Josh Thomson: "The UFC did try to re-sign me, but couldn't match Bellator's offer"

[method115]

You're totally sidestepping the issue. You said nothing. Outside of maybe the top five to ten athletes in the entire organization, this Reebok deal is screwing the fighters majorly and is a huge incentive to go to other organizations.

I agree and I see a lot of fighters like Josh Thompson leaving the UFC. I think anyone the UFC wants to keep they will keep and anyone else they will let go. Not sure if Bellator will be able to pick up everyone though.

 

[cumafish]

Has any head of a company ever been caught so consistently in lies as Dana White?

 

[FlowWithTheGo23]

I agree and I see a lot of fighters like Josh Thompson leaving the UFC. I think anyone the UFC wants to keep they will keep and anyone else they will let go. Not sure if Bellator will be able to pick up everyone though.

Sure, the UFC is not going to let people like Ronda, Conor, and other stars go. But they're going to let a lot of top 10 fighters who aren't stars head to other organizations. Bellator is thanking god right now for the Reebok deal.

 

[method115]

Nice try. They would match if they could. It's just that they can't. You don't probably know how this works. Zuffa has budget for every fighter. They know what they are willing to pay. They made an offer to re-sign...thompson went to shop...got a better deal from bellator...Of course it all boils down to that extra sponsorship money - That UFC won't be able to match (because of the Reebok deal).

My point is the UFC has the money and means to keep Josh if they wanted to. They didn't feel he was worth the extra money. When Bellator wanted Gilbert Melendez the UFC kept him by offering him more money and giving him PPV points.

 

[Rational Poster]

They'd have to pay him more than $100k per fight to make up for the sponsorship monies he'd lose if he stayed with the UFC. There are very few fighters the UFC would pay that money to because it defeats the purpose of the Rebox deal.

Josh was making 85/85 in the UFC.

Bellator isn't going to come close to that. If he is lucky he'll break even but I'm reasonably certain he'll be taking a loss somewhere. The champion at 155 in Bellator doesn't make 100K per fight. Michael Chandler makes 25/25.

Sponsors don't pay Bellator fighters like they used to pay UFC fighters.

 

[YagyuINC]

Viacom and Coker are much better at this than Dana...Scott Coker is a professional... never once have we seen him crying like Dana, or starting drama over petty personal things, or saying stuff like this to stroke his (Dana's) ego. Dana is just toxic. UFC pays the fighters poorly, and limits the freedom of fighters to make money. All the internet interest trends we saw this month show that UFC isn't nearly as big as Ronda. We had Conor way, way down...basically an unknown outside of Ireland and hardcore ufc fans...then about 20% up we had UFC, then about double the searches of UFC and then some...Ronda. Guys(girls) like Ronda, Brock, Kimbo...they are big draws because they are in the mainstream. As long as Dana is there, UFC is never going to get there...We are going to see Bellator and Scott Coker growing continually, and UFC still stagnant. Sad state of MMA lately, I hope they work it out.

 

[KantoTerror]

No it's not: http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2015/6/9...dea-of-free-agency-signs-new-8-fight-ufc-deal

From Chad Mendes:



Anybody who's worth a damn to the UFC will be shown $$ in accordance with their worth. Josh Thompson was clearly not worth a damn to the UFC. UFC will always get to keep the majority of the best fighters and that's what matters. The Josh Thompsons and Josh Koschecks of the world can do whatever they want, won't change much of anything.

Ahahaha...ok. You realize it now? Fighters at the end of their contracts are reconsidereing options outside of UFC before signing back. It's a good sign...In the end, the pull of sponsorship money vs. what UFC can pay (without sponsorship money) will be the deciding factor where the fighter would sign. It's a good thing for MMA. I won't be salty where fighters fight. I watch both shows. Happy fighters fight better.

 

[KantoTerror]

My point is the UFC has the money and means to keep Josh if they wanted to. They didn't feel he was worth the extra money. When Bellator wanted Gilbert Melendez the UFC kept him by offering him more money and giving him PPV points.

They didn't have the means. Every fighter would not only ask to match the bellator $$$ but also the sponsorship money that they won't have if they sign with UFC. That's the bottom line. The Melendez deal was pre Reebok deal...nice try.

