Summary of Randy Couture conference

BlingDogg · 10-25-2007, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Randy Couture, the UFC heavyweight champion who abruptly resigned from the organization earlier this year, said his problems with the UFC’s current ownership and President Dana White began as early as Zuffa LLC’s initial purchase of the organization in 2001. In the end, a growing number of those problems led to his resignation.

The 44-year-old UFC hall-of-famer discussed the laundry list of items during a Thursday afternoon press conference at his training center in Las Vegas.

Couture said a major reason he tendered his resignation was because of the offer the UFC made to then-free agent Fedor Emelianenko. Couture said he was upset to learn that the UFC was offering Emelianenko a signing bonus that was worth more than any amount he — an 11-year UFC veteran and champion — had ever received for a fight.

He said he felt disrespected since he had spent so much time and effort supporting and promoting the organization.

“That was the final slap in my face,” Couture said.

Couture said he was also disappointed that he didn’t receive an additional bonus after his UFC 74 victory over Gabriel Gonzaga. Couture said “locker-room bonuses” are standard practice for the organization’s marquee fighters. In fact, he said he received one after his UFC 57 loss to Liddell and one after his victory over Tim Sylvia earlier this year at UFC 68. But he didn’t get one after his third-round TKO of Gonzaga, and he never got an answer when he finally asked.

“I didn’t understand why I got overlooked and didn’t get the bonus in my last fight,” Couture said. “I don’t understand why I never got a response.“

Couture emphasized that the bonuses are solely at the discretion of UFC management but that he was confused why he would get one in March but not in August.

Couture also addressed a report from Yahoo! Sports that stated he was making between $3.25 million and $3.75 million per fight during his main events with Sylvia and Gonzaga. Couture passed out a copy of his bout agreements that stated he got $250,000 per fight. He said that with his cut of the pay-per-view revenue, which accounted for about $500,000 to date, he actually earned approximately $750,000 per fight — nearly $3 million less than what was reported.

Couture said he first spoke to UFC officials about his intentions of resigning about two-and-a-half weeks before he left to shoot a movie in South Africa.

“I got no response,” Couture said. “I waited two-and-a-half weeks. I saw them all face-to-face again at the Anaheim show (in September). I had my letter of resignation at that (original) meeting and could have tendered it right then… but I wanted to give them an opportunity to respond to the things that I stated as the issues for me.

“I got no response.“

As far as the status of his contract, Couture said it is his understanding that his contract expires in nine months. During a media conference call that the UFC scheduled simultaneously with Couture’s press conference, White explained that the contract has no expiration date.

As for a possible return to the UFC, Couture said it’s possible but hinted that it’s unlikely. He said he spoke to White, as well as UFC owners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, Wednesday afternoon and that they had asked him about returning to the organization.

“I just think it’s time for me to move on,” Couture said

source: Randy Couture: Lots of Little Things Resulted in Resignation -- UFC news at MMAjunkie.com

majestyk1976 · 10-25-2007, 07:50 PM

No mention on the "Fedor" factor????

CapAmericaFTW · 10-25-2007, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by majestyk1976

No mention on the "Fedor" factor????

Um, not sure what you mean by the "factor" but...

Couture said a major reason he tendered his resignation was because of the offer the UFC made to then-free agent Fedor Emelianenko. Couture said he was upset to learn that the UFC was offering Emelianenko a signing bonus that was worth more than any amount he — an 11-year UFC veteran and champion — had ever received for a fight.

subgenius · 10-25-2007, 09:32 PM

I am even more dissappointed in Randy Couture after reading that BS.

jyd94 · 10-25-2007, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CapAmericaFTW

Um, not sure what you mean by the "factor" but...

Couture said a major reason he tendered his resignation was because of the offer the UFC made to then-free agent Fedor Emelianenko. Couture said he was upset to learn that the UFC was offering Emelianenko a signing bonus that was worth more than any amount he — an 11-year UFC veteran and champion — had ever received for a fight.

I can understand that but that is the only guy he wanted to fight, what should Dana offer the guy peanuts? Kinda contradicts itself, he is the only one i want to fight but don't pay him too much.

AikaImmortal · 10-25-2007, 09:49 PM

I dont know, Couture turned down 3 million dollars from Bodog to fight Fedor in Bodog (Matt Lindland eventually was chosen) because he was loyal to the UFC

AikaImmortal · 10-25-2007, 09:50 PM

"Randy Couture held a press conference from his Xtreme Couture gym in Las Vegas on Thursday where he addressed his decision to resign from the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

"I'm saying I simply left the UFC," the current heavyweight champion said. "It would be silly for me to say I'm going to retire again. Nobody's going to buy that anyway."

