MMA Fighting - UFC Cancels an Event for First Time in Company History https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52789/mma_minimal_navy..jpg2012-09-07T10:25:04-04:00http://www.mmafighting.com/rss/stream/30274962012-09-07T10:25:04-04:002012-09-07T10:25:04-04:00UFC 151 Cancellation Was at Least a $40 Million Hit for All Parties Involved
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<figcaption>Esther Lin, MMA Fighting</figcaption>
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<p>Between businesses directly and indirectly tied to UFC 151, the show falling apart had a major financial impact in many different places.
</p> <p>While people can debate forever on who was right or wrong, and who deserves what blame for the cancellation of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/97820/ufc-151-jones-vs-henderson">UFC 151</a>, there is no question who financially is taking the biggest hit.</p>
<p>While <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122514/jon-jones">Jon Jones</a> may make a few less bucks, since he fights on a pay-per-view percentage, facing <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122550/vitor-belfort">Vitor Belfort</a> as compared with a fight with <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122555/dan-henderson">Dan Henderson</a> or <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122570/chael-sonnen">Chael Sonnen</a>, whatever losses he suffers are paltry in comparison to those of the UFC itself, as well as the cable and satellite industry throughout North America, and countless businesses in Las Vegas.</p>
<p>When Dana White was interviewed by Ariel Helwani on Tuesday night's UFC Tonight show, he noted the company had already spent $2 million in marketing costs for UFC 151 at the time the decision was made to pull the plug, because Jones wouldn't agree to face late replacement Sonnen. But that's only a tiny part of the picture. For UFC, the irretrievable losses incurred by the event not taking place will almost surely be well into eight figures. One source in UFC estimated the figure at $20 million. And that is just for the company.</p>
<p>There are similar losses when it comes to a number of businesses in Las Vegas like hotels and restaurants, taxis, clubs, and weekend gambling revenue from those attending. There is also a somewhat conservative estimate of $7.5 million in losses that won't be made up for both cable and satellite companies throughout North America based on projections for what would have been the revenue from UFC 151 and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/95855/ufc-152-jones-vs-belfort">UFC 152</a>, which will now only be revenue from UFC 152.</p>
<p>Because major Las Vegas events are largely commuter shows, with people coming from around the country, and extensively from California, the impact on the local economy for a typical pay-per-view event can easily reach $20 million. And that's direct lost revenue because even though all the fights scheduled have been added to shows between Sept. 22 and early December, none of those events are in Las Vegas.</p>
<p>Because UFC is a private company, exact revenues and profit margin numbers for the year are unavailable. But this is a very significant hit to the annual ledger. While there are some issues mitigating total losses, such as the cost of actually doing the show, production costs of the show itself, paying people to work on the show, and producing events related to promoting the show that will be saved, the vast majority of the money losses would be from the profit end and not just the total revenue end.</p>
<p>For Zuffa, the most obvious irretrievable revenue loss is the live gate. While the advance for the show wasn't through the roof, the live gate would have been more than $2 million and probably closer to $2.5 million. There is also another total, likely high five figures to low six figures, when it comes to merchandise sales at the live event. There is also the expense of whatever payment UFC is making to the fighters who didn't appear. Dana White noted that aside from the fighters whose bouts were moved to Sept. 22, UFC is paying the displaced fighters something to take care of at least some of the money they'd have been expecting and to pay for training costs.</p>
<p>If there is any kind of a direct site fee style revenue coming from the Mandalay Bay Hotel for housing an event that brings in so many tourists, you can tack that figure as well onto the UFC losses.</p>
<p>On the flip side, one can argue that they can make some of the money can be made back in Toronto on Sept. 22, which added Jones vs. Belfort, greatly strengthening the drawing power of that show. But as of the first week of ticket sales since the fight was added to the show, new sales were only about $200,000 and there would be no added sponsorship fees or site fees involved in adding a main event to a show a few weeks out.</p>
<p>There are also sponsorship losses for the live event, as well as sponsorships deals related to having two hours of prime time television on FX that leads into the pay-per-view.</p>
<p>But the lion's share of losses are also the ones hardest to pinpoint because of so many unknown variables in place, which are from the pay-per-view end.</p>
<p>In 2011, a typical Jon Jones headlined show did in the neighborhood of 500,000 buys, at $44.95 for standard definition or $54.95 for high definition. Jones' last main event, against <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122510/rashad-evans">Rashad Evans</a> on April 21, is believed to have done closer to 700,000 buys. Much of the increase was due to the nature of the story behind the fight, the former training partners and friends who had a falling out. But that level of a win could easily have raised Jones' baseline value. While UFC is not on fire right now on pay-per-view, a match with Henderson could have done well over the 500,000 mark.</p>
<p>Even with only a week-and-a-half of publicity, facing Sonnen, would have likely done substantially more, since Sonnen is a far bigger drawing card than Henderson. Sonnen's fight on July 7 with <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122568/anderson-silva">Anderson Silva</a> was estimated at doing 925,000 buys, UFC's best numbers in more than a year, and right now, Sonnen is one of the company's big four drawing cards right now with Jones, Silva and Georges St-Pierre.</p>
