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Rory MacDonald taking business side of fighting seriously.

676 views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  jonnyg4508 
#1 ·
Go get that $! He's paid his dues. Although I need to see a Condit match up again. Hendricks would be ideal too.

Big fight coming up. He's got the more well rounded technical skills, but I have a feeling Wonderboy is on the up and up so he might take the win especially with the last war Rory went through physically. He might not be able to take as many hits even though he's only 26.

It seems that soon Conor McGregor won't be the only fighter driving a hard bargain with the UFC.

Rory MacDonald, who last weekend tweeted his support of McGregor in the dispute between the Irish star and UFC management, has made it clear that he intends to start taking the business side of fighting more seriously. MacDonald is on the last fight of his contract with the UFC and set to become a free agent in mid-June. In an interview with Fight Network's John Pollock, McDonald discussed his pending free agency and why he was was so vocal with his intentions to take a serious look at free agency.

"I think it's important to get it out there. It's a known topic about fighter pay now and I think it's beneficial to me that I get it out there too so when it comes time to negotiate I have other sources to talk with. It's a known thing, people are buzzing about it. It's a good thing."

It's true people have been buzzing about MacDonald's pending free agency, including Bellator President Scott Coker who has made it clear that he will be pursuing MacDonald once his contract is up. Recently Coker has managed to lure several free agents away from the UFC with the promise of better sponsorships and more personal autonomy, but MacDonald would be his biggest coup to date. While Coker already signed elite fighters and former champions Josh Thomson and Benson Henderson both men were well outside of title contention upon leaving the UFC and are thought by many to be on the downswing of their respective careers. Conversely, at 26, MacDonald is in his fighting prime and one of the absolute best welterweights in the world right now, anointed by the UFC as the "next big thing" at 170 pounds before suffering a setback against champion Robbie Lawler in his last fight.

Though the Lawler loss may represent a professional setback, MacDonald's personal life is soon to be taking a major leap forward. MacDonald is expecting his first child, a daughter, sometime in July and the impending responsibility of a family to care for has him focusing more on financial incentives.

"I'm a simple martial arts guy. I come from humble beginnings so I don't require a lot to feel comfortable. But now that I have a little girl on the way, I want to be able to provide everything she's gonna need in her life. So that's a big motivator to start getting paid for this because it doesn't last forever."

MacDonald is only 26 years old but he has already been fighting for over a decade and though his style is highly defensive he has been stopped twice by punches including his brutal Fight of the Year with Lawler last year. In an age where more fighters are taking the risks associated with repeated concussive trauma seriously, it is not unreasonable to think MacDonald only has five or six years left to make as much money as possible. Beyond needing to start building a nest egg, MacDonald wants what he believes he's worth.

"I want big money fights because first and foremost I think I'm worth it. I think I bring a lot to the table, I think I bring a lot of viewers. I think I'm the guy in the Canadian market right now, and I think that is a huge factor that is forgotten in some negotiations, but you know, we're gonna see how it plays out.

While MacDonald is the biggest MMA star in Canada (so long as Georges St. Pierre stays retired) his claim of bringing a lot of viewers is debatable. UFC 189, which featured Lawler-MacDonald in the co-main event, did tremendously well on PPV but much of that can be attributed to the presence of Conor McGregor in the main event. Before that, MacDonald headlined a Fight Night card against Tarec Saffiedine in his home country which did moderate television ratings and before that he was the co-main event of UFC 174 which ended up being one of the worst performing PPV's in UFC history.

It's true that the UFC clearly wanted MacDonald to pick up GSP's Canadian superstar mantle, the jury is still out on whether he can actually do it. But even if MacDonald isn't the kind of draw who can pull a million PPV buys fighting a broom that doesn't mean he is being properly compensated. When he was first starting out in the UFC, MacDonald admits that he was less concerned with the money aspect of things because he was more focused on his athletic goals but as he has has gone further up the ladder, MacDonald says it is time for him to start being as tough in the negotiating room as he is in the cage.

"I look up to [Conor McGregor] in that sense. There's a lot to be learned from his stance and sticking up for himself. Getting what he's worth...Not just accepting what's thrown at you. Standing up for yourself. That's the thing martial artists aren't used to. You've got to really stick up for yourself and be a tough businessman when it's time for negotiations.

Come June, Dana White may have his hands full.

Rory MacDonald is scheduled to face Stephen Thompson at UFC Fight Night 89 on June 18th, in Ontario. .

http://www.mmafighting.com/2016/4/2...onald-is-taking-the-business-side-of-fighting
 
#5 ·
I applaud Rory here. And this is why I don't understand (maybe it was John?) saying GSP passed the torch so he shouldn't take a RObbie fight. No he just wants no part of Robbie it is fairly obvious.

-Rory is a FA and looking to test it and maybe leave the UFC.
-Rory got his shot and lost.

So really GSP owing Rory anything is dogshit.

I don't think if GSP comes back ROry will be an afterthought. Do people really think if GSP comes back it is for more than 1 or 2 fights? I do not what so ever. People act like GSP is coming back to start a new career. GSP may never even come back.

A lot of pressure on Rory in this next fight. Be interesting to see how he handles it. I may bet money on his as the dog. A little girl on the way, a FA after this fight......I can't bet against that motivation, especially considering Rory is an elite WW.
 
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