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White explodes over fighters avoiding their team-mates

3K views 24 replies 19 participants last post by  VolcomX311 
#1 ·
http://www.espn.co.uk/ufc/sport/story/51282.html?CMP=OTC-RSS

UFC president Dana White has delivered an explosive verdict on fighters who refuse to face their team-mates, telling ESPN: "It's f****** ridiculous".

ESPN revealed on Tuesday that Jon Fitch categorically stated he would not fight American Kickboxing Academy team-mate Josh Kosheck, even if it was for the welterweight title. And on Wednesday, there were further quotes from Jon Jones saying he would rather stay as the light-heavyweight division's No. 2 than fight Greg Jackson colleague Rashad Evans.

White is keen to knock such thoughts on the head, knowing that it would stand in the way of MMA fans seeing some of the best match-ups the sport has to offer. And he told the fighters in question that it would be embarrassing for them not to fight their mates.

"It's f****** ridiculous. It's embarrassing," White told ESPN. "I think it's embarrassing to say 'I won't fight somebody because I train out of the same camp'.

"These guys train so hard, they put so much time and energy into it, why would you not want to fight somebody to prove you're the best in the world?

"It's not personal, it's business. It's the business we're in. You hear it from the AKA camp, you hear it from the Jackson camp, it drives me completely crazy, it's completely unprofessional, and it's f****** ridiculous."

Fitch explained that he would even move up to the middleweight division if Koscheck began to dominate at 170lbs, but White retains a belief that both men would step up if the situation arose.

"We'll see what happens with Koscheck and St-Pierre. If Koscheck wins the title, Fitch is going to move to 185? I doubt it. I actually think Fitch and Koscheck would fight each other."
There was video too, just couldn't figure that part out.

I know this argument has been done before, it just seems relevant once again. I too find it hard to believe that if it were for the belt, two guys wouldn't fight each other. Teammates or not, ultimately the fighters are competitors who aim to fight at the highest level.
 
#2 ·
I think it's ridiculous that Dana White can not address the camera in an interview for a someone as prominent as ESPN and not drop F bombs.

That is disgraceful.

Step it up Dana.
 
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#4 ·
I think JBJ saying he won't fight for the title if Rashad wins it set this most recent one off. Not to mention if Kos beats GSP Fitch won't fight for the title either. I don't think that bothers Dana as much, but it's still the #2 fighter at that weight refusing a title shot.
 
#6 ·
I think JBJ saying he won't fight for the title if Rashad wins it set this most recent one off. Not to mention if Kos beats GSP Fitch won't fight for the title either. I don't think that bothers Dana as much, but it's still the #2 fighter at that weight refusing a title shot.
Whelp no worries there :thumb02: And I would be sort of frustrated if I was Dana as well. You're trying to put together good fights and people keep refusing to fight each other. Sure it's not the fight you would prefer, but the show must go on.
 
#5 ·
You know, Dana White sure talks a lot about the teammates issue, but since he's the president and part-owner he can actually do something about it. He signs the fighter contracts & paycheques so to speak, I'm pretty sure he can twist a few arms and make the fights happen if he wants to and the fans demand it.
 
#8 ·
That would be like if I was a auto salesman, but I refused to sell trucks because I thought they were bad for the environment. Either you sell cars or you don't... either you fight or you don't. I don't get to pick the projects I work on at work... and I really don't understand why these guys should be treated any differently.
 
#11 ·
First off I agree with Rival in that Dana White needs to become a more professional ambassador of the sport when speaking publicly. Sadly I think he believes his "F bombs" appeal to the "stupid trash" community that follows sports(which sadly is a VERY large community).

Secondly, I'm very torn on the issue of same camp fighters fighting.

A) If you fight from the same camp and train together, arent you pretty much fighting each other every day already? Whats the big deal if you start going 100%(instead of 25/50/75% training) for 1 night for 15-25 minutes for A LOT of money? Cant you both agree its nothing personal and still be buddies afterwards?

HOWEVER

B) The human and "brother" in me can understand that fighting family or friends could potentially create "friction" and in life friends and family are everything, and alot more important than 10k-1 mil, or any amount of money. I mean you'd like to think you could keep it professional and friendly, but is it really worth risking, especially if you actually did HURT your friend? I know I would feel INCREDIBLY bad if *I* hurt my friend simply because *I* wanted to win.

The argument goes both ways, I understand both sides, but I'm very torn on the issue, and I'll admit I can totally respect the guys who DO fight their friends/training partners, but I cant disrespect those guys who wont either.
 
