Couture Calls For Big UFC Pay Day
Randy Couture recently made an appearance on the Adam Corolla Radio Show, where “The Natural” mentioned that not only should the UFC stop considering him their heavyweight champion, but that Dana White and Co. should also “step up” and provide himself and Fedor Emelianenko with what even Tito Ortiz would call a massive pay day:
“They’re still trying to call me the heavyweight champion. I resigned and relinquished the title. Nogueira’s in my opinion the champion now in the UFC…I need to be free and clear of that before I can pursue this fight somewhere else with Fedor (Emelianenko). I’d love for the UFC to step up and make the fight happen. It has the potential to be the biggest mixed martial arts fight to date…It has the potential to do 700,000+ pay-per-view buys which is a helluva lotta money. I think 6-10 [million should be the salary] for each of us and they’re still gonna make a boatload of money on top of that.”
True, the UFC would stand to pocket a sizable amount from a Couture vs. Fedor dream bout, however even the lowest end of Couture’s figure, 6 million dollars, is down right laughable. Perhaps the Randy Couture from three or four years ago could garner such an asking price, but now, at 45 years old, I just don’t see Randy being worth that kind of money to fight anyone, not even Fedor. Of course its also possible that Couture’s off the top of his head figures are merely exaggerated for the sake of negotiations, where one party starts with an outrageously high number which Dana and the Fertitta’s then counter with pocket change.
Tags: Fedor Emelianenk, Randy Couture
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6-10 million a piece.
And I thought Roger Huerta had some messed up voices running around in HIS head…
They better have a hell of a lot of other good fights on whatever card that fight is on, because I’m not going to pay a single cent to see it otherwise.
Greedy F-n Randy! The reason you are still considered the UFC champion is because you breached your contract after renegotiateing it twice. The UFC is staying LOYAL to a contract. You’re becoming a scumbag now you POS! Why does the UFC give a **** if you and Fedor make millions somewhere else? As of now Fedor and the UFC are no where near contract discussions. Actually they’re a thing of the past that failed. Randy deserves all the trouble and set backs he gets. There was a better way he could have gone about all of this. The problem started with Randy being selfish.
just do it dana you will make so much money off this fight….add it to the december card n make it the best fight card ever
I don’t know if I’d go that far, KOuch. Really, after all the animosity, I’m impressed that he would even consider negotiating with the UFC.
Of course, there is that possibility that it’s because bot he and Fedor know there isn’t going to be another game in town in short course, but it also shows that he isn’t too full of himself to go back to the UFC (if the money is right, anyway).
I feel so neutered with the no swearing and name calling thing…
Looks like Randy is looking for that one last big pay day before he is put out to pasture. How disappointed would you be if this fight happened in the UFC, they both got their big bucks, and Fedor beats him in 38 seconds? That is why the UFC will not let this happen. $6 million for this fight is ridiculous for a 45 year old who hasn’t fought in almost a year. I hope the UFC holds him under contract until he is 50.
look a the PAIR on Randy wow 6~10mil per, and most thought it was outrageous that Timmehh got paid 800,000 for 36seconds of work…. Randy @ 45 isnt worth that money even when he was the LHW champ he wasnt worth that (just to show up and fight), that was perhaps Randy say we want 6~10mil each and when ZUFFA comes back (not likely imo) with an offer of 2mil each Randy and Fedor would jump on that…. wow Randy guess it doesnt hurt to ask, whats the worse that could happen, miss out on the biggest fight of your 16~8 carreer….
nice to see that he considers Big Nog the HW champ not himself…. and u know if Dana and the Brothers Fertitta allow this fight to happen, in NO way is that horrible ugly WAMMA belt going to be anywhere near that cage, sooo Randy should have to fight Big Nog and unify the HW title before facing Fedor..