Addressing whether or not he would fight again, Couture responded, "I don't have a crystal ball. I certainly have fights left in me. There's only really one fight that makes a lot of sense and would have hoped that could have happened in the UFC with Fedor (Emelianenko). I don't think that's going to happen.

"I believe I'm the best fighter I've ever been right now. I also don't operate under the impression that that's going to last forever. Whether or not I fight again is certainly up in the air at this point."

With the recent emergence of M-1 Global there has been speculation as to whether he would end up fighting Emelianenko under the new promotion's banner.

Couture answered that saying, "I'm under UFC contract for a minimum of nine more months. I signed an 18-month contract with the UFC, so unless that fight happens in the UFC, it's not going to happen anywhere else for at least nine more months."

Which leads to one of the hottest topics since his resignation: the parameters of his contract. Couture and his camp have argued the duration of nine months. UFC president Dana White has argued that Couture owes the UFC two fights. Therein lies the issue. Is the contract for the nine-month term or for two more fights?

"It's whatever the number of bouts are that you signed for and a term,” said Couture. “Those bouts have to occur in that term. That's my understanding and my lawyer's understanding of the contract. If it's an 18-month contract with four fights, then those four fights need to occur in that 18-month period. That's my understanding of the contract."

But his intent didn’t seem to be getting out of his contract so he can go and fight Emelianenko elsewhere as many believe.

"It's not really about leaving and going and fighting somewhere else. My loyalty has always been with the UFC. I was offered to fight Fedor over a year ago when I wanted to come out of retirement for thee million dollars in Bodog,” he stated. “It's more than I've ever been paid for a fight.

“What did I do? I went to Dana and Lorenzo and said, ‘hey this is what these guys are offering for me to fight Fedor in their show. I would be interested in fighting again.’ They said, ‘if you're fighting again, we need someone to Tim Sylvia. Fight for the heavyweight championship with us,’ and that's what I did."

Not pointing directly at one issue or another as the specific cause of his resignation, Couture did discuss a number of various factors. One of those factors was fighter bonuses handed out by Zuffa (the UFC’s parent company) to marquee fighters following pay-per-view bouts.

"The UFC has stated time and again that I'm the number two athlete on their books as far as my contract, what my base pay says on that bout agreement, but what happens is they pay you a visit in your locker room after your fight and give you a bonus check. It's not on the books anywhere," he revealed.

“I think it's an organizational decision to distribute money that way because it is at their discretion, because then there is monetary value that's put out there that other people don't know about and other organizations don't know about. If somebody wants to go buy Matt Hughes out of his contract, they don't really know what he's being compensated to make that happen. They look at what the public record says, so they make an offer there, but he's being paid a lot more than that."

Couture provided a laundry list of reasons why he resigned from the UFC, but the final straw for him was the offer made to Emelianenko.

"They offered him more in a signing bonus than I had ever been paid in a fight. That was like the final slap in the face.

"I handed in my resignation after having a meeting with Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta where I laid all this out in person two-and-a-half weeks before I left for South Africa.

"They were given every opportunity. I expressed fact-to-face how I felt with them. And it's not about bashing. I'm not going to get into a war of words with Dana. He said some other things, 'he controls me' and everything else. It doesn't really matter. It's not about that.

"I have no hard feelings towards Lorenzo and Frank (Fertitta), certainly not. They've done a masterful job of using their connections and their influence to build this sport back up. Dana, although he's misunderstood and I don't agree with some of the things that he does, I don't think he's a bad guy. I think he wields a lot of power and a big stick, and he doesn't do that with objective conscience all the time. But it's not about bashing Dana.

“It's just about how I feel as an athlete that's represented this organization for eleven years and done my very best to represent this sport and feeling unappreciated for that.""

From MMAWeekly

the preach man · 10-25-2007, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by subgenius

I am even more dissappointed in Randy Couture after reading that BS.

Yeah, Im a big Randy fan but Im not impressed with him on this one. Is it 'fair' that the UFC is offering Fedor so much money and not Randy???? Maybe not, but maybe it is fair also. Lets look at it like this, Fedor is the BIGGEST name in MMA in the WORLD. That makes him a big money maker for the UFC and therefore the UFC is willing to pay more money for him. Even if it wasnt 'fair' by 'unwritten rules' the fact of the matter is that Randy signed a contract and must abide by it just like the UFC has to.

