I hope Georges St. Pierre gets what he is praying for after what I read in two entirely different articles today.
An article that mentions Georges' contract has two fights left on it and has a "champion clause" concerns me greatly.
The article explained that if Georges has not negotiated and signed a new contract and is a champion at the time the contract is due for renewal, said contract can be extended at the present payout rate for one more year.
Meaning, at least as I understand it, that unless Georges’ loses the last fight on his contract he can be forced to fight for an additional year for the same salary he is making under the current contract.
Why should this upset either me or Georges?
First of all, I believe that all UFC fighters are underpaid, with the possible exception of Dana's favorites: Matt Hughes and buddy Chuck Liddell. For whatever reasons, Dana has chosen to make these two men millionaires while holding the feet of others like Randy Couture and former lackey Tim Sylvia to the fire.
Not being a businessman like Mr. White, his ways appear senseless and at times exceedingly strange to me.
Second, I believe that Georges and Anderson Silva are better poster boys for the UFC than anyone else (currently). I don't know what either one of them is paid, but I would bet my money that their money from Dana is no where near what Matt and Chuck get as cronies of Mr. White & Co.
Today's Must Reads
Third, I just read that Georges is very excited to sign a new contract since everything has been going so well for the UFC this year. He is hoping to make a deal that will take the financial load of his new house and lifestyle off his back.
He states that he has invested his money "wisely" and "not like some fighters" is not living a high life. He feels that the MMA has gone mainstream enough that he should make money more comparable to other professional athletes with this contract and be able to have less worry about protecting his investments and paying off his house.
Fourth, the Randy Couture matter would make me think twice about ever dealing with the UFC on a good faith basis or without a team of lawyers being involved to protect his interests only.
Fifth, Shari Spenser is the manager who represents Venus and Serena Williams and I worry that she may know as much about dealing with slippery Dana as I know about tennis, which as I have confessed in another article, is not very much.
So the only positive I see is that Georges does not have a wife or any children that I know of and is likely to be a bachelor when he signs his contract.
If I were Affliction, I would be sure that Randy keeps a line open to receive an SOS from Georges if negotiations don't go well (look, Georges saved Christmas and could probably put the new MMA organization over the top as a company equal to the UFC).
It is my firm belief that if Dana has one ounce of decency left in his buffed up newly fit body (I have visions of his pose on a fitness mag), he will deal more fairly with GSP than any of his best buds or any other UFC star and give George everything "'is 'eart" desires.
Otherwise, how can he expect poor honest and sincere Georges to face Jon "the beast" Fitch and BJ (he is not my) "Prodigy" Penn and implement a winning game plan knowing that if he wins, he will most likely be forced to fight under the "champion" clause for an additional year at his last contract's pay.
Conclusion: George could end up being a loser either way.
comments (19) write a comment »
write a new comment
about 1 month ago
They are the most paid out of any other martial art sport. Boxing is the only sport that pays more, but it is losing its hype so they are not making as much money anymore and you have to be huge to actually make any bank. If you look at everything else, a UFC fighter is best off. TKD gets no money, wrestling same thing, kung fu has no money involved, and kickboxing ponies up a few thousand for fighters.
The reason Chuck and Hughes made so much was because during their time they were the people that made the UFC, they were like the ultimate champions. Pierre still has to prove that he can sit ontop of the champion seat just as long as his predecessor.
The randy fuck up is pretty bad, but in Dana's defense, Randy was a boring fighter, his main strength was that he was a killer athlete, I have found myself going jesus when does this fight end.
from about 1 month ago
Oh say did you see what Tim Sylvia made for being Fedor's whipping boy for 36 seconds? What would Affliction pay to get the world's best WW? I think Georges is worth at least what Tim made, especially as long as he is winning and can sell out 21,000 seats in record time--they are going to fill the olympic stadium next time. What would that and 10% of the PPV be?
from about 1 month ago
Randy is a boring fighter? I'd have to disagree with that. and yeah MMA fighters get paid a lot more than TKD or Karate and all that but they also have to train way more than any of those disciplines, and they still make WAY less than Boxers do even if Boxers are getting paid less.
from about 1 month ago
Those other martial arts sports don't play on Spike TV, they don't have PPV being watched around the world at $45 dollars a pop, and they don't sell out arenas where each seat can range anywhere from $100 upwards towards $1000 depending on the event. THey also don't have sponsors like Budweiser and Harley Davidson. And Randy Couture is a boring fighter?? Dana white is a Prick, he has no excuse for how he treats fighters.
from about 1 month ago
From the mouths of babes, "and a child shall lead them." Ain't it the truth!
about 1 month ago
True, the only way GSP wins in all of this if he inks a new deal and fast. He has plenty of leverage, and he has been a good poster boy as of late. I am sure that Dana White and the NEW CEO Lorenzo Fertitta will ante up for GSP. They would be insane to do otherwise.
As for Randy, that man is a bit on the dull side, but the man sold fights regardless of his fight style, and other than against Chuck 2 of 3 times, he wins.
