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Many Lessons Learned from Jon Fitch Crisis
POSTED: November 21, 2008 - 2:27 pm
CATEGORIES: MMA
Jon Fitch is back in the UFC after a 24-hour window of free agency and my faith in the sport is restored. That’s correct, I had lost a little faith in MMA after watching a fighter with an 8-1 record inside the Octagon get cut.
I lost a little faith watching a guy disposed of like a piece of trash even though he had been nothing but a professional during his Zuffa tenure.
I lost a little faith seeing a hundred-million dollar company take out their anger towards the American Kickboxing Academy and Zinkin Entertainment on poor old Jon Fitch.
Sports is a business and MMA is no different than professional baseball, football, or basketball. However, the unfortunate situation involving Fitch being let go from the UFC for reasons unrelated to competition served only to momentarily compromise integrity of sport.
The Fitch firing never should have happened, but it did. The dismissal was too public to take back but given the circumstances, the best scenario as far as a remedy has now transpired. Fitch is back where he belongs and cooler heads have prevailed with both sides talk again in hopes of averting a further crisis.
Despite the situation being worked out, some fans are not happy and I’ve come across e-mails and forum messages blasting Fitch for allegedly comprising his principles. I have a simple response to that line of thought, which is: Are you kidding me?
Let’s remember, the reason why so many fans were upset in the first place was because there wasn’t a strong secondary option for Fitch. What made the cut hurt was that a fighter of Fitch’s caliber wouldn’t be able to continue on a stage that could rival the one that the UFC provides. The uproar over the situation wasn’t about Fitch leaving the UFC; it was about him no longer being in it. So now he’s back and we should all feel a sense of relief.
If there was a strong competitor to the UFC, then Fitch wouldn’t have been released in the first place. If this situation hadn’t been resolved in this manner, Fitch would have continued fighting but would have done so in front of less people and for less money. Fitch didn’t deserve such a fate. This isn’t a Randy Couture or Tito Ortiz situation; are people not forgetting that Fitch didn’t want to leave the UFC in the first place? Fitch was angry but he was angry about no longer being in the UFC. Do people not realize he had the rug pulled out from underneath him? Leaving the UFC was the last thing he wanted so cut the guy a break.
And before anyone suggests Fitch compromised his integrity by rejoining an organization that treated him so poorly, please bear in mind that we do not know what terms he is returning under. For all we know, Fitch may have received financial remuneration in exchange for cooperating with the UFC in order to help make all of the bad press go away. And the licensing deal he initially didn’t want to sign that he has now signed? How do we know that what he supposedly signed yesterday was the original deal he had been offered?
Sadly, we’ll likely never know the true terms that Fitch is returning under. If the UFC made it worth Fitch’s while to take them back, it’s more than likely that all parties have been sworn to secrecy as not to give other agents and managers future leverage.
Fitch is playing ball now and in doing so, he’s supporting the UFC like he always has by allowing this patch of horrible PR to be viewed from a rear view mirror. But while this situation is in the past, the fact that it never should have happened in the first place cannot be overlooked. While the UFC’s frustration in working with AKA and Zinkin had been building for months, the decision to cut Fitch came off like a knee-jerk reaction.
While listening and reading some of UFC president Dana White’s emotionally charged diatribes, I did not get the feeling that what was taking place was calculated. It was madness without any sort of method and that is unacceptable from a company with a market cap as big as the UFC’s. And don’t tell me how other companies in MMA have acted unprofessionally in the past because the UFC has always strived for something better.
White’s tirades coupled with the news that Fitch worked out his UFC issues with Zuffa CEO Lorenzo Fertittainstead of White has prompted many to speculate that Dana was solely responsible for the situation. There’s a theory that Fertitta performed damage control yesterday and cleaned up Dana’s mess. While that may be the case, I’m not so sure. Maybe I’m naive, but I don’t think a company makes a politically charged decision such as cutting an 8-1 fighter over a management dispute without consulting its majority ownership.