<p>If we go with the idea the show would have done 550,000 at a $50 average, and that's a conservative estimate, that's $27.5 million in revenue, of which roughly half goes to UFC and the other half goes to cable and satellite distributors. Of UFC's share, that also has to include paying everyone involved with the show, including fighter salaries and bonuses.</p>
<p>But this is where estimating losses gets tricky.</p>
<p>Jones is facing Belfort on Sept. 22. UFC 152, previously headlined by <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight/2017/ufc-152-joseph-benavidez-vs-demetrious-johnson">Joseph Benavidez vs. Demetrious Johnson</a> to crown the first UFC flyweight title as well as the prior main event in everything but name only, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight/2016/ufc-152-michael-bisping-vs-brian-stann">Brian Stann vs. Michael Bisping</a>. That lineup was not likely to do big numbers on pay-per-view. Adding Jones vs. Belfort for the light heavyweight title should take the show from being at the low end to probably the fourth-highest numbers for this year.</p>
<p>The question becomes, what does Jones vs. Sonnen with a weak undercard pull in comparison to Jones vs. Belfort with a strong undercard? UFC shows generally draw based largely on the main event, but card depth is also a factor.</p>
<p>UFC fights are usually sold based on publicity generated in the final week. Belfort does have some great highlight reel footage and he did draw well the last time he was featured against Anderson Silva. But he was also knocked out quickly in that fight. Verbally, Belfort isn't going to be able to promote a fight nearly as well as Sonnen would have, nor can Belfort as an opponent open up the kind of media doors for promotion that Sonnen could have.</p>
<p>But they key factor in how UFC 152 will draw is the public's view of Jones. If the publicity of the past two weeks has created a situation where people dislike Jones to the point they will pay to watch in the hopes of seeing him lose, then his popularity drop could actually increase his drawing power. If they dislike him to the point they don't want to see him, or don't care about him, the opposite would be the case.</p>
<p>But even with a best case scenario, a Belfort vs. Jones fight would be lucky to come within 100,000 of a Belfort vs. Sonnen, and right there, that's $2.5 million more in irretrievable revenue losses.</p>
<p>Yet another factor is that while a large percentage of the pay-per-view losses from a Jones main event at UFC 151 will be made up at UFC 152, one has to figure UFC 152 was probably good for 200,000 buys on its own, so had UFC run both shows, that's another added $5 million or so in revenue UFC is taking a hit on.</p>
<p>There is another factor, which can't be measured. The fans who were flying into Las Vegas for the show, the people buying the expensive tickets, and spending money all weekend, had likely made plans well in advance. Some may have purchased non-refundable plane tickets, given there was no reason to be concerned that the show wouldn't happen, since such a cancellation had never taken place in modern UFC history. The inconvenience of having Labor Day plans change at the last minute, or expenses incurred without even getting a show is going to leave a bad taste in people's mouths. These are also the fans who are most likely to attend a number of UFC events each year. The long-term effect of this happening once is impossible to ascertain, but it's incumbent on UFC for it to not happen again or risking those fans feeling it's just easier to stay home and watch on television.</p>
<p>It's an expensive lesson. UFC simply can't afford to rely everything so much on one fight to the point they can't continue with the show if it falls through, and given the injury rate in training with fighters, you have to go in with the idea every match is in potential jeopardy. And the company also has to figure in an even higher chance of jeopardy if they have a main event fighter with such a myopic viewpoint of their own career and business that they make such an incredibly foolish decision for their own economic and business interest when the chips are down.</p>
<p>So just based on figures that we know, advertising expenses that led to nothing, lost ticket sale revenue, and lost PPV revenue, and we're already at $12 million for UFC without figuring in any kind of sponsorships and other monies involved with producing the show. If we throw in losses to the Las Vegas economy and those of the cable and satellite industry, and when all is said and done, you are probably talking closer to $40 million in losses, and that's not taking into account any bad will when it comes to UFC fans and for the Jon Jones brand going forward.</p>
https://www.mmafighting.com/2012/9/7/3299946/the-cancellation-of-ufc-151-was-likely-a-40-million-hit-for-allDave Meltzer2012-08-26T09:30:09-04:002012-08-26T09:30:09-04:00Lyoto Machida, Jon Jones And the Politics of Turning Down Fights
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<figcaption>Gary A. Vasquez, US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>Three weeks ago, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122516/lyoto-machida" class="sbn-auto-link">Lyoto Machida</a> was granted a title shot by Dana White, largely because, as White told it, he just wanted it more than anybody else. According to the UFC president, Machida and his camp had "terrorized" him for a rematch with <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122514/jon-jones" class="sbn-auto-link">Jon Jones</a> while <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122520/mauricio-rua" class="sbn-auto-link">Mauricio "Shogun" Rua</a> seemed unconcerned by the No. 1 contender designation that was up for grabs at the recent UFC on FOX 4 event.</p>
<p class="p2">On Thursday, with the prospect of facing Jones in four weeks looming, Machida backed away slowly from his demand and gave way to <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122550/vitor-belfort" class="sbn-auto-link">Vitor Belfort</a>.</p>
