2016 Non-Event General MMA Talk Thread

[Shawn411]

The social media age we live in

[Elsalvajeloco]

New conspiracy theory I've been discussing with a certain former moderator via text:

This is all a ploy for McGregor to save face and fight GSP at UFC 200.

- McGregor-GSP was going to probably headline UFC 200 before Diaz threw a monkey wrench in that.

- McGregor comes to his senses about how ridiculous the Diaz rematch is on all fronts and decides he needs a clever way out. He "retires"

- Nate Diaz, who I believe is on his way to Vegas right now, gets a new fight thus occupying him.

- McGregors slips back in and get a fight with GSP for UFC 200. People go ape shit and Twitter breaks.

[S.K.o.S.]

Can't wrap my brain around the money theory.  If someone has enough money that they can (presumably) just retire any time and be set for life, why do they want $10m so badly?  I mean I guess the explanation would be that their life goal is to own a solid gold mansion with a garage that can hold a private jet, or something.

[TheVileOne]

Sounds like an insane way to rebook the fight as Mcgegor vs GSP.  But oh well. 

[Elsalvajeloco]

Just now, S.K.o.S. said:

Can't wrap my brain around the money theory.  If someone has enough money that they can (presumably) just retire any time and be set for life, why do they want $10m so badly?  I mean I guess the explanation would be that their life goal is to own a solid gold mansion with a garage that can hold a private jet, or something.

Meltzer on the Breaking News Audio basically said he believes it's a public negotiation ploy, and it's in both sides interests to settle. Can't say I disagree because all signs point to that.

In my opinion, they've taken care of McGregor especially when you consider the hassles with everyone else. They (well Botter and then later Greg Savage) were talking about McGregor vs. fucking Robbie Lawler before RDA even fell out of 196. Why? Because the UFC was willing to book that as well potentially booking him against GSP. So one person to get that type of treatment is something extremely rare. Keep in mind, a little less than three years ago, people on the internet were bitching about this guy getting the dark entrance only reserved for the people in the co-main and main event in a fight with Max Holloway that was like third or fourth from the top in Boston.

So the fact that Conor or Audie Attar or anyone else hasn't said anything is telling. Dana is still saying they have a good relationship. Nobody is going to fuck up the money on the table. In addition, nobody in the MMA world that's reputable knows anything yet. Fucking Iole is saying that Sholler is flying back to Vegas when in actuality this motherfucker is still in Chicago watching a hockey playoff game with CM Punk. Nobody knows anything.  

I thought Meltzer made a good point unintentionally. He said he only saw the $10 million rumor, but didn't go into anything else on that. He said honestly for UFC 200 he's worth $40m. When you take into consideration what other people have made for events with less magnitude, that's not a figure to be laughed at. So if he wants $10 million flat, you can deliver that shit to Iceland right now and get back into bed like nothing happened.

 

[supremebve]

GSP very well could be washed up after such a long time off, but if he's anywhere close to where he was when he left he smashes McGregor. 

[Elsalvajeloco]

6 minutes ago, supremebve said:

GSP very well could be washed up after such a long time off, but if he's anywhere close to where he was when he left he smashes McGregor. 

Personally, I don't think he gives a shit where he loses those fights. Who was going to pick him against Dos Anjos before 196? Who was going to pick him against ROBBIE "DAT DUDE DEAD OVER THERE aka BRUTAL BOB" LAWLER before UFC 196? The only fight I would or anyone would probably pick him to win is against Edgar and that's only because Edgar is like 1/2 his size. Even then, it's a tossup. Anyway, that fight wasn't happening because all McGregor sees is $$$$. 

If all he wanted to do is bail out of the Diaz fight, this would be the way to do it.

[Elsalvajeloco]

This could be all over not wanting to take a long flight.

[Casey]

I don't think it was "just a long flight". I don't know how reliable Jonathan Schrager is, but he's claiming that according to someone in McGregor's immediate family, it was "more like a mini world tour" and would take him away from his training camp for weeks/months at a time.

[The Natural]

On 16/04/2016 at 4:53 AM, Elsalvajeloco said:

Ok, we can put Lawler vs. GSP to bed for now.

While at the RFA show tonight, Dana announced that Lawler is defending his title against Woodley at either UFC 201 or 202.

So it's superfight or tuneup for GSP.

Carlos Condit should get the UFC Welterweight Championship shot over Tyron Woodley. I know we’ve had immediate rematches but this should be one as: the majority of people scored the fight for Carlos Condit, it’s still the Fight of the Year and one of the best MMA fights of all time.