But perhaps I’m not the one who is naive. To suggest that Ferttita had no advanced warning of Fitch’s impending release is a suggestion that defies logic. He had to have known. I don’t buy this notion that White is the sole power broker in the UFC, as my theory has been for quite some time that White is nothing more than attack dog. Dana does all the neccessary dirty work while the Fertittas continue to come off smelling like roses so they can walk the streets of Vegas with their heads held high. If true, it’s an effective strategy and a strategy that must be considered as a possibility when trying to crucify White for what transpired this week. Zuffa utilzied the good cop/bad cop dynamic with Fertitta and White while trying to negotiate the PRIDEbuyout so it wouldn’t surprise me if this was yet again the case. To only hold White accountable would be irresponsible.
But I am not making excuses for White. His radio appearance on “The Carmichael Dave Show” earlier this week was not one of his proudest moments. White was angry and stressed out and in no condition to be doing any public speaking. At times, he came across as a man on the verge of losing it. He’s no doubt overworked right now but that’s nobody’s fault but his own.
To hear him complain about the sacrifices he makes on a daily basis with the expectation that his employees should repay him by going along to get along is insulting. Does he not understand that he isn’t the only person in his company making sacrifices? Zuffa is understaffed and everyone in that company that I’ve ever encountered is nothing short of a go-getter. And how can White be so flippant about the sacrifices that a fighter makes on a daily basis? The injuries (short-term and long-term); the toll on a fighter’s personal life brought about by long training camps; weight management and not being able to enjoy food; and the overall lack of security (no health benefits provided by employer, no 401K, no worker’s compensation, etc.) is a lifestyle all successful fighters must endure.
Look, no one has to be a fighter and the life of a fighter is one that individuals choose on their own. But they are making the choice and White has become a multi-millionaire thanks to that choice. White needs to go see a shrink so that he can stop using public forums as a therapy pit because he doesn’t have an exclusivety on hard work and sacrifice. When Dana White travels the world, he does so in a private plan while the rest of us poor schmucks fly coach. Your life isn’t easy Dana but there is no use in venting in public because you’re not going to evoke much sympathy from working class stiffs like us.
In addition to working on stress relief, White also needs to bring in someone to handle talent relations. UFC Vice President Joe Silva has the title, but he is more of a matchmaker and talent scout. When it comes to face-to-face negotiations, it’s White who is at the forefront when it comes to the bigger deals.
From my perspective, a man that is as emotional as White is ill-equipped to handle the role of chief UFC negotiator. The UFC is a business and the daily struggles they encounter are not unique. What is unique is how White oftentimes decides to air his laundry in such a public fashion. Zuffa would be well-advised to dip into the ranks of mainstream sports and find an experienced chief negotiatior that has worked in the NBA, NFL, NHL, or Major League Baseball. These major dustups with the likes of B.J. Penn, Randy Couture, and now Fitch are not helping the sport grow and eventually it could come back to haunt the UFC.
Additionally, the UFC should spend the money to hire Wall Street executives who can tag-team with White in regards to business development. If White learned the art of delegation, he might not actually have to spend so much time away from home and might actually be able to enjoy the fruits of his labor. The problem is that it’s a matter of trust. White simply doesn’t trust anyone else to perform many of the tasks he’s performing. But this isn’t 2001 anymore; the UFC has arrived. It’s time to run it like a Fortune 500 company and not a niche business.
But as bad as this situation was, there is one silver lining, which is that Fitch is going to be a bigger star because of this. Sadly, he received more exposure over this debacle than he did when he took Georges St. Pierre to a five round decision in what was one of the gutsiest performances I’ve witnessed from a fighter. Who knew that it would take something such as getting fired to help Fitch finally become a household name?
COMMENTS (14): Submit A Comment
1. Shawn L
November 21, 2008 - 4:13 pm
I sent the nastiest email to UFC last night in support of Jon Fitch. I'm guessing a lot of other people did too.