<p class="p2">The funny thing is, no one seems to care.</p>
<p class="p2">One day after <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/2012/8/23/3263469/after-mmas-version-of-the-decision-its-no-more-mr-nice-guy-for-jon">Jones became MMA's public enemy No. 1</a> for turning down a fight, Machida's decision was received with a collective shrug.</p>
<p class="p2"></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 9px;">I</span>s that fair?</p>
<p class="p2">To be sure, the two were in very different situations. Jones was basically entrusted with propping up a pay-per-view event as its bankable headliner, and was reportedly told by the UFC brass that if he didn't accept a fight with <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122570/chael-sonnen" class="sbn-auto-link">Chael Sonnen</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/97820/ufc-151-jones-vs-henderson" class="sbn-auto-link">UFC 151</a> would be canceled, costing the company a huge financial loss. He still chose not to fight. That's his right. And it's the public's right to disagree with his decision, which they have overwhelmingly elected to do.</p>
<p class="p2">Machida was simply asked to step into a fight four weeks from now, which is not a long time to prepare, but longer than many short-notice replacements get. His acceptance or refusal was not going to make or break an event, as <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/95855/ufc-152-jones-vs-belfort" class="sbn-auto-link">UFC 152</a> had already been set with a headliner, and was only being improved upon. He said no. And the public doesn't care. His decision was met with a collective yawn.</p>
<p class="p2">It could be a function of the fact that they never really felt he deserved a title rematch to begin with, after only a single win between his first crack at Jones and now. Or it could be something else entirely. Either way, it doesn't quite make sense that while Jones has become the sport's new villain, Machida walks away unscathed.</p>
<p class="p2">Remember, this is the second time Machida has turned down a high-profile short-notice fight. Just one year ago, Machida made a stand that could have cost the UFC an event cancellation. With an injury to <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122509/phil-davis" class="sbn-auto-link">Phil Davis</a> necessitating a late replacement for UFC 133, the UFC turned to Machida to step in and face <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122510/rashad-evans" class="sbn-auto-link">Rashad Evans</a>. Machida asked for a massive pay bump in the incident that launched the infamous "Anderson Silva-money" catch phrase. Instead, it was <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122519/tito-ortiz" class="sbn-auto-link">Tito Ortiz</a> who stepped into the void.</p>
<p class="p2">This time, Machida turned down a fight that we know he wanted. The reason for his decision was simply time. In a statement his camp released to the media, he said <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/2012/8/24/3266128/lyoto-machida-wanted-to-fight-jon-jones-in-brazil%20%20">he would have preferred six weeks to train</a>. But most people don't care about his reasoning, the same way they don't care about Jones' reasoning. Reaction, after all, never waits for an explanation. It's all based on gut feeling. And for Machida, there's been no backlash. None. While Jones was bombarded with so many negative tweets that <a href="https://twitter.com/jonjones/status/238700448394121217">others with the same name were casualties of the crossfire</a>, a search of social media related to Machida shows little venom. This despite the fact that he faced Jones less than a year ago, and so is intimately familiar with his style.</p>
<p class="p1">I'm not suggesting that Machida is deserving of any rage. Like Jones, he has the right to captain his own ship as he sees fit. But there is a certain hypocrisy to the disparate reactions.</p>
<p class="p2">The interesting part of this is that Jones has no history of turning down fights. In fact, just the opposite, he has until now fought whenever asked. He made his UFC debut on 12 days' notice. He fought tough veteran <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/127151/stephan-bonnar" class="sbn-auto-link">Stephan Bonnar</a> in his second UFC fight, with less than one year of professional experience. He fought Rua on short notice for the world title. He also stepped up for the UFC in a big way last year, agreeing to fight in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/79673/ufc-140-jones-vs-machida" class="sbn-auto-link">UFC 140</a> main event when the promotion had few other options. In that way, Jones has been up until this week, a model employee.</p>
<p class="p2">All of that goodwill has apparently been smashed to bits. Turning down Sonnen seems to be considered a cardinal sin in the eyes of many. It doesn't matter that there's no real case for Sonnen as a title contender. It doesn't matter that Jones had said he had no interest in the bout even before it was offered to him.</p>
<p class="p2">For Machida, it's the opposite. For him, it doesn't matter that he had publicly said he wanted to face Jones, and then changed his mind.</p>
<p class="p2">When you strip away the extraneous details, they are simply two fighters who decided a short-notice bout wasn't to their liking. For that, one of them is now MMA's bad guy while the other faces no repercussions.</p>
<p class="p2">In retrospect, Jones didn't have a decision to make; he was facing an ultimatum. He said no to a fight he never wanted. Machida said no to a fight he was begging for. The politics of MMA suggest it's never OK to turn down a fight, yet the public reaction to Jones and Machida show that's not really true. It's only OK to turn down a fight when no one cares about it.</p>
https://www.mmafighting.com/2012/8/26/3267876/lyoto-machida-jon-jones-and-the-politics-of-turning-down-fightsMike Chiappetta2012-08-25T15:48:10-04:002012-08-25T15:48:10-04:00Jon Jones Apologizes to UFC Fans on Twitter