Randy is acting like an 18 yr old who just moved out on his own and realized that in the real world there are bills….. and this 18yr old didnt have his priorities in order and got tired of eating top romin all day everyday and had to go back to mom and dad say he is sorry ask for a good meal and some money, and hope that they dont remember that u said Fu€K you mom and dad im grown i dont need you!!!
bad analogy but hey, when you’re losing money everday and u cant work because YOU signed a contract sometimes, u just exhale tuck your tail between your legs and go back and fullfill your duty……
I like how Randy only estimates he and Fedor to do 700,000 buys (thats 200,000 less that Chuck Tito 2) But I have lost all respect for Randy. He’s just became WORSE than Tito in my book, cause atleast Tito honored his contract before asking for a stupid amount of money. The fact that Dana redid his contract when he already had 2 fights left on his old 1 and gave him a signing bonus on top of it just makes me think you have no honor and are just a piece of trash. I no longer care if this fight happens, just retire and make straight to dvd movies.
Meh, after Scorpion King bombs he’ll be singing a different tune. In the key of “Please Mr. Dana can I please have my job back? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it!”
The UFC only gets about half the PPV revenues – the rest go to Satellite, Cable, distributors, etc. Everyone takes a cut. So, using Randy’s math, 700k PPV buys at $44.95 each is 31,465,000. After the split, it’s 15,700,000. So – if Fedor and Randy each get 10 mil, the UFC would LOSE money (on the PPV – not the live gate).
Randy is a great guy, but he has no concept of the business of TV at all. If he’s so confident of the draw of the fight, just take a % of the PPV revenues, and hope it does better than 700k buys.
If I was the UFC, I would tell Randy that you are willing to pay him a million per round. Realistically, I don’t see a 45 year old man lasting that long against Fedor. Maybe 5 years ago I would guarantee Couture 4 or 5 million for a fight of this magnitude, but not now when he’s in the twilight of his career. If Randy was really wanting this fight for more than the money he would continue to fight in the UFC and stay competitive, so “ring rust†doesn’t set in for excuses when he gets his butt kicked in 45 seconds of the first round.
actually, he shouldn’t get one cent more than what is on his contract. You can’t sign a contract with a signing bonus, fulfill half of that contract, quit, and then come back asking for oodles of money. This fight is not going to happen in the UFC. No way, no how.
Would be interesting to see who else would be on that card and whether or not those fights would attract PPV buys despite Randy vs. Fedor. (theorhetically speaking, of course).
I think Randy see’s that he’s not gonna get that HUGE pay day from affliciton. So now he trying to inflate his asking price and seeing if maybe the UFC will bite and/or get Tshirt boy to pay a crazy amount to get the fight.
But in reality Fedor isn’t will never fight in the UFC, why? Cause he wants to continue fighting joke opponents like the Judo/Sumo champ he’s gonna fight in japan. And he wants to do his lame show where he beats up some no name can. And there is no way Dana allows any of his fighter to fight in other promotions.
I got love for both these dudes. They are just doing what everyone of us is in our own way doing, trying to get paid. I actually went into Burger King this morning and told my boss “Hey BEE-otch, I want 75 G’s to flip these burgers or I’m out of this Sh*thole.” I got fired just as Randy should. But I tried, cuz I am a smart business man.
Fedor is probably like Austin Powers asking Dana for 75 trillion or something. This is getting way out of hand. That’s how I see it now.
Rutdog i did the same thing when i worked at BK, but i wanted to get fired just like i thought Randy did so he could go to Pride and fight Fedor there. Then UFC folded Pride. If this fight doesn’t happen by the end of the year then it shouldn’t happen at all with how old Randy is getting. He probably couldn’t cut with the UFC’s HW right now let alone challenge Fedor
randy vs fedor wont happen…….and even if it does randy will be at a huge disadvantage..he hasnt fought for like a year..i really dont see it as a fair match anymore
ha randys such a joke, hes gettin desperate now that he doesnt have a big income coming in, ufc is moving onto big and better if they let randy come back they’ll lose alot of respect because randy isnt worth it, hes all about him and when your an mma fighter you need to love the sport, only reason randy should come back is to fight brock lesnar just to he could get his face pounded in
Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Oscar de la Hoya made $20 mil each for selling 1 mil plus ppvs.