2. D.G.
November 21, 2008 - 4:52 pm
So your faith is restored? Shit. Doesn't take much to impress you, huh Sam? They took Fitch back ONLY after he permanently signed away his likensss. That's not "cooler heads prevailing". That's someone caving in, against their better judgement. "The uproar over the situation wasn’t about Fitch leaving the UFC; it was about him no longer being in it. So now he’s back and we should all feel a sense of relief.". Are you as narrow-minded, as your writing demonstrates? There isn't a phrase in the above paragraph, that makes any sense whatsoever. The "uproar", was about an already firthly rich corporate entity, trying to financially manipulate one if its prime bread-winners. Which CONGRADULATIONS! It did. A landmark precident could have been set, and Fitch dropped the ball. There's no doubt in my mind Fitch would have landed on his feet elsewhere. Strikeforce, Dream, somewhere. Maybe not with a company with the status of the UFC, but still gainfully employed. And unlike in the case of Dana White, by an employer, that WOULDN'T try to put the financial screws to him. The primary concern of any REAL MMA fan, is the physical, emotional and FINANCIAL WELFARE of the fighter. NOT where they fight. Especially under such lousy conditions and imposed stipulations. I'd rather my favorite fighter fight someplace else, even if I only saw them once a year, for a lesser known honorable company, then to see them two or three times a year, for an employer I KNOW is not reputable. This whole article reeks of you playing both sides of the fence. Which anyone without a backbone can clearly do. How about standing up for what's right, instead of trying to be everyone's friend?
3. Dedwyre
November 21, 2008 - 5:24 pm
Good article. I think I agree with about everything. Part of me wants to say that Fitch should have just signed the deal right off the bat. It's unlikely that a contract such as the one that caused all of this conflict could hold up in court, so should the day have come when Fitch would have had reason to breach it, it probably wouldn't have been hard to do. But I didn't figure that out right away. I had to have it explained to me. Likewise, I doubt Jon Fitch thought about it when he was asked to sign the thing in the first place. I don't hold any of this against him.
And I just learned that this comment box doesn't like semicolons.
4. Paul
November 21, 2008 - 5:48 pm
I thought this was a very good and balanced article. D.G. it's pretty clear how you feel about Dana White...most people don't like the guy. However Dana White is not the point here.
I think you are unbelievably naive if you think that Zuffa is the only company who will act this way. This is big business, and every one of these promotion companies, no matter how small, is going to try to take advantage of the fighters. Look at EliteXC...are their fighters any better off? That company was a fucking disaster. Their incompetence contributed to Fitch's situation as much as the UFC. In the absence of a viable option, if you want to fight the top fighters for the top money your only choice is the UFC. I don't like it either, but there is a huge divide between the product that the UFC puts out, and everyone else. If Strikeforce had the line up that UFC 92 is offering I would be singing a different song...As of right now the majority of the top fighters in the world, except for a few, are in the UFC.
I also don't care where a fighter fights, or who they fight for. As a fan I am drawn to the bouts featuring the top talent and the biggest names. However, I think a fan can and should watch for whatever reason they choose...even Kimbo fans. Who are you to say who is a real fan and who isn't? Anyone who pays 40 plus dollars for a pay per view, or hundreds of dollars for an event ticket is a fan...period.
Dude, you gotta let go of some of this bitterness...MMA is the fast growing sport in the world...there is a ton of money at stake here and people are going to get stepped on. You're kidding yourself if you think that anyone is driven by what is right. In the world of business if you're making money you're right...
5. Ed
November 21, 2008 - 6:40 pm
That just goes to show you why Fedor wont sign.......... you cant have the same complany PROMOTING AND MANAGING THEIR FIGHTERS AT THE SAME TIME. Conflict of intrest
6. gsp Fan
November 21, 2008 - 6:56 pm
if things start to get heated in these comments are you going to delete them like Ramdeen did? That guy is such a sorry excuse for a sports journalist it is not even funny! I want my comments restored on his UFC 91 blog!! You guys suck - INSIDE MMA on HDNet is way better then the before and after the bells you guys have been producing lately! Ramdeen should be fired and go back to picking up the trash!!