10 hours ago, caley said:

So, uh, this was retweeted into my timeline?!
 

 

 

5 hours ago, Elsalvajeloco said:

Dave Sholler ‏@Sholler_UFC  21s22 seconds ago

Per Dana, Conor has been pulled from UFC 200. Working on a new main event.

 

5 hours ago, Elsalvajeloco said:

Jeremy Botter ‏@jeremybotter  15s15 seconds ago

Dana White says on SportsCenter that they pulled Conor from 200 because McGregor refused to fly to Vegas for promotional stuff.

So waking up, I see nothing has happened in the world of MMA. I kid…holy shit at the UFC, Conor McGregor and UFC 200 news.

[Elsalvajeloco]

22 minutes ago, Casey said:

I don't think it was "just a long flight". I don't know how reliable Jonathan Schrager is, but he's claiming that according to someone in McGregor's immediate family, it was "more like a mini world tour" and would take him away from his training camp for weeks/months at a time.

The fight is July 9. If he started training on May 9, that's an eight week camp not including fight week.

The only thing they have set up so far is the presser on Friday in Vegas. Anything regarding a media tour would most likely be before that timeframe. The one thing the UFC is good about is setting up that type of stuff when fights are made in advance. The only time they take people out a heavy training camps is short notice changes like 196. Even then, that was in Los Angeles on the day he arrived to do media. So what is he is doing mid April that is critical for damn near mid July?

If they were doing this for the 5/29 show in Vegas or the 6/4 show in LA, then I could see that point certainly. Otherwise, it's nothing you haven't done already and really isn't taking away from your training. 

[Kevin Wilson]

6 minutes ago, Elsalvajeloco said:

The fight is July 9. If he started training on May 9, that's an eight week camp not including fight week.

The only thing they have set up so far is the presser on Friday in Vegas. Anything regarding a media tour would most likely be before that timeframe. The one thing the UFC is good about is setting up that type of stuff when fights are made in advance. The only time they take people out a heavy training camps is short notice changes like 196. So what is he is doing mid April that is critical for damn near mid July?

I agree with this, but I also think there must be more to it. I don't think that the UFC would cancel their big main event on their biggest (well maybe second biggest) event of the year because a fighter that normally is very agreeable with media misses one press conference three months beforehand that wouldn't have impacted buys to that PPV in any way. That's why I tend to at least partially believe either there was a money element or there was more to it they had planned than just the one day. These guys get burned out with all the media constantly, it just doesn't seem likely to me that everything else was peachy and they called off the fight just for this.

[Elsalvajeloco]

8 hours ago, Kevin Wilson said:

I agree with this, but I also think there must be more to it. I don't think that the UFC would cancel their big main event on their biggest (well maybe second biggest) event of the year because a fighter that normally is very agreeable with media misses one press conference three months beforehand that wouldn't have impacted buys to that PPV in any way. That's why I tend to at least partially believe either there was a money element or there was more to it they had planned than just the one day. These guys get burned out with all the media constantly, it just doesn't seem likely to me that everything else was peachy and they called off the fight just for this.

It depends on what you mean by impacted. That aborted media day/event with Cormier and Jones did wonders for that whole thing that you can't even measure. That day was insane and ended up helping keep that fight relevant even when it fell apart. The original media tour along with Conor's appearances in Brazil before kept the fight with Aldo super hot. My point being is that you can rehash that footage still and do big business with those fights.  McGregor + Nate in any forum is money. Lets not count out that apparently other major folks (this would include Edgar and Aldo probably) from IFW would also be there. Let's not forget the fact McGregor planted potential seeds at the presser to fight Cerrone and RDA. So we can't underestimate the value of these pressers especially when it involves people who know how to sell fights.

Anyway, I don't even know if I would use the word cancel. What's stopping the UFC from inserting him right back into that show? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. We're a little less than three months out. 

[TheVileOne]

McGregor had to have gotten way more than $10 million for his last two fights.  That rumor has got to be bullshit.  

 

All these rumors sound like bs to me.  

[AxB]

On the one hand, seeing his teammate and close friend inadvertently beat someone to death the other week might be playing on his mind. On the other hand, he's trying to be the Mayweather of MMA, and Mayweather retired more times than Terry Funk did... usually because he wanted a few weeks off and he knew he could get people to give him more money to come 'out of retirement'. But even then, he said retire young, not retire immediately. 

