their choice. You can say you wanted to keep them, but you couldn't come to a financial agreement. That happens all the time in all sports.

I don't see why the UFC seems to keep an all or nothing approach lately. At least offer less money to keep them, it can't hurt.

 

[jiujitsuforever]

dana wants to cut gatekeeps, aka about 50% of the roster atleast

 

[kevo1295]

I would make them fight each other. Winner takes all.

 

[jodka]

dana wants to cut gatekeeps, aka about 50% of the roster atleast

He wants to cut over-priced, boring gatekeepers. He will keep all the cheaper, exciting gatekeepers he can get.

 

[jodka]

I would make them fight each other. Winner takes all.

lol, that would actually be a fun fight, weight classes aside.

Fitch was always considered a huge WW before he cut a lot of meat out of his diet. Okami has fought at WW before. 177 catch weight fight between the two would be awesome. 185, Okami would be too big.

 

[SallySueSo]

TS, the root to your discussion is whether or not the UFC gives a shit about the reasoning behind why they cut a fighter. By doing it this way, they go a long way in telling the other fighters on the roster that, just because you're winning fights, nobody is safe. They want excitement and fan appeal. If you don't provide those two attributes, well, see ya later.

 

[Non]

I've heard from somebody else that was what happened with Okami anyway. His contract was up and they couldn't come up with an agreeable contract so he walked.

Whether its exactly what happened or not I can't say but I've at least heard that that was the case with Okami so there's the potential for it.

 

[filthynumber1]

Okami and Fitch were boring fighters as well as pricey.IMO . Bad combo

Sports in general is about winning
Ufc is...about entertaining, then winning.... So is ufc still a sport?

 

[ethanfranklin]

I would give them the "Werdum" treatment.

Dana's mistake is not cutting them, that is a business decision. It's how he did it.

He should handle guys like he handled Werdum initially. After Werdum got KTFO by JDS, the UFC offered Werdum a substantial paycut to stay with the UFC. Werdum refused so they parted ways.

They should have done that with Fitch and Okami. Offer them new contracts at 50% paycut. If they say yes, cool. If they say no, then you part ways because you couldn't agree on financial terms. It's way cleaner than simply cutting them, because in a way it was partially their choice. You can say you wanted to keep them, but you couldn't come to a financial agreement. That happens all the time in all sports.

I don't see why the UFC seems to keep an all or nothing approach lately. At least offer less money to keep them, it can't hurt.

Its the smart way to do it, but its a stupid thing to do, so TS is right and wrong.

It makes great short sighted and short term business to get rid of someone, and pay for ten prospects, one of which may be as good.

The problem is guys like Okami are few and far between, from a career stand point, and you could easily blow ten prospects and get no one near as good.

Its all after the fact though, because at 6 ranked fighter on the UFCs site, it was a dumb move period.

The biggest impact, is the corruption of the sport through choreography.

Dana just became creative director of the "fights".

No one wants that shit.

 

[dbsh209]

Dana - "I never tell fighters how to fight"

Yet countless of guys are cuts for their 'boring' grinding styles.

 

[Primebeatz]

I enjoy watching Okami. Stupid move to cut him. Cant really justify it and still call it a sport. Its an entertainment business. But yeah, offer a pay cut and if they dont agree with the pay, they can go elsewhere.

 

[Thy]

easy. don't put them on the main card and if they have an exciting fihgt then play that fight after the main event is over when there's extra time left to show an extra fight or 2 from earlier in the night.

 

[NRFC]

He wants to cut over-priced, boring gatekeepers.

for what its worth... I saw a post where Dana said price had nothing to do with Okami cut...

 

[NRFC]

Dana - "I never tell fighters how to fight"

Yet countless of guys are cuts for their 'boring' grinding styles.

You are misinterpreting his statement.

If you've heard his pre-fight speech to fighters...

He is saying if you are a striker.... go strike... if you are bjj guy... go after submissions relentlessly. Thats why bonuses are awarded. Don't Brandon Vera hold up against the cage and stall... don't john howard lay and pray. Thats not doing anything...

Thats where the statement comes from...

 

[WandySaku2]

Okami and Fitch were boring fighters as well as pricey.IMO . Bad combo

Sports in general is about winning
Ufc is...about entertaining, then winning.... So is ufc still a sport?

On a team by team basis, you're correct, but on a whole, all spectator sports are about entertainment. Of the major sports in America, all of them have have modified their rules to make the sport more pleasurable to a viewing audience (Basketball's shot clock, the forward pass in football, the MLB's PED policy up until recently, NASCAR and restrictor plates). If those things don't exist, you can bet they aren't as popular as they are now.

...and why do people care if the UFC/MMA is a "sport" or not? As long as I'm entertained (and it's real), I don't care what it's classified as.

Dana - "I never tell fighters how to fight"

Yet countless of guys are cuts for their 'boring' grinding styles.

There's more con's in keeping Okami, than pro's. If Okami fans are upset that he got cut, I understand that. I personally don't think he should have been cut, but to say it was a stupid cut or doesn't make sense would be silly.

 

[theramblingrep]

Cutting them is at least the direct, no BS way to do it. The UFC could easily sideline guys until they quit, or offer pay cuts, but straight cutting does the best thing by the fighter in my opinion. Good thing about the UFC is that their no-compete clauses don't seem to be crippling and cut fighters can get work right away.

 

[jthatdude]

I wasn't upset when Fitch got cut and I'm not upset about Okami being cut. No matter what their rankings were, they were both boring fighters. People want to go all crazy over this like Okami was Nick Diaz or BJ Penn being cut. Think about this for a second, BJ Penn and Nick Diaz not fighting for over a year got more attention than Okami while he was actively fighting in the UFC.

 

[BillyPilgrim]

I'm with you man. I was thinking the same thing. UFC could save some face if they were just honest and said that they weren't willing to give him what he thought he deserved. If he agrees then put him on the undercard, etc.

 

[Jew Jif Shoes]

Okami and Fitch were boring fighters as well as pricey.IMO . Bad combo

Sports in general is about winning
Ufc is...about entertaining, then winning.... So is ufc still a sport?

UFC = Business/Promotion

MMA = Sport

Can't blame the UFC for making a business decision, they didn't think Okami or Fitch were making back the money that was being spent to keep them around.

 

[thobra]

It is stupid to punish someone that follow the rules. I hate Okami And Fitchs boring styles, but the only way to fix it is to chance the rules. K1 is a great example. Clinching is boring, so they banned clinching. Pointfighters could win by hit And run, so they changed the rules, And now everyone need to move forward.
Semmy was unbeatable with his knees, And it was predictable And boring, so they banned more than one knee In the clinch.

The only way to do it In a young sport.