If Randy and Fedor can sell 1 mil ppvs, why shouldn’t they deserve the money.
What do you guys want Dana and Fertittis to put that money in their pockets.
I think the fighters are the stars – people go to see the fighters – NOT the promoters.
Don’t badmouth Randy – boxers, baseball players, football players – they all play the same game of getting what the market decides.
Why do baseball players hold out for more money – they get agents to negotiate with the owners.
Dana hates agents !!!
If you guys love Dana so much – let him fight in the Cage.
I had so much respect for Randy just a year and half ago but now I think he has lost him mind. This tarnishes his whole legacy IMO.
It’s like he knows he will lose to Fedor and wants to make one final big payday.
After retirement he could have had a cool job along side Rogan and Goldie but he f-ed that up too.
Dana doesn’t have to say a word. Randy has exposed himself.
jwilly84us says:
If I was the UFC, I would tell Randy that you are willing to pay him a million per round.
—–
That, sir, is nothing short of BRILLIANT.
it wont even be a good fight he cant beat fador i rather see silva vs gsp that will be s super fight. and you want 6 to 10 for 1min max of work please
KOuch, just because Fedor and Randy may be making millions elsewhere, doesn’t give the UFC the right to pay them less than what they are worth. Have you ever heard of collective bargaining agreements? Why should the stars make so much less than owners? Give Fedor and Randy the door, $2-3 million a piece. I’m sure they’d take it. It’s capitalism as its best.
An additional problem with Fedor though, M1 wants to be in a co-promote situation. I say do a USA vs. Russia PPV. All the Russians are from M1, and all USA from UFC. All USA PPV go to UFC and all Russian/Europe PPV go to M1. Except maybe UK, which could buy it from UFC and air it on free tv delayed.
Another issue is the title. M1 has stated to UFC, if Fedor wins, he’s taking the UFC heavyweight title to M1 with him.
wut about the title fador already has
affliction is a usa per motion no?
if he (Randy) were to get paid a mil a round, not too attack the mans character or anything but i could see him keeping it “competetive” for all 3 or 5 rounds to get the max pay…. hey people have done shadier things before
also he is still bound by the contract he has already signed….
You know I hear a lot of “just give them the gate” or “Just give them all the PPV revenue”. Ladies and gentleman thank god you don’t run the UFC. You pay them $6 mil combined to fight plus the gate. Well guess what there goes the profit. Add the fact that you need to rent the venue, pay the other 18 fighters who fight that night, marketing, and whatever other expenses the UFC has to dish out for and you have a huge loss. This isn’t a charity, its a buiness and doing any of that makes no buisness sense. Especially if they are just gonna sign 1 fight deals.
anzstar_inc
isnt that simular to the Affliction “Banned” card with no exclusive rights to their fighters huge signing bonuses, ppv sharing, sharing the gate#and over paying the fighters ie Timmeehh, interesting concept of the ZUFFA is running the UFC business as a business crazy thought….
aznstar_inc, FYI, I am a capitalist. I have many lucritive business. One happens to be a small production company that works with small MMA events.
All I’m saying, the UFC gate will produce $4-6 million. Give the fighters $2.5 million each, flat. Since they bring in soo much business to the casino, they may be getting the venue for free, or next to nothing.
1.) The PPV should generate $35-$50 million dollars in USA alone. Don’t forget people that have sports bars, like myself, pay about $300 a fight to show it. How many PPV buys at that amount, 1000s across the nation.
2.) Plus money is generated from all the sponsors, (i.e. Bud Light, Harley, etc.) They collect more than enough from sponsors enough to cover the venue, marketing, and most of the fighters.
3.) Plus dvd sales. This will be the best selling MMA dvd of all time.
4.) Plus fights from this card will re-run on shows like Unleashed, etc.
5.) UFC can sell the rights to broadcast this event in UK, Japan, Australia.
6.) Give M1 the rights for Russia and the rest of Europe.
