GSP, Donald Cerrone, Cain Velasquez among group of fighters and industry names set to make announcement that will "redefine MMA"

Quote :

In a Monday press release from O’Malley Hansen Communications, St-Pierre and Cerrone were named alongside several other high-profile fighters and Bellator founder Bjorn Rebney for a special conference call announcement on Wednesday, Nov. 30.

“Five of MMA’s leading fighters and former CEO & Chairman of Bellator MMA come together for an industry redefining mixed martial arts announcement,” read the press release.

The fighters named alongside St-Pierre and Cerrone for the announcement include Tim Kennedy, Cain Velasquez, and TJ Dillashaw.

All the fighters named, minus Cerrone, are represented by Creative Artists Agency (CAA), a rival business to new UFC owners WME | IMG, also a talent agency that represents several fighters, including former UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey. That alone leads many to believe that the announcement may have something to do with some sort of fighter organization, particularly since several of the fighters named have been vocal about the need for a fighter union.

The conference call press release, however, was scarce on details, saving the reveal for Wednesday’s announcement.

Of the five fighters named in association with the announcement, four are currently active UFC fighters. St-Pierre has been negotiating his return to the Octagon, but those negotiations appear to have stalled since WME | IMG took ownership of the UFC.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/georges-st-pierre-donald-cerrone-others-about-to-redefine-mma


Interesting......

Yep, the smartest thing the Fertita's could have done was get out when they did.
A union (of sorts) seems inevitable.

Although I won't comment on if this will ruin the sport or make it better, it will certainly lead to smaller margins and $100 PPVs with shittier free cards.
I don't see how WME/IMG can possibly increase the value of the UFC into the foreseeable future.

Yeah unfortunately, I think we've all witnessed the "peak" of the UFC and MMA in general.
If it was going to reach the heights of other major league sports, it would've by now.
It hasn't.
It's no doubt bigger than I could've even imagined 10 years ago, but the market for it remains 2nd tier.

I don't see any way a fighter union helps the growth in any way. I definitely don't blame the fighters for wanting this, but it's going to be to the detriment of the sport overall IMO.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/ufc-stars-avoid-union-designation-but-announce-fighter-association


You were right Stock, it looks like we're gonna see a "union of sorts", but not a union by name.

This was inevitable, especially with the very public sale of the UFC for the very public price tag of $4.2 billion. The fighters want a piece of that, and they deserve it, IMO.

I don't think I'm gonna be thrilled with the product as an end result of this, but what's fair is fair, so I can't complain.

Well, whatever you want to call it, some fighters will get more, some less, and some will be out of a job as the UFC won't be able to afford to keep as many fighters.

And, it's not like their margins will change. So any addl revenue needed will come from more expensive PPVs, higher demands in TV contracts on "free" cards, higher ticket prices, and higher merchandizing costs.

If the market is willing to absorb those higher costs, then the fighters win in the long run.
If the market is not willing to absorb those costs, then the fighters will be worse off as a whole.

We will see.

Still find it mind boggling it was valued at $4B by the buyers.