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<p>UFC light heavyweight champion <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122514/jon-jones" class="sbn-auto-link">Jon Jones</a> has taken a beating in the court of public opinion like no fighter could ever lay on him in the Octagon.</p>
<p>Jones has been subjected to an endless stream of invective since he chose to turn down a replacement fight against <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122570/chael-sonnen" class="sbn-auto-link">Chael Sonnen</a> at <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/97820/ufc-151-jones-vs-henderson" class="sbn-auto-link">UFC 151</a>, which caused UFC president Dana White to pull the plug on the planned Sept. 1 card in Las Vegas.</p>
<p>Saturday, the champ broke his silence via Twitter, sending out an apology over the course of three tweets.</p>
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<p>Strung together, the tweets from his <a href="http://www.twitter.com/jonnybones">@jonnybones</a> account read "Carrying the cross for my company's decision. If someone has to take the blame, I will accept full responsibility for the way UFC 151 was canceled. I want to sincerely apologize to all the other athletes/fans who's time and money was waisted [sic]. I feel terrible about the way that was handled."</p>
<p>Jones was originally scheduled to meet <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122555/dan-henderson" class="sbn-auto-link">Dan Henderson</a> in the main event, but Henderson was forced to withdraw due to an MCL injury. In the wake of the first event cancelation in Zuffa history, Jones will instead face former light heavyweight champ <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122550/vitor-belfort" class="sbn-auto-link">Vitor Belfort</a> on Sept. 22 in Toronto.</p>
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https://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/2012/8/25/3268065/jon-jones-apologizes-to-ufc-fans-on-twitterDave Doyle2012-08-24T16:24:46-04:002012-08-24T16:24:46-04:00Lyoto Machida Wanted to Fight Jon Jones in Brazil
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<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122516/lyoto-machida">Lyoto Machida's</a> management has made its first statement since the former UFC light heavyweight champion decided to turn down an offer to fight <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122514/jon-jones">Jon Jones</a> on Sept. 22.</p>
<p>According the press release sent out through the Black House camp on Friday afternoon, Machida turned down the bout because he felt four weeks was inadequate time to prepare for a fight with the current light heavyweight champion.</p>
<p>"I want to serve the UFC and recapture the belt. I always respect my opponent," Machida stated. "For those reasons, I must prepare myself in the manner I believe in."</p>
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<p>After defeating <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122506/ryan-bader">Ryan Bader</a> via knockout at UFC on FOX 4 on Aug. 4, Machida was slated for the next shot at the light heavyweight belt, following the planned Sept. 1 Jones-Dan Henderson fight.</p>
<p>In the wake of Thursday's <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/97820/ufc-151-jones-vs-henderson">UFC 151</a> cancellation, UFC president Dana White said that Jones would instead fight Machida on Sept. 22 in Toronto.</p>
<p>According to Friday's press release, Machida wanted to take the fight on the Oct. 13 event in Rio de Janeiro. The UFC instead offered the title shot to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122550/vitor-belfort">Vitor Belfort</a>, who accepted and will fight Jones in Toronto.</p>
https://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/2012/8/24/3266128/lyoto-machida-wanted-to-fight-jon-jones-in-brazilDave Doyle2012-08-24T16:16:56-04:002012-08-24T16:16:56-04:00In Wake of UFC 151 Chaos, Focus Shifts to Rebooking Canceled Bouts
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<p>In the 24 hours since the announcement that <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/97820/ufc-151-jones-vs-henderson">UFC 151</a> had been canceled, there has been plenty of activity in the UFC offices. Aside from shifting their attention to the promotion of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/95855/ufc-152-jones-vs-belfort">UFC 152</a> and its new main event, company brass is in the process of dealing with 20 other fighters who were suddenly displaced under the weight of the surprise decision.<br><br>That work continues on Friday, and is likely to spill over into the weekend and beyond for matchmakers Joe Silva and Sean Shelby.<br><br>According to managers MMA Fighting spoke with on Friday, the intent seems to be to re-book the displaced bouts as quickly as possible.</p>
<p>"We're looking at the same matchup," said Audie Attar of Paradigm Sports, who manages veteran <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122577/dennis-hallman">Dennis Hallman</a>. "That's the focus and we're working closely with the UFC to try to reset it."<br><br>Hallman was supposed to face <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122604/thiago-tavares">Thiago Tavares</a> on a main card fight, one of 10 fights that was thrown into uncertainty on Thursday afternoon. Within eight hours, Silva and Shelby had re-booked four of those fights, with six more to go.<br><br>So far, the promotion has not discussed the possibility of offering fighters their purses in lieu of being unable to relocate them in a timely fashion, according to the managers who spoke with MMA Fighting. Instead, the focus is getting the fighters back to work. No managers that spoke with MMA Fighting voiced any issue with the approach.<br><br>"The UFC's been great about the whole thing," said Jason House, whose Iridium Sports Ageny manages <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/131731/eddie-yagin">Eddie Yagin</a> and has sponsorship deals with <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/132509/jeff-hougland">Jeff Hougland</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/150049/yasuhiro-urushitani">Yasuhiro Urushitani</a>. "There's a lot of pressure on them in this situation and they've been on top of it. They're doing everything in their power to replace the fights as fast as possible."