NSAC's Fertitta suddenly changed sanctioning vote to: UFC wrong for NV

2006 "No Holds barred" Podcast Interviev: Bob Merowtiz Former UFC/SEG Owner

[YT]?v=FTu3O0STISg[/YT]


Meyrowitz: "Well, you're leading me into... you know, an area that I really don't like to talk about.

But, the fact is that we (UFC/SEG) went before, or were scheduled to go before, the Nevada Athletic Commission, as we did with every athletic commission. We worked very hard to make sure everybody understood it, and everyone knew what we where doing, and what we were talking about.

There was a new young commissioner who seemed to like it and it looked like we had all the votes we needed. The night before at midnight I got a call telling me that this young commissioner decided this was just wrong for Nevada and that it would be a big mistake for Nevada to approve it... so that commissioner had changed his mind and was going to vote against it."

Interviewer: "Do you happen to recall his name?"

Meyrowitz: (Laughs)

Interviewer: "Or what he's doing now? Or, maybe it's obvious?"

Meyrowitz: "Well, for anybody who doesn't know, that commissioner is named Lorenzo Fertitta."


Wiki - Robert "Bob" Meyrowitz is the co-creator of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He was the owner of the UFC until he sold it to Zuffa in 2001.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Meyrowitz

Wiki - Lorenzo Fertitta Affiliations
- President and Chief Executive Officer of Gordon Biersch Brewing Company
- Chairman of the Nevada Resort Association
- Commissioner on the Nevada State Athletic Commission (November 1996 to July 2000)
- Former Advisory Board Member of Nevada First Bank
- Director on the American Gaming Association
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorenzo_Fertitta#Other_notable_positions_and_affiliations

Full Interview
@31:55 - https://archive.org/details/EddieGoldmanNOHOLDSBARREDEddieGoldmanSpeaksWithBobMeyrowitz
@31:55 - https://ia902308.us.archive.org/1/i...DEddieGoldmanSpeaksWithBobMeyrowitz/nhb20.mp3

 

It's old news and it's been debated on here to death. The same thing with Xyience having a sketchy history. It's not a surprise how much corruption is in Vegas, especially in the Casino and fight business.

 

Ya Lorenzo and his brother stole the ufc from Bob, but business will be business I guess..

 

Most here are 2013, 2014 or 013'ers.

 

It's old, but I think it's important for the noobs to learn the history of it.

 

No, it's actually called corruption and it is illegal for a person in a state appointed regulatory position to use their office, while in office, to interfere with the market that they police as well as making personal gains from it. Again, while in office.

That is about as big a conflict of interest between a state regulator and the industry/market they regulate as their could possibly be. This kind of corruption is very much illegal. Easily akin to insider trading by a Securities and Exchange Commission official. That also is a jailable offense by the way.

 

I agree.

 

Lorenzo is a gangster

People were bitching about Pride being run by organized crime when it was going on in UFC at the same time.

 

He decided that he liked it so much that he would like to buy it. He then voted against it so it would be temporarily banned, so that he could get it for cheaper.

 

Shrewd move.

 

To be fair, Most here have been banned since 2003. Im 2009 and i been here since 2006.

 

http://www.global-mma.com/t8544-proof-fertitta-family-is-100-yr-old-mafia-family-not-just-ties

I think you're not supposed to post links to other forums, so if this is disapproved of, just delete it.

 

Good luck proving anything. Unless you have proof in writing or a recorded conversation (recorded legally and admissible as evidence) it is impossible to prove.

 

That's the brutal irony.

 

Pride or any international org has nothing on us. We are more corrupt. We are just better at hiding it.....

 

Was this before or after the Unified Rules were adopted? Were there any changes that Fertitta wanted to see that were made after his not voting to sanction it in Nevada but were adopted after he purchased? What did Zuffa do regarding MMA to bring it back from the "Dark Ages"? What did SEG do wrong with MMA prior to Zuffa getting into the sport?

 

The motivation behind the obviously made up story of how Dana brought the Fetitas the idea of buying the UFC makes a lot more sense now.

 

I believe he said his failure was cuz he marketed it as human ****-fighting while the new owners marketed it more like a sport. Also ruled and time probably helped it become more watchable and professional.

 

Sounds shady

How much revenue did SEG lose by not being allowed to fight in NV? Was it enough to put them out of business?

 

Only problem with that is how Dana fits into this story at all. He's obviously connected here or his billion dollar buddies are not going to give him 5% of the company and title of President.