UFC:
In business one needs to be steadfast. Almost to the point of being cocky in some’s views. That’s a large part to the success of CEOs. In the very beginning of the UFC’s Fertitta’s and Dana White run, there was no huge issue with allowing fighters to move freely. As long as they got a piece of the action. But then things changed. Pride Fighting Championships burned White creating this never again stance. And you can’t really blame him either. But after all these years, is there a softening in his older age.
The UFC has become more than a mega-company. And in part by buying up the WEC, and PRIDE. Which grew their roster better than just signing local fighters could have. Thanks to the name recognition alone. Although negotiations were easier with the WEC, White enjoyed taking over PRIDE more. Had the company not had problems securing a true television deal, or issues being run by organized crime, they may not have been able to buy them out.
The CONOR-FLOYD deal White himself thought of as a one off. And that was going to happen no matter what due to the frenzy around it. Countless times White has been asked about possibly cross-promoting events with other organizations to see who truly IS the better fighter. As a matter of fact, Scott Coker, Ray Sefo, and Chatri Sityodtong have all been asked as well about a cross-promotion with the UFC. And they’d all be up for it. But it always comes back to White not wanting to. In fairness, he doesn’t need them. His company is the biggest, and has the most eyes on it.
Is There A Softening Finally
Coming up is UFC 306. Or as it’s being pushed as: “Riyadh Season Noche UFC”. It’s the first time that a sponsor is being allowed title partner status. That’s beyond huge for White. Is he truly the one calling this shot? That’s hard to imagine. You can see some pencil-pushing execs saying this is going to happen, like it or not Dana.
Besides Turki Al-Sheikh has beyond oodles and oodles of Saudi blood-money to throw around. Despite him being an actual fight fan. What he’s done to American and British boxing because of those dollars is good. But there are a plethora of bad things associated with it as well. Starting with he’s taken massive fights from those countries, and fans there being in attendance. He’s become the modern day “Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase”. Just a matter if anyone will eventually tell them where they can stick their money.
All that said, Al-Sheikh can be the go between White and other promoters to make fights happen. So a softening might be due to landing on another big bed of money. But what could really help it along is for the growth of Saudi fighting. And across all organizations. This way it it could be looked at in part as a benefit in competition.
Because of this newly formed relationship, MMA fans may soon get the fights that boxing fans have recently gotten.
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