$250,000 a fight sounds a lot better than $000,000 per fight to me.

dj_rizz · 10-25-2007, 10:00 PM

Wow I don't know what to think .. on 1 side I side with Randy that it is messed up to give more to a new comer, since randy was part of a solid steel structure of the ufc .. but on the other hand .. 3/4 of a million bucks just to fight .. I mean cmon now .. all the big names in ufc that are in main events get PAID!!! and get paid WAAAAY 2 MUCH .. so I really don't know what to make out of this .. but if thats true about Randy passing up $3 mil to fight Fedor .. I think that may have been Randys Ticket out the UFC before he fights Fedor .. I personally think he was scared but just needed a way out .. much respect to the legend though

StratTone · 10-25-2007, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by subgenius

I am even more dissappointed in Randy Couture after reading that BS.

I agree. $750,000 a fight is great for his end of the deal. To quite an agreement that you signed for is just douchbagish!!!! Don't say or sign anything that you don't plan on carrying out. Hell I take his next 2 fights at 750k and take an ass whoopan. Hell does he even know what the meaning of the word bonus is??? I think the bonuses they are giving is awesome. I hate when people begin to expect things.

KRONOS · 10-25-2007, 10:06 PM

At the end of the day it comes down to the $$$. Dana and the owners are greety f*ckers...they pay their fighters cheap, while they make millions off their fights. If I were Randy I would of walked too.

the preach man · 10-25-2007, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KRONOS

At the end of the day it comes down to the $$$. Dana and the owners are greety f*ckers...they pay their fighters cheap, while they make millions off their fights. If I were Randy I would of walked too.

Not everyone has the character to live up to there commitments.

StratTone · 10-25-2007, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_rizz

Wow I don't know what to think .. on 1 side I side with Randy that it is messed up to give more to a new comer, since randy was part of a solid steel structure of the ufc .. but on the other hand .. 3/4 of a million bucks just to fight .. I mean cmon now .. all the big names in ufc that are in main events get PAID!!! and get paid WAAAAY 2 MUCH .. so I really don't know what to make out of this .. but if thats true about Randy passing up $3 mil to fight Fedor .. I think that may have been Randys Ticket out the UFC before he fights Fedor .. I personally think he was scared but just needed a way out .. much respect to the legend though

I say let him go and sue him for not fullfilling his contractual duties to the UFC. There are plenty of Randy Coutures out there that will gladly take his place.

AikaImmortal · 10-25-2007, 10:16 PM

You guys are so zuffa brainwashed here.. reminds me why I went on hiatus again.

the preach man · 10-25-2007, 10:16 PM

Brainwashed because Randy signed a contract? How so?

subgenius · 10-25-2007, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AikaImmortal

You guys are so zuffa brainwashed here.. reminds me why I went on hiatus again.

You have to admit that quitting because Fedor was offered more money and the fact that the UFC had to offer Fedor the big money is a huge contradiction in Couture's argument. And, it's Couture here that is failing to honor a signed contract that he himself once claimed he was happy with. Like somebody else mentioned above, what did Couture expect? Did he expect Fedor to get paid nothing? How did he expect to get a fight in the UFC with Fedor, if the UFC did not meet or beat all other offers (which they did)?

the truth · 10-25-2007, 11:20 PM

ya the UFC offers fedor millions so Randy gets his fight and randy turns around and sh*ts on em

Dana didnt respond cause he was shocked

gave Randy the chance to return for an immediate title shot

hes shocked

LEFTHIGHKICK · 10-26-2007, 12:01 AM

Yeah , people are too quick to hug Randy's nut's on this one without looking at the full story! , UFC did all they could to have Fedor in the UFC , and Fedor was being a bitch and didnt sign, Randy signed a contract , hes gotta abide by that ! .

sitnspin · 10-26-2007, 12:02 AM

1. Randy is pissed that the UFC was unable to sign Fedor.

2. Randy is pissed that the UFC offered Fedor too much money in their attempt to sign him.

Hmmm...

Flying Triangle Choke · 10-26-2007, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AikaImmortal

You guys are so zuffa brainwashed here.. reminds me why I went on hiatus again.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I was afraid I was the only one who thought this. I think Dana could be caught on camera killing babies in an orphanage and most of the people here would still support him, saying things like "Well...he was just doing what he thought was best for the sport!!!"