 

[Mr. Hammer]

Hard to buy it with Thomson being on a convenient 3 fight skid. Just like Kos' claim that it was his decision to choose Bellator over UFC.

 

[Rational Poster]

They didn't have the means. Every fighter would not only ask to match the bellator $$$ but also the sponsorship money that they won't have if they sign with UFC. That's the bottom line. The Melendez deal was pre Reebok deal...nice try.

You are wrong and it's so cute because you think it's true.

 

[Gohel]

Josh is 36 years old and 1-3 in his last UFC run, I doubt the UFC wanted him that bad.

 

[AGEZ909]

I see a trend here as well. not a huge one, but one that sparks my curiosity... bellator is drawing in the fighters that will help them draw ratings... its a time game imo... i feel like there will be very interesting signings come 2016... as bellator grows ratings, they will be able to charge more for ad space and sponsor Will be more inclined to play ball.. fighters will come...

I think the best is yet to come.

 

[KantoTerror]

You are wrong and it's so cute because you think it's true.

And you think you're right? lol. shill.

 

[method115]

Sure, the UFC is not going to let people like Ronda, Conor, and other stars go. But they're going to let a lot of top 10 fighters who aren't stars head to other organizations. Bellator is thanking god right now for the Reebok deal.

Yep I agree. Bellator can thank god but top 10 fighters don't guarantee them ratings. They need stars like Tito and Kimbo those are what have shown to draw big ratings.

 

[Zefram Cochrane]

so Dana lied? Breaking news, folks!

 

[cade187]

To be honest he's not worth that much to the UFC. I like the Punk, but his only good performance in the UFC was against Nate Diaz and he's 1-3 since coming back. He can be a marquee fighter in another organization. People are acting like the UFC should have outbid Bellator or matched when he is on a 3 fight losing streak.

I'm looking forward to seeing him against some of Bellator's top LWs, but I think Chandler and Brooks beat him at this point in their respective careers.

 

[Kinku]

Viacom and Coker are much better at this than Dana...Scott Coker is a professional... never once have we seen him crying like Dana, or starting drama over petty personal things, or saying stuff like this to stroke his (Dana's) ego. Dana is just toxic. UFC pays the fighters poorly, and limits the freedom of fighters to make money. All the internet interest trends we saw this month show that UFC isn't nearly as big as Ronda. We had Conor way, way down...basically an unknown outside of Ireland and hardcore ufc fans...then about 20% up we had UFC, then about double the searches of UFC and then some...Ronda. Guys(girls) like Ronda, Brock, Kimbo...they are big draws because they are in the mainstream. As long as Dana is there, UFC is never going to get there...We are going to see Bellator and Scott Coker growing continually, and UFC still stagnant. Sad state of MMA lately, I hope they work it out.

What. I heard this spew before when strikeforce was around. UFC isnt going anywhere and bellator will never top ufc in ten years. Soo bellator pick up two fighters in ufc recently, which both have losing streaks, and now we're thinking this is end of ufc. If bellator pick up Mendes than I will consider the possibility.

 

[Oblivian]

This is a battle of semantics. I wouldn't be surprised if UFC did try to resign him at a lower rate than his previous contract. Bellator could have offered more and the UFC didn't match. Both arguments are true there - UFC did try to resign as Josh says and the UFC really wasn't interested per Dana's quote.

 

[method115]

They didn't have the means. Every fighter would not only ask to match the bellator $$$ but also the sponsorship money that they won't have if they sign with UFC. That's the bottom line. The Melendez deal was pre Reebok deal...nice try.

WTF are you talking about are you trying to convince me that a billion dollar company couldn't afford to keep Thompson? What does it matter if Melendez was signed prerebook? Are you trying to convince me that sponsor ship money makes more then PPV points?

 

[method115]

This is a battle of semantics. I wouldn't be surprised if UFC did try to resign him at a lower rate than his previous contract. Bellator could have offered more and the UFC didn't match. Both arguments are true there - UFC did try to resign as Josh says and the UFC really wasn't interested per Dana's quote.

This is exactly what I think happened.