<br><br>House noted in a small bit of good news that some sponsors, like apparel company Fear the Fighter, have pledged to pay at least a portion of sponsorship money the fighters would have received for competing on Sept. 1.<br><br>The good news for the rest of the athletes waiting on a booking is that with a packed calendar, the promotion has no fewer than 10 events left before the end of the year. While most would like to ride their recent training camps to get back into action immediately and while in peak form, there seems to be an acceptance that this was truly a unique situation, and that any negative feelings over their own uncertain fates are merely wasted energy.<br><br>"I do feel that the UFC is doing everything they can under the circumstance," said Iridium's House. "One thing about this industry is that it has guaranteed adversity. Stuff is going to happen. Everyone has felt the consequences. We pull together."</p>
https://www.mmafighting.com/2012/8/24/3266019/in-wake-of-ufc-151-chaos-focus-shifts-to-rebooking-canceled-boutsMike Chiappetta2012-08-24T15:00:26-04:002012-08-24T15:00:26-04:00Fightweets: Jon Jones' Tipping Point
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<p>Can you imagine B.J. Penn refusing a main event fight that would save a major pay-per-view show?</p>
<p>Could you picture <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122508/randy-couture" class="sbn-auto-link">Randy Couture</a> -- knowing that a card full of fighters spent weeks preparing for their bouts, that those fighters' cornermen and trainers also have paydays coming, and that their friends and families are flying into town for the weekend -- making a selfish last-minute decision which led to an event cancellation?</p>
<p>How about <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122580/matt-hughes" class="sbn-auto-link">Matt Hughes</a>? Hughes once took a rematch with <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122540/b-j-penn" class="sbn-auto-link">Penn</a> on three weeks' notice when Georges St-Pierre suffered a training injury heading into their scheduled UFC 63 fight. Then, after Hughes won a grueling three-round battle with Penn, he turned around and took the rescheduled GSP fight seven weeks later. Think Hughes even considered disappointing the 30,000 fans who bought tickets to the events Anaheim and Sacramento?</p>
<p></p>
<p>You know the answer to those questions.</p>
<p>Then there's <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122514/jon-jones" class="sbn-auto-link">Jon Jones</a>.</p>
<p>Jones has significantly more natural talent than any of the above fighters. But as of now, the UFC light heavyweight champion doesn't deserve to have his name mentioned in the same breath as the current and future Hall of Famers listed above.</p>
<p>Oh, he's not the first champion to cause the UFC headaches, not by a longshot. Both Couture and Penn were involved in legal battles with the company after winning championships, and both <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122519/tito-ortiz" class="sbn-auto-link">Tito Ortiz</a> and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122568/anderson-silva" class="sbn-auto-link">Anderson Silva</a> have made UFC boss Dana White's life miserable.</p>
<p>But when push comes to shove, none of them ever refused to fight a replacement at the last minute and caused an event cancellation.</p>
<p>Jones could have saved <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/97820/ufc-151-jones-vs-henderson" class="sbn-auto-link">UFC 151</a> when <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122555/dan-henderson" class="sbn-auto-link">Dan Henderson</a> had to pull out of the fight and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122570/chael-sonnen" class="sbn-auto-link">Chael Sonnen</a> offered to step up and take the fight. Instead, he basically told thousands of fans who were going to travel to Las Vegas on a holiday weekend specifically to see him fight -- those who are the prime candidates to buy his Nike gear -- that their hard-earned vacation time isn't his concern. Good luck selling them that swoosh.</p>
<p>The UFC isn't blameless in this situation, either. We're about to get to that. So without further ado, on to your questions:</p>
<p><b>From @animexcom: Despite Dana's rage, do you think it is his right/fair to refuse the fight?</b></p>
<p>Let's deal with the UFC and Dana's rage first. White seems in willful denial of the notion that the UFC is trying to run too many shows. He doubled down during Thursday's teleconference, going into his standard "we built this thing" speech. Quite simply, someone over on W. Sahara Ave. in Las Vegas needs to burst the boss's bubble and state the obvious: The string of injuries and fight fallouts and the chain-reaction effect they've had on the cards they're presenting to their loyal fan base has become epidemic, and the rigors of the schedule is only making things worse.</p>
<p>In the past month alone, there was the brutal <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/95473/ufc-149" class="sbn-auto-link">UFC 149</a> in Calgary, which White himself called one of the worst cards ever; a tremendous free card in UFC on FOX 4; and now the cancellation of a major event. If fans get a lousy show for $50 at UFC 149 and then have a card straight-up cancelled, how long will they keep shelling out PPV money, especially when the UFC is putting better cards on network television for free?</p>
<p>It's not Jones' fault that UFC 151 was scheduled in such a way that if something happened to the main event, they'd have to scrap the show entirely (and as an aside, for all the vitriol White displayed toward Jones and Greg Jackson on Thursday, nothing's stopping Zuffa from paying out show money to everyone on the card, since it was the company's choice to stop the event).</p>