7. Potter
November 21, 2008 - 7:32 pm
To D.G.- Jon Fitch has said multiple times that the terms of the deal weren't the prime issue. So that whole bit about Fitch making a decision against his better judgement is out of place. Also remember that Fitch stepped over Dana White, and went straight to Lorenzo Fertitta. In fact, Fitch has stated that Fertitta has promised that Fitch can be released from the agreement if he wishes. As for the "real fan" business . . . that just sounds elitist. Kids in high schools say things like "the cool kids do this, the cool kids do that . . .". Trying to make yourself sound "hardcore" is just pointless. Next time, do some research and make an informed comment.
The article was great, and one of the few Caplan articles I agree with. He hit it perfectly. Dedwyre and Paul are spot on.
8. Paul
November 21, 2008 - 8:10 pm
I can see why a lot of people dislike Dana White...there's no doubt he's a dick. It's kind of like being at the play ground and there's only one basketball...the kid who owns the ball makes the rules...if he wants to take his ball and go home you don't get to play. Until you can afford to buy your own ball you're going to have to suck it the fuck up...
9. Canadian fighter
November 21, 2008 - 8:29 pm
I think all the fighters should hold out on the Zuffa label... Individually they are weak and united they are strong!!!! Are my union roots showing? If Zuffa has nothing to show and the Fertittas can go belly up...God knows their casinos are not...
10. Paul
November 21, 2008 - 9:03 pm
I agree that a union would help the fighters...but I don't think there is much chance of them coming together to get it done...
11. Joe
November 21, 2008 - 9:42 pm
"The primary concern of any REAL MMA fan, is the physical, emotional and FINANCIAL WELFARE of the fighter. NOT where they fight." = I hate to knock down your self-righteous keyboard jocky "damn teh man" diatribe, but unfortunately that and teh UFC are one and teh same. Fitch wanted to stay in teh UFC, nd teh UFC IS the most financially stable place to work. if thats what a "true fan" like you really cares about, and not your own personal "trying to live the life of an insider via the internet" beliefs, then you should be happy thats what Fitch got back. could he have landed somewhere else? sure. Affliction's not giving out their big salaries anymore btw, and they're still shaky beyond 1-2 more shows unless they really take off. Dream, if a "true fan" like you hasn't been keeping track, is on the verge of not existing and just getting rolled up into K-1. do all those situations sound like emotional and financial stability for the fighters? btw, they get pay by fight too, if you weren't aware. so if he only fought once a year. there goes some of his financial security.
12. evan soper
November 22, 2008 - 2:49 am
none of you own a company or run one at least a big so suck ufc balls none of you john fitch and you all bitch about the price of a football ticket or a hockey game and how athletes are over paid and now you bitch about how fighters are under paid or they have to sighn there likness away this is a dumb ass thing for anyone to be upset about exept for fitch obiviosly hes not that pissed about it or he would not of come back in a job like danna he is always pissing off someone weather be the managment or the fighter or the public somone will always be bitch =ing mostly thats to fan boy sites i might ad but the point is this if you want fighters to be a bunch of overpaid baby bithces like so many in the nfl and nba then feel bad for them and encourage there selfish behavour that you hate so much when other profesional athletes do it becuase you are the ones ruiing the last great sport that soesnt consist of overpaid babys and future movie stars your the same guys that complaiin about brock being a former profesional wrestler and ignoring all his other acomplishments the same guys that encourage and defend the back yard brawlers and the srteet fighters just sit back and watch the show and enjoy some mixed martial arts from some of the best fighters in the world and dont encouage the bull shit that isnt actually coming from the fighters mouths the bull shit thats actually coming ffrom there asshole agents that dont care about the sport or any sport really or anybody for that matter none of this would of happend if they had of just did what the boss told them to do just like the rest of us have to do in all of are ordinary lives i feel bad for no one nore do i give a shit what happens in the end beacuase at the end of the day all i really care about is who won who lost and when ill be able to pretend im john fitch on my place station
13. evan soper
November 22, 2008 - 2:53 am
ps excuse my shitty typing and i meant play station got a little a head of my self
14. Paul
November 22, 2008 - 5:03 am
Evan...punctuation...please...I have no idea what you said...Jesus...