7.) UFC and M1 split the costs, to run the event and salaries.
UFC, will generate over $100 million for this event alone. Who’s greedy?
The Fertitta Brothers are obviously great businessmen. And Dana White was lucky to have been a childhood friend of Lorenzo Fertitta, or he’d still be Tito’s manager. (Instead of not coming to terms, when dealing with HBO)
Mark Cuban would take this fight in a heartbeat. In fact, he is trying to do so.
All I’m saying there is plenty of money to go around on this event. If UFC did this fight at all costs, no other MMA promotion could touch them for a long time.
Gonzo, I respect your plan and it does make sense. But with that said why if I am Dana white would I risk it. You are assuming a lot in that proposal. The Gate at the last PPV was $2.5 mil (or somewhere around that). So it would be in a smaller venue in Vegas and youwould have to jack up the ticket prices. Which makes it a lot harder to do.
I think Randy is right when he says it’ll do around maybe 700,000 buys if that. You guys can’t forget while everyone here in these forums know Fedor, how many mainstrean people know or care about him? The answer is not many (refer to the Affliction PPV numbers) PS $300 bucks for a bar to run a fight, is actually losing the UFC cash. Why? Cause I would assume your bar is packed (like the one I go to every now n then for PPV’s I don’t want to pay for) and that’s just more people not dropping $50 on the fight. I’m sure the UFC would much rather those guys stay home and order it.
you talk about DVD sales, well if that’s assuming Fedor doesn’t come out and destroy Randy 15 sec. Into the fight. You spending $20 bucks to rewatch that?
Overall your also saying they have to share costs and profits with M1. Well you should know cross promoting is never easy and terms are never just as cut n dry as lets split it.
So what I’m trying to say is yes your plan works and everyone gets what they want. But that hinges on a lot of “if’s”. So if this flops and you don’t generate the buzz it should your gonna take a bath. Not to mention what happens after? Fedor wins and takes the belt to M1 and never comes back, Then what? You aren’t paying him 2.5 mil every fight, and he isnt really gonna take a huge pay cut to remain champ. The UFC doesnt need this at all. I mean the UFC has GSP Penn 2 that should generate as much (if not more than) that fight, with much lower operating costs. That is the much wiser choice.
dana does alot of work, and has really helped ufc soar to be the best. he doesnt deserve as much as the fighters but he deserved a good cut, joe silva has done an amazing job lately he deserves 200k a year, randy doesnt deserve 1 mil let alone 6 mil we have people like clay guida who makes 70k a fight and works his ass off and loves this sport, randys a big whiner he needs to leave ufc alone and find another place
I call for Randy to zip it.Its like a shotputter getting mad at a basketball player making more $. Zuffa shouldd not underwrite his gym chain. (Look at the franchise $).
I call for Slicks opinion, this board needs you whenever your not banned.
You know all the UFC haters come and gripe about the pay, but what we never hear is how much they earn outside the ring based on there fame. You think if these guys weren’t in the UFC they would get appearence fee’s, as many sponsorships as they do, and the gyms a lot of the big name guys run don’t get half the business. Every fighter has a after party, 38 different logos on their shorts, all of that is revenue. Tiger woods isn’t rich because of Golf, he rich cause of his sponsors. And as this sport grows sponsor money will grow with it. And your a fool if you think you can make more overall than what you can make fighting for the UFC.
dave555,
you’re comparing apples to oranges. These other sports have been established for a long time and have huge $$$ coming in from all angles: ticket sales, ppv/tv deals, sponsors. boxing is dying largely in part to how much they spend while ufc/mma are growing at exponential rates.the reason they’re growing is cuz they’re smart about how to run a business and they realize that if you want to establish an infrastructure, you have to reinvest some of your earnings into the company. and if you want to compare mma promoters, ufc is the only one making money. affliction is already having issues where they’re trying to go and ask fighters to take pay cuts. yes the ufc makes a ton and could prolly afford to pay fighters more, but the company sure as hell deserves to make money too, dana and the fertida’s have probably done more for the sport than anybody so why shouldn’t they get a return on their investment?