<p>But Jones has another reality to deal with, which is that his enablers have done far more damage to his image than his detractors could ever hope to do. Whether it's the result of the constant fawning treatment he's received over the years by media both MMA and mainstream, the decisions his inner circle has made, or both, somewhere along the way, something caused someone as gifted and charismatic as Jones to lose touch with the pulse of the fan base and start losing the public relations battle.</p>
<p>Even as it was clear the backlash was real, was building, and wasn't simply based on some abstract notion of "haters hating," any and all criticism of Jones was summarily dismissed. <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122510/rashad-evans" class="sbn-auto-link">Rashad Evans</a> comes out and rips what he calls Jones' insincerity? Must be Rashad's fault. Jones wrecks his Bentley and gets booked on a DUI? Hey, he's young, and we've all made mistakes, so who are you to criticize? Refuse to take a fight with Sonnen? Jones could have headed off the backlash by stepping up, accepting Sonnen, and saving the show. Instead, his decision led to the first official cancellation in Zuffa history, coming on the heels of his legal troubles, and then he was nowhere to be found while Sonnen trashed him on national television. This all suggests Jones is in desperate need of more competent PR advice than he's presently receiving.</p>
<p><b>@joggybernabe Hey Dave, whether it's 8 days or 8 weeks. I still think JJ would kill CS.</b></p>
<p>I agree, Jones probably handles Sonnen once the cage door is locked. But for every valid criticism one can make about Sonnen, his competitive fire burns as strong as anyone who's put on a pair of fingerless gloves. He's coming off the highest-profile mixed martial arts loss of the year and he was willing to turn around and take the Jones fight when several established light heavyweights turned the bout down. Chael Sonnen will probably never win a UFC title belt, but you can't question his fighting spirit.</p>
<p><b>@Kpaff3587 wise decision businesses wise for Jones or is he afraid?</b></p>
<p>He's not afraid, but he's getting terrible advice. And he seems to contradict himself at every turn. Last week he was trashing <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122516/lyoto-machida" class="sbn-auto-link">Lyoto Machida</a> as his next contender because Machida was his lowest-selling pay-per-view of 2011. And now he turns down Sonnen, who almost undoubtedly would have been a bigger draw, ostensibly to meet Machida? Then, when Machida bizarrely turns down a Sept. 22 bout, Jones agrees to meet a fighter who has been a middleweight for three years, after using Sonnen's lack of wins over light heavyweights as a reason for saying no?</p>
<p>Jones seems to have lost sight of the fact that he isn't bigger than the UFC. Big star? Sure. But where else is he going to make the sort of money he can make in Zuffa? If he makes decisions which damage the brand, he's hurting himself in the long run.</p>
<p><b>@GCSUballer asks: Did Sonnen really deserve the shot?</b></p>
<p>Fair question, but at the same time, did Jones really "deserve" a title shot at Mauricio Rua last year? Evans was a former champion with one career loss who had been waiting nearly two years to get his crack at regaining the title, and at the time, Jones was being awarded a shot when his biggest wins were against <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122506/ryan-bader" class="sbn-auto-link">Ryan Bader</a> and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122955/vladimir-matyushenko" class="sbn-auto-link">Vladimir Matyushenko</a>.</p>
<p>Jones has obviously since justified getting the shot and then some. But he got his big break specifically because the UFC needed an injury replacement, and barely a year and a half later he wasn't willing to return the favor when another fighter had to pull out. Yes, Rua had six weeks' notice for Jones, which is a far cry from the eight-day turnaround. But it's still a matter of karma and still a matter of giving back to the sport which has handed him so many opportunities, particularly all the fighters who don't have Nike deals who had put in a full camp preparing for Sept. 1.</p>
<p><b><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/weight_class/featherweight" class="sbn-auto-link">Featherweight</a> Frankie</b></p>
<p><b>@JosiahRenaudin asks: There's all this talk about Edgar moving to 145, but since he walks around at about 160, is <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/weight_class/bantamweight" class="sbn-auto-link">Bantamweight</a> an option?</b></p>
<p>Josiah sent me this question before the former UFC lightweight champion announced that he's dropping down to featherweight, but it's still one worth exploring. Not only was bantamweight an option, but his own boxing coach, Mark Henry, said that it was a route that Edgar should consider.</p>
<p>But let's give Edgar credit. The guy's a warrior. He's old-school. He's never taken the easiest route and he's never going to. He finally hit the wall as an undersized lightweight over the past couple years. But if things work out at 145 pounds, we'll get that other super fight that's been discussed over the past couple years, Edgar vs. Jose Aldo Jr. I'm writing this the day after Jones caused an entire fight card to be canceled, so it makes you appreciate a fighter who will take on the toughest challenges he possibly can all the more.</p>
<p><b>@Chino_Banks asks: Since Edgar has to fight one fight to get to the title, do you think it will be against the Korean Zombie?</b></p>
<p>You know what, I've changed my mind about three times since you've asked this one, so I'm going to parse this two different ways: First is that I think Edgar vs. <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122481/chan-sung-jung" class="sbn-auto-link">Chan Sung Jung</a> would be an awesome fight. I'd love to see it. That has "potential fight of the year" written all over it. But my second thought is, not right away. The Korean Zombie has earned his title shot with his three straight spectacular wins, capped by his Fight of the Year performance against Dustin Poirier. Jose Aldo Jr. is fighting Eric Koch in October. Assuming he emerges from that unscathed, which seems a reasonable assumption, you could pair up Aldo and Zombie next, while also promoting an Edgar-Chad Mendes bout for Edgar's featherweight debut, then let the chips fall where they may from there.</p>