FYI, Affliction is in the business of making fights, not signing fighters a la UFC. They sign a fight per card, not multiple fight contracts.
from about 1 month ago
But since GSP has shirts in their collection, I think they would make an exception.
about 1 month ago
Lol MMA has the same amount of training than any other sport. Look at the poor track stars and gymnasts, unless they make it big in the Olympics, it doesnt matter how many world titles they win, they are still nothing to the world, and thats just BS.
As for Randy, come on, he has like no KOs, barely any submissions, and the majority of all his wins are from decision. I love the Guy, I think he is the most kickass 43 year old dude ever, but he is a boring fighter.
from about 1 month ago
Dude MMA isnt all about KO'S and submissions, and when he wins by decision he totally dominates. When's the last time you saw a guy completely dominate Tito Ortiz on the ground for an entire fight? The shit that he does takes so much skill and training, and not to mention his ingenious game planning. He puts on a clinic almost everytime he fights. And nobody said that MMA fighters train more than any other atheletes(even though they probably train more than most), but they do train more than any other martial artists.
about 1 month ago
How many sports pro's begin a sport at the age of 33 or 34 and continue until the age of 44? Start by reeling off the name of all those famous middle aged gymnasts please? Now the track stars? Yeah?
from about 1 month ago
thats a 10 year gap there for MMA, but how about the poor kids in gymnastics in China and shit who have to start at the age of 6 and never get to stop until they are replaced by someone better around the age of 27-30?
How about all the swimmers, who bust there ass just as much as Michael Phelps, yet never get any recognition like Ian Thorpe, or that other swimmer "the flying dutchman".
What about the hundreds of skating racers who never get any form of coverage except for the winter olympics and even then know one can even remember their names.
Where are the champion weight lifters who spend basically their entire adult lives in a gym, why arent they getting paid thousands of dollars. What about the men and women who spend their time practicing the precision and skills it takes to be a champion in fencing.
There are thousands of pro athletes that work really damn hard for little reward, but they do it because they want to be the best at something they love to do even if there isnt a super big payday at the end, so bitching at me because a fighter that isnt making as much money doesnt mean fuckin shit to me.
BTW GSP is my favorite fighter, I bought his shirt for UFC 83, and I shaved my head because he won.
from about 1 month ago
CJ, for years I practiced riding horses and competed in every horse related sport know to man/woman. Do you know how much I have spent over the years to keep horses, and we still have six for our grandchildren to ride? We had three mares that lived inti their thirties and they were born and died on our rnach. I never have come out even on expenses and have the horses because they are something I love too much to give up. Yes, I know all about sacrifices. When I dated I had men promise to marry me and let me keep a horse, but I married a man who was raised owning horses, not rich, but a horse lover like myself. We have been married for over forty years and were engaged, the old fashioned way and not cohabiting ,for four years until I finished college.
about 1 month ago
I think that is why Anderson Silva is in such a rush to start fighting 3 fights a year, I'm sure he want's to burn though his contract and get set ( for life) on his next one. It will be like if Sidney Crosby was about to turn free agent. I think Dana will also lock down on GSP,B.J, and a few of the sacred cows in it's stables.
I think the new market is good in the long run, the lack of New Shows signing (ridged) multi fight contract will put the pressure on Zuffa. In order to compete they will have to shell out more $$$ on it's "grinders" and other undercard workers. More middle class and choices.
about 1 month ago
good read dee, I agree that most MMA fighters are underpaid. With guys like Trump backing affliction I would assume that they are the best bet for fighters to have a choice, other than the UFC/WEC dictatorship. Its really a shame how Couture was treated Affliction if they succeed could put some pressure on dana White to make good with his athletes.
As far as GSP if he beats Fitch which I am sure your hoping for, yet I feel is unlikely. His next fight will not be Bj Penn, who is my prodigy.. lol However on the flip side if he loses to fitch and BJ loses to either Ken Florian or Roger Huerta, (Which I think is unlikelyas well.) you may just see them fight again. at any rate
from about 1 month ago
AAAAAAAH, they are going to fight again anyway--it is inevitable, why fight it? It's the fact that your prodigy is soooooooooo spoiled about always getting his own way. We used to mentor young girls who were very jealous of their competition and each other and it was a very ugly situation, b/c sooner or later one or two would think a certain girl was being shown favoritism and then "the make up would hit the fan" and ruin things for everyone. BJ Penn reminds me of that and I hate it! If you are close to a sport then you can see that some people naturally have more ability than others. This is something that is God given and has nothing to do with favoritism--it is the luck of the draw. Jealousy is a pointless emotion that will eat up the person experiencing it and will not have any affect on the person who causes it. BJ is a very jealous person and I think it is very petty of him.
about 1 month ago
the ufc is a business and a big money one at that. In that situation good faith has nothing to do with it.
about 1 month ago
You aren't making excuses for GSP, so when he loses to BJ he has a reason are you????Just kidding...good article, I wouldn't put it past Dana to do that to someone. Chuck and Matt are his bitches.
from about 1 month ago
So true, and I don't envy them for it.
from about 1 month ago
That is the type of person that they appear to be. I like seeing both of them getting beat down. I can't wait to see Chuck catch another one.
write a new comment