Wow the more he opens his mouth the more i dislike him lately.which is to bad because just like most of you i’m sure i WAS a big randy fan.Maybe he should tryout pitching for the yankees they take 45 year old hasbeens.
Not a fan of people backing out of contracts etc, but Randy Couture is still a legend.
Everyone in the game says he is one of the nicest guys you’ll meet and on top of that he has been involved in some of the best fights the UFC has ever seen.. not to mention being one of the main protagonists to galvanise this sport into what it is today.
So what, he’s trying to get what he can to retire on? Considering that EVEN Randy can’t fight through his 50s, 60s and 70s I think its fair enough that he tries to get a big pay day.
It is a tough game for fighters considering all the risks that they face (i.e. possibility of eneded career ending prematurity through injury, let alone the possible health effects, etc).
He’s not hurting anybody by requesting this (pardon the pun), so whats the problem? A bit cheeky maybe (given that he reneged on his contract) but hey can’t we forgive the guy for that considering who he is?
Well said FR! I told my mom F you and learned the hard way. I know just how Randy feels only I have never breached a contract.
aznstar_inc in absolutely correct. I don’t think Randy vs Fedor will be a good fight. Fedor will kill him. Everyone thanks Randy is so good because he beat Tim and Ganzaga. Tim is a bum and always will be. Ganzaga could not handle the nasty head butt he took to the nose, which I believe had not had happened he would have taken Randy out. Randy has not proven anything to closely relate that he could stand a chance against Fedor. I don’t feel sorry for Randy at all. His gym would not be crap with out the name he built in the UFC. Also, he sure did not think his contract sucked when he signed it. He is an idiot for signing the deal and not making it right the first time. He made his bed, now he needs to crap in it.
If this fight ever happens I’m boycotting it. I don’t care what organization it is. I’m not paying to see 2 greedy fighters.
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Gonzo,
There’s quite a few glitches in your matrix. For starters, I doubt the venue would be free or next to nothing. It’s businessmen vs businessmen. If a definite venue sell out and large PPV sales, why wouldn’t you charge more? It would be stupid not to. Also, can you say without doubt that fighters don’t receive a percentage of DVD sales?
Bottom line: honor your committments and be a man. Didn’t they teach you that in the armed forces, Randy? Didn’t they teach you honor in the Olympics?
How about this: fight Nogueira and let’s see if you’re even worth of fighting Fedor.
altho Randy is asking alot for the fight, this would be a great one to watch I think. All the people on here saying they would not watch it, boycott it etc, I thinkn not. Should the fight happen, you will be there to watch as your conscience could not let you NOT watch it.
I think Randy has earned alot over the years, but this will just be the one to set him up for life as it seems.
At his age, after a year off fighting, please , can anyone remember that he absolutely demolished Tim Sylvia for the title ? He was out for a year then and people dogged Randy for it, and he showed eveyone that ANYTHING , yes ANYTHING is possible in a mma fight. Even with Fedor.
I know Fedor had Tim in like 36 seconds, but Randy almost KO’d Tim in the same time don’t forget.
I think if Fedor and Randy were to fight, it would not be over so quick as eveyone thinks. And, hell, there might even be a surprise for eveyone and all thoses who are doubting Randy.
At his age, he actually fights better than guys at 20 years younger. He still can, I think, be a very dangerous guy for Fedor.
Do you guys honestly think Fedor would WANT to beat a aged old Randy just to say ” I beat Randy Couture ” ?
No, he knows Randy still has some gas in the tank, and so do I .
Money is another issue that is blinding eveyone here. If Randy said he would accept £200,000 for the Fedor fight, you guys would all get your dicks out and stroke them off saying how good a fight it would be and that you all still love Randy.
I however, have always liked Randy, and always will. Thanks
Hey Couture go make another straight to video movie jacka$$! What are you thinking.