<p>Submit a question for next week's Fightweets <a href="https://twitter.com/davedoylemma" target="_blank">here.</a></p>
https://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/2012/8/24/3265582/fightweets-jon-jones-turning-pointDave Doyle2012-08-24T12:44:53-04:002012-08-24T12:44:53-04:00Things Fall Apart: Jon Jones and the UFC's Changing Dynamic With Its Top Stars
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<img alt="Paul Abell, US PRESSWIRE" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/pUggauAUwvKPiAq-4w0whHFKZ4s=/0x163:559x536/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/6602724/20120421_jla_sa2_928.jpg" />
<figcaption>Paul Abell, US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>Let's start with a basic question: as it pertains to UFC 151, what is in UFC light heavyweight champion <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122514/jon-jones">Jon Jones</a>' best interest?</p>
<p>The two opposing arguments setting out a vision for Jones both have merit. On the one hand, accepting a very winnable fight, saving an event and pleasing fans seems like an incredibly reasonable offer. Were I part of Jones' management team, I would've recommended he fight Sonnen, save UFC 151 and in the words of Greg Jackson, 'go make some fans'.</p>
<p>On the other hand, Jones' decision is anything but ludicrous. His UFC title is not to be lightly protected, which doesn't mean not fighting. It does mean, though, preparing for specific challenges is critical and taking on admittedly out of shape yet dangerous fighter on short notice is unnecessarily risky. So what if he saves an event if he stupidly gives away his title in the process? You know, the title he's worked to earn and defend? The title that means a financial future where his children can go to college and he can retire without having to worry how he'll keep the lights on when he's 50? Why should he risk that future when a) he'll happily fight that person at a date when he's had a full camp, b) that fighter offered as an opponent has done positively nothing to earn a title shot at that weight class and c) he isn't the one in charge of the event?</p>
<p>It's easy to ask Jones to risk what matters to him when we have to pay no costs if something goes wrong. For all the accusations lobbed at Jones for displaying selfishness, there is little more self serving than demanding from athletes they risk what they've built to satisfy the mostly inconsequential needs of those who share no burden for failure.</p>
<p>And that's the story of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/97820/ufc-151-jones-vs-henderson">UFC 151's</a> cancelation: shared burden. Where UFC stars and UFC once more harmoniously worked in tandem to keep the machine running, Jones represents a new era of fighters who don't view their responsibility to the company or the sport as superseding their own interests. Whether we like it or not, he's not crazy for thinking that way.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The frustration and anger in the character assassination of Jones yesterday is somewhat understandable, albeit unjustifiable. The UFC essentially asked Jones to help them out of a problem that is partly of their creation and he balked. Injuries to fighters are not their fault, but that's only half of the story. Headliners have fallen out of UFC shows before and replacements have been found. What makes UFC 151 unique is that previous shows were not a product of 2012's realities. That is, UFC 151 had no supporting cast because most of the resources had already been used, weren't ready or just didn't make sense. UFC President Dana White doesn't care about media criticism, praise or opinion, which is fine. Personally speaking, however, it's difficult to claim there's no issue with oversaturation and cards being too thin if the loss of the <i>main</i> event results in the cancellation of the <i>entire</i> event.</p>
<p>Contrary to suggestion, Jones doesn't have the ability to hold UFC hostage and was acting well within his rights. In fact, he was able to decline their offer and force the UFC's hand in a system almost entirely of Zuffa's creation. MMA is Zuffa's world and they'll be the first to remind you of it (as they should). Other than obligations to abide by U.S. law, the ecosystem of contracts, negotiations, back room dealing, expectations, tradition, precedent and more are all the product of Zuffa's handiwork. If Jones is guilty of anything, it's exercising the minimal powers bestowed upon him in a system he inherited. That it had such a catastrophic effect says less about Jones' discretion and more about the precarious nature of UFC 151.</p>
<p>All of this is to say Jon Jones is not <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/129554/chuck-liddell">Chuck Liddell</a>. I have no doubts that Liddell, if placed in a similar position, would've taken the fight. I'm not suggesting Liddell is a hero where Jones is a villain. Rather, they are the products of two different eras of mixed martial arts.</p>
<p>Aside from the personal relationship Liddell shared with White, first with White as his manager and then his boss, Liddell came from a moment in time where many of the principle actors in UFC accepted a notion of shared sacrifice leading to shared gain. The fighter relied on the brand, the brand needed the fighters and the mutual accommodation lead to mutual gain. One can quibble about who got the most out of it, but that was the general pattern. It was a time where most of the power players knew if this MMA thing was going to go anywhere, it would only happen when everyone pulled their weight working in concert.</p>
<p>Those days, for better or worse, could be done. Moreover, romanticizing a 'golden age' of MMA (or NHB) as a morally superior age filled with braver men, more eager to accept challenges in the name of championship glory and corporate assistance isn't just lazy historical revisionism, it's irrelevant.</p>