Most likely, he wants to try and get himself to that Dave Beckham/ Mike Jordan level where even though he's a retired athlete he's still a big enough star to earn millions every year... which probably should be the aim of every pro athlete, but McGregor right now looks like he could actually do that. But it's not boxing, and he can't duck the hard fights like Mayweather could (and did), so his legacy is a lot more precarious.

My prediction is he ends up fighting Diaz in the main event of UFC 200 after all.

[Jrag]

10 hours ago, S.K.o.S. said:

Can't wrap my brain around the money theory.  If someone has enough money that they can (presumably) just retire any time and be set for life, why do they want $10m so badly?  I mean I guess the explanation would be that their life goal is to own a solid gold mansion with a garage that can hold a private jet, or something.

I'm sure he needs the money.  He can't be that rich just yet.  What makes his case a little more interesting is, like Lesnar, he could definitely make a fuck ton of money somewhere else.  That's leverage a bunch of fighters don't have and I guess he is willing to test the limits of that leverage.

I like the idea that this is some ploy to get to GSP/Conor.  I like the idea of him going to Vince. This whole situation just got way more interesting even though it could very well end up as a minor contract dispute.  

He seems to be uniquely aware of his position in ways that MMA fighters normally aren't.  Not only is it funny to see the tables turned for once, but it's even funnier because he has this wildcard factor about him.  

[Mistah Na1m4rk]

The UFC's business model is designed to screw their fighters over - that's the main consideration in how it is constructed.  It's no accident that so much of the UFC fighter restrictions are modeled on the WWE's own practices, which results in the fighters receiving a pittance of what they would receive in a competitive market.  If you want to be truly incredulous that Conor earned $10 million over his last two fights, remember that Larry Holmes received $10 million for a single fight over 30 years ago.  Muhammad Ali got a $6 million guarantee 40 years ago.  And those fights weren't doing 1 million+ buys on top of the gate. 

That's an awful lot of lifting and toting to do for the owners of the UFC plantation when you're literally risking your long-term health each and every time you step into the ring.  Dana White has openly said that the UFC penury is designed to "keep fighters hungry", because of course if the fighters get what they are truly worth they will get lazy.  Best give the money to the right sort of people who know how to handle it.  Conor wants off the plantation and who can blame him.

[nofuture]

And not to forget that $10 million quickly turns into $5 million after having to paying taxes, management, lawyers, etc.

[Elsalvajeloco]

Keep in mind that McGregor is still under UFC contract. The reason why GSP has to make his return under UFC employ is he still has a contract with Zuffa. Those are completely separate entities when you think about it. A fighter who had to basically argue for their to be changes in drug testing versus someone who has basically been given every concession in the world so far minus one or two things . Remember how folks went bananas because Lorenzo was paying for his training camp plus a giant mansion in Vegas? I don't think that place in LA was free either for the last two camps. 

One of two things is going to happen, if not both. They're going to wait the kid out like they've literally done with everyone else and/or Uncle Lorenzo (who's the only one who deals with Conor FWIW) is going straighten it out and allow Conor to save face. 

You think Conor is in Reykjavik for the sights and sounds? He's training with Holohan and Gunnar Nelson. If he was serious, his ass would be in Dublin right now. 

[Elsalvajeloco]

Savage just said on Cheap Seats that he heard that McGregor was asking for $10 million MORE, which would put him in the $20 million range according to him.

BTW Dana is about to be on FS1 on Colin Cowherd.

[Elsalvajeloco]

The media tour was Vegas, Stockton, and New York. Not exactly the same as they went to Dublin, Toronto, Los Angeles, NY, Rio, and London in like five days.

[TheVileOne]

That I can kind of believe, considering he had to have made even more than that with his PPV points for his last two fights, which both did over a million PPV buys.  If he's getting multiple dollars per buy, even if they didn't make a million buys, he had to have made out well from those events.  

Saying he just wants $10 million for this fight sounds like BS.  Saying he wants an extra $10 million on top of his show money and PPV points, that makes a little more sense.

[Elsalvajeloco]

This is where we need to hear from Audie Attar, McGregor, or someone else from that side. It would make no sense to move media obligations to May when you that's when everyone fighting on 7/7, 7/8, and 7/9 would start training. That would be more a headache logistically.

[TheVileOne]

Dana White on Colin Cowherd.  Take it for what it's worth.  White says it's *NOT* a money issue and it never was with McGregor.  He says if McGregor doesn't clear up the retirement situation, he'll be stripped of the title.

[Elsalvajeloco]

Whether or not it's explicitly about money, we shall see because there is only so long the social media accounts for Conor McGregor and Audie Attar can go dark.