The Honeymoon is Officially Over: Potential Fallout From Couture’s Resignation
October 10, 2007 may be remembered as a historic day in the business of mixed martial-arts. Randy Couture has resigned from the UFC in a move that could prove to have lasting and far reaching effects. Couture’s resignation seems to be the first fruit of the growing tension between the UFC’s management and it’s top fighters that we reported on last week.
It remains to be seen if this is an isolated incident or the start of a larger labor dispute. My suspicion is that this is just the tip of the iceberg (see: The Big Picture). Growing pains are inevitable for a company that has grew as fast and as large as the UFC. For nearly two years it seemed that the company could do no wrong. However, this week alone has seen its negotiations with HBO collapse, the loss of its first high profile free agent, and now the loss of one of its biggest home grown stars.
Couture’s departure, combined with Chuck Liddell’s decline and Tito Ortiz’s contractual situation, leaves the company in a somewhat precarious position heading into next year. A worst case scenario could see Liddell lose to Wanderlei Silva in December and Tito Ortiz hold out for more money in light of Couture’s departure. That would leave the company to face 2008 with the prospects of having no proven superstar to be counted on to draw on pay-per-view. To make the situation worse, Matt Hughes, another of the company’s top stars, is likely one loss away from retirement as well. As a result the company will be forced to rely heavily upon the growing stature of Quinton Jackson as well as the continued development and creation of stars such as Forrest Griffin and Diego Sanchez. A changing of the guard is truly at hand.
Andre Arlovski and Tito Ortiz should emerge as two of the big winners out of the situation. Both now have increased leverage in their negotiations with the UFC. It will be interesting to see if any other top stars attempt to use the situation to their advantage by holding out for more money. Even without a full blown labor meltdown it is clear that the UFC’s pay scale is under tremendous pressure heading into 2008.
The company’s creditability with its fighters has also become an emerging issue. First came reports that pay-per-view buy rate figures were being questioned. Now Couture, an immensely respected figure in the sport, has flatly called the company liars. This is a situation that will call for the UFC’s immediate attention. As the sport, and more specifically the UFC brand, struggles for mainstream acceptance, the appearance of unprofessional and unethical behavior cannot be tolerated.
The immediate future of the UFC Heavyweight Title is unclear. Couture’s next title defense was expected to take place in February. Antonio Nogueira was set to face Cheick Kongo in December to establish a number one contender. Now that fight will probably crown a new champion. The winner would likely go on to face the winner of Sylvia-Vera.
Tags: Randy Couture
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Don’t forget about arlovski. IF mind you I say IF he gets his head back on he is the man.
Well I personally think that Tim Sylvia will hold the title again now. He should beat Vera……and I am hoping to see him fight Kongo. That is a good match for him. Big Nog is good, but like most Pride fighters….he is over hyped. UFC needs to REALLY get its pay structure down better!!
Called it from the beginning – UFC is ****ty business.
Yeah, PrideFC fighters are WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY overrated.. I mean, what in the f*** has an Anderson Silva and Rampage done in the UFC.. pff, over paid scrubs from PrideFC.
Yeah, that Nog guy’s never fought anyone has he?
I don’t think Timmeh has an easy road through vera, but he should be able to beat him if he’s healthy. Maybe, maybe we’ll get to finally see Arlovski fight again.
kinda takes your mindo off the light heavyweight division, eh? Looks like 2008 is going to be the year of the LHW/WW
millam3, What????? Hello …….. Silva and Rampage are the F’n owners of their divisions. You’re saying Lidell and Franklin both got KFO by scrubs? Give credit where credit is due.
big nog will easily run the ufc heavy’s for awhile as long as he stays or get in shape again. im not sure which tim were gonna see but i wouldnt be surprised if he won against vera. if vera has a good game plan then we might get big nog vs vera. still the heavy’s will most likely leave if they get better money else where and some might leave just to fight fedor.
arlovski should be one of the next people that M-1 sign along with barnett who said he was just waiting for fedor to sign somewhere. ufc better pay up or shut up now cause i cant think of a ppv they could make that would have me pay 40 to 50 bucks.
silva vs franklin sure isnt going to do it.
and so much for the superbowl of mma show feb 2, 2008.
K H says:
millam3, What????? Hello …….. Silva and Rampage are the F’n owners of their divisions. You’re saying Lidell and Franklin both got KFO by scrubs? Give credit where credit is due.
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i think the guy was just being sarcastic
Is everybody ready for the E! True Hollywood Story: The Rise and FALL of the UFC? I have stuck up for Dana White for too long. He better get it together, because I cannot afford to pay for 2 companys Pay Per Views every month, and my $$$ will goto the promotion that has the fighters fighting the fights I want to see(Barnett vs Fedor, Fedor vs Couture, Barnett vs Couture, Couture vs the wholr Red Devil Team) this is still crazy to me, Randy is (WAS) the UFC.
I honestly don’t know how anyone could possibly dropped the ball on catching the sarcasm in the bottom half of my post.
i am gutted that couture has gone.but the organisation will survive if it gets thing s in order.like everything pride has brought good things to the ufc as well as some bad.
The UFC underpays their fighters and until that changes the loss of Randy is only the beginning. Everyone knows, where the best goes. It’s where the money flows
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