<p>Jones and many of his contemporaries fight in the UFC bequeathed to his generation, not the one they built. The downside for the UFC and fans may be those fighters adopting a more rigid view of what's acceptable in their interests. The upside is that they represent a quantum leap in their athleticism and capability to fight. It's the natural evolution not just of this sport, but sports generally.</p>
<p>It isn't merely that they don't share the same cultural ethos or worldview. Equally important is the consideration that today's MMA stars aren't as fungible or easily dispatched. The boom of the UFC since 2005 came with a notable roster of stars fans adoringly flocked to, a number of which are either gone or on their way out. There is a new generation of notable talents - Jones leads the pack - but they are fewer in number and not (yet) as popular.</p>
<p>The previous generation of fighters may have had more career options, but were also more easily replaced. Jones is not immune from UFC dismissal, of course, but for the UFC to get rid of it's most promising star in a moment where every ounce of star power is needed to power the company through a transition period would be the epitome of cutting off one's nose to spite their face.</p>
<p>It doesn't matter if Jones could go to Bellator or some other promoter. Bellator probably can't afford him and even if they could, they couldn't make effective use of him. While true the UFC can release Jones into the ether if they so choose, it does so at a cost far more significant to their bottom line than in previous years.</p>
<p>After all, who would've headlined four of the major pay-per-views in the last year were it not for Jones? <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122494/brock-lesnar">Brock Lesnar's</a> diverticulitis while <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122591/georges-st-pierre">Georges St. Pierre</a> being on the injury shelf placed a significant responsibility on Jones to give the company a star attraction in a serious diet year. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122568/anderson-silva">Anderson Silva</a> has been peaking, but at age 37 he is much closer to retirement than signing another six-fight contract.</p>
<p>Welcome to the new MMA where the notion of communal responsibility leading to communal gain gives way to more calculated moves about career best interests.</p>
<p>Sure, Jon Jones is a UFC champion. But like every other fighter in the UFC, he's not an employee or a part of some vague notion of 'family'. He's an independent contractor. No more, no less. There is no one at the company tasked with looking out for his best interests other than when the UFC's best interests converge with his. If anyone is to protect them, it will be Jones or it will be no one. Unlike fighting in front of crowds, the task of preserving one's best interest is a lonely, thankless job.</p>
<p>Ultimately, I don't agree with Jones' decision. I don't see it as overly risky to fight <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122570/chael-sonnen">Chael Sonnen</a> even in the shortened timeline. I suspect Jones still would've won handily, helped the UFC (by their measurements) and became more likable. I believe he erred in turning down the Sonnen fight.</p>
<p>But it doesn't matter what I (or you) think. I'm not the light heavyweight champion. It's not my belt to protect. I have no idea what it means to achieve such heights then be asked last minute to risk it for the benefit of someone else (to whom my services are only contracted out) in a challenge that makes virtually no sense. If that were me, would I really want to do that if I didn't have to?</p>
<p>Jones is good for the UFC, and Jones and UFC working together is good for MMA. Everything works best for everyone when it works harmoniously. All the parties involved know that. Yet, we are likely witnessing an eclipsing of the days when fighters view their role as one that balances their self-interest with the UFC's. Not in total, of course, but this is not the end of fighter-UFC divergence. And it while it may have taken 11 years for the first event to be canceled, it won't be another 11 before it happens again.</p>
<p>This is the evolution of sport played out in MMA. When athletes get more leverage, they use it. It's not illegal, it's not unethical and even though it can be unpleasant, it shouldn't be unexpected anymore. We've been building towards this all along.</p>
https://www.mmafighting.com/2012/8/24/3265190/things-fall-apart-jon-jones-ufc-changing-dynamic-dana-white-mma-newsLuke Thomas2012-08-24T01:39:34-04:002012-08-24T01:39:34-04:00Anderson Silva Offered to Save UFC 151
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<img alt="Esther Lin, MMA Fighting" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/2ZLB9SYML2YUmLSEWOn6xQCo3Ys=/0x0:1100x733/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/assets/1220468/010_Anderson_Silva.jpg" />
<figcaption>Esther Lin, MMA Fighting</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122568/anderson-silva">Anderson Silva</a> was close to saving <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/97820/ufc-151-jones-vs-henderson">UFC 151</a>.</p>
<p>According to UFC president Dana White, Silva relayed a message through his manager Ed Soares just moments after White announced on Thursday that UFC 151 was canceled after <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122514/jon-jones">Jon Jones</a> turned down a fight against Chael Sonnen. The middleweight champion, who admitted he wasn't in the best shape, volunteered to fight on eight days' notice in Las Vegas against another light heavyweight fighter. Unfortunately, he was a few hours late as the promotion had already decided to scrap the event.<br><br>White said he never expected Silva to offer his services and appreciated the offer.</p>
<p>Jones will now meet <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122550/vitor-belfort">Vitor Belfort</a> for the light heavyweight title on Sept. 22 in Toronto after <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122516/lyoto-machida">Lyoto Machida</a> turned down the fight due to not having enough time to train.</p>
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https://www.mmafighting.com/2012/8/24/3264668/anderson-silva-offered-to-save-ufc-151Ariel Helwani