Erizzle,
I’m sure the UFC gets a better deal on the venue than if you and I put on an event. Remember, in Vegas there is a lot of competition between casino/hotels. If you notice, UFC hops around a lot between hotels for their PPVs in Vegas. (Don’t forget the PPV is a big commercial for how great the hotel is)
The hosting casino gets most of the UFC fans as they pour out of the fights. Big money. All those rich athletes, actors, and millionaire fans, stay in the hosting hotels’s suites, while betting big dollars.
I’m sure the City of las Vegas gives them major tax breaks and/or incentives to have the fights in their city, instead of elsewhere.
If you go Vegas the weekend of a UFC fight or major boxing event, the town is fuller than usual. And again, millions of millions are dollars are spent all around town. Don’t believe me? Ask any exotic dancer in town. They don’t go on vacation those weekends.
I also stated, the money collected that night by its sponsers will match the gate. Remember the Harley and Bud Light logos live on forever on youtube, dvds, UFC Unleashed, etc. More big money.
The fight will never happen in the UFC. First we have Dana’s ego. Second, I think Fedor may be afraid of the Octogan. It didn’t work out so well for Cro Cop. Third, Randy’s running out of time.
By the way, Randy wasn’t ever actually on the Olympic team, just an alternate. And Randy’s contract has a number of fights on contract and an expiration date. Randy is going by the expiration date, which is in October 2008. Dana’s going by the fight count. The lawyers will need to sort it out. Your right about honoring the contract, but Dana should just release him. Randy has made millions for the UFC and helped it catapult to where MMA and UFC is today.
“Randy has made millions for the UFC and helped it catapult to where MMA and UFC is today.”
well said mate,
Hey guys lets not forget that its a 2 way street. Go online look at how much his school charges to train, Its a $1000 an hour to train with Randy. I run a store that carry’s his clothing line, at $40 for a tee he making some bank. All of this revenue is from being assosicatied with the UFC. So it goes hand n hand. He helped them grow, but they helped him become a household name.
Yeah. I’m done with this. Randy is just greedy. If he really wanted to fight Fedor then he would have honored his contract and Begged Dana to sign Fedor for just one fight. A non title fight so that if Fedor one and didn’t want to stay the belt was stuck in limbo. But all this just proves his in it for the money only. Go away “Captain Greed”. Oh man….Now I really see why he is called “Captain America”. We Americans are way to greedy and Randy is just following suit…AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!
Fedor is scared to fight in the cage and prefers the wide ring. In fact, the Affliction “Banned” ring was the largest used for an MMA event ever. His quickness would be slowed a ring and I think mentally the man is scared of the cage. It must remind him of his gang rap in a Russian prison or something. Fedor/Couture will happen, but it will kill the Affliction promotion. My guess is that they will ask ppv subscribers for $69.99 just so they can brake even.
The Lord Mark, Americans greedy? What kind of statement is that? Athletes are entertainers and deserve money for bringing people to the show. What is Peyton Manning and Derek Jeter overpaid? No they make alot, because they make their bosses a lot more. Like Chris Rock says, “Shaquil Oneal is rich, but the guy who owns the team is wealthy. Oprah is rich, but if Bill Gates woke up and checked his bank account and it was Oprah’s balance, he’d freak out.” Randy may be rich, but the Fertittas are wealthy. Pay them the money, get the fight on the UFC, keep every loyal UFC fan happy. That’s priceless.
Randy is doing just fine for cash….$6 million is a joke.Its just not as funny as what that idiot Mayweather gets per “boxing match”.Make nice and finishe it and move on.I am sure Kevin Sorbo is ready to be replaced in something Direct to dvd…
Way to go Randy. I’d prefer you ask for 10 million…although that barely beats out the Boxing world and you’re putting more on the line than they ever did.
UFC NEEDS THIS FIGHT TO HAPPEN IN UFC. “NO WHERE ELSE”… PAY THESE FIGHTERS WHAT THEY ASK FOR AND THEN GO YOUR OWN WAYS. GET ALL THIS TAKEN CARE OF..