#12 ·
In the last video blog from UFC 120, Rashad Evans said that the new fighter contracts would require fighters to fight their camp-mates. He seemed serious, about that point, at least, but who knows?
 
#15 ·
dana was just invited by joe biden personally to help with something, i don't know what it was, but that says a lot.

and this is from earlier this year.

LAS VEGAS -- Just a few years ago, Dana White was just another executive of another struggling company. The UFC's swift turnaround and explosion into the worlds of mainstream sports and pop culture has given rise to the sport of MMA and a celebrity in White.

Last week in Seattle, the UFC president became one of a handful of high-powered execs invited to Microsoft's CEO Summit, and was given the opportunity to address the attending titans of business, which included such luminaries as Microsoft chairman Bill Gates, billionaire investor Warren Buffet, media mogul Barry Diller and U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.

"It was very, very surreal how much respect the UFC got up there when I was there," White said. "It was mind-boggling. I'm in the room speaking to 200 of the guys who make what's going to happen tomorrow and all these incredibly smart guys. When I laid out what the plan is for the UFC and how it works, these guys got it. They got it. A lot of them didn't know what the hell the UFC or MMA was. They knew when I left."

Though the entire guest list of the exclusive event is kept private, videotaped comments made by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer allude to White's apparently electric delivery.

"I have to admit, that last session just fired me up," Ballmer said. "The genius of it. I had to love the inspiration, the excitement. The whole day's been pretty good but I have to admit I did get a little fired up. Even some of the words which you're not really allowed to use when you've been in business a little longer were really gratifying for me to hear, and I'm glad to have the opportunity to follow up on that. The juxtaposition of Dana talking about his business, and having had a chance to talk about vision and the need for inspiration and vision and product leads me to the things that I want to talk about today."

White, who directly preceded Ballmer on the stage, said he also got positive feedback from the attendees in person.

"The CEO of Microsoft told me, 'That was awesome,'" he said, before adding that some of the executives from the summit will be attending UFC 114 this weekend.

For a sport that was widely shunned as recently as five years ago, it's been a swift turnaround. The exposure afforded White at the event should not be understated. Attracting new blue-chip sponsors and gaining wider acceptance from major business leaders would be yet another positive step as the UFC continues its wild story of success.
http://www.mmafighting.com/2010/05/...d-dana-white-makes-splash-at-exclusive-ceo-s/
 
#25 ·
dana was just invited by joe biden personally to help with something, i don't know what it was, but that says a lot.

and this is from earlier this year.


http://www.mmafighting.com/2010/05/...d-dana-white-makes-splash-at-exclusive-ceo-s/
Nice post. I never read that before and that's pretty freak'n profound. I give Dana a load of respect.

Regarding the Bidden comment, I would be sorely disappointed if the UFC got into any kind of public, political leanings. Please leave politics out of sports.
 
#17 ·
the no fighting teamates thing kills me..... i used to play alot of sports when i was younger, baseball, football and hockey. we played pick up games with friends every sunday morning at the local ice rink, and i tell ya, there was nothing better then catching your buddy with his head down and then creaming him into the boards! we never fought cuz of it.. it was part of the game and when you got your wind back and could stand up again you laughed about it and said ill get ya back sometime! in football practice and scrimmages, being able to lay a huge clean hit on your friend when he wasnt looking? Awesome!!! smack the hell outta him, then help him up share a laugh and a pat on the ass and go to the next play. hell several of us saw the first ufc's in high school and we started doing it ourselves in the backyard, only rule was no punching to the face.... people can see that later. that never caused us problems....


these guys are fighter..... they love to fight and are getting paid to do it. yeah they train together... means they probably sparring every day... so they already beating eachother up everyday, and they have to pay for that training..... why not do it for real and get paid?!

if i was a fighter, id have no problem fighting a teamate, none what so ever.
 
#19 ·
I understand that friends don't want to fight each other. I couldn't fight my best friend if we were both fighters.

What if there were 2 porn stars that were asked to do a scene together who grew up together and were friends? I would understand if they said no. Fighting isn't like other sports; it's not always easy for people to brutally beat up a close friend. I understand that some people don't mind and I understand that some people do. Who are we to judge how other people feel about fighting their friends?
 
#23 ·
It's your job to fight. If you somehow get it in your contract to state you don't have to fight a friend or something then good for you. Unless you do that then your job is to fight and if you don't do your job you get the boot imo. Would it be hard to fight a friend and possibly dethrone him from the title? Yes it would. But you both have your job to do.

Besides you could just market it as such that two friends are going to fight for the title, can they remain friends, how will they fight, blah blah blah. Could prob make a lot of money and get a lot of exposure for it.
 
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