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Fight Kits, USADA, & Courtroom Chaos (Pat Lundvall is a Spiteful Witch Edition)


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Link to the old thread:

http://deathvalleydriver.com/forum/index.php?/topic/2996-lawsuits-fighter-pay-and-drug-tests-tibau-fails-post-fight-drug-test-in-addition-to-ooc-test/

 

This thread is for:

 

- Reebok, fighter kit, and disclosed payout from said Reebok deal

 

- Fighter pay (free agency stuff can go here as well)

 

- Any news and updates regarding class action lawsuits or lawsuits pertaining anything else in MMA

 

- USADA program stuff and of course drug test failures

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  • 2 weeks later...

Cro Cop fails a drug test, retires, admits to having taken HGH, USADA suspends him for 2 years, the UFC announces a show in Croatia and a day later Cro Cop receives a letter from USADA informing him he had passed his drug test..

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Yes. Well, if Croatian newspapers are to be believed, then yes.

 

He failed a drug test by USADA and he admitted to have taken HGH to help him recover from his shoulder injury and he retired.

 

The UFC announces a show in Croatia and the next day Croatian newspapers report Cro Cop received a letter from USADA informing him he had passed his drug test.

 

If true, money talks.

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Yes. Well, if Croatian newspapers are to be believed, then yes.

 

He failed a drug test by USADA and he admitted to have taken HGH to help him recover from his shoulder injury and he retired.

 

The UFC announces a show in Croatia and the next day Croatian newspapers report Cro Cop received a letter from USADA informing him he had passed his drug test.

 

If true, money talks.

 

Yeah, I'm a bit skeptical. He admitted to using HGH and didn't fail a test for it. He was suspended for admission of policy violations. So what the hell would passing a test prove? 

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Yep, he is still suspended:

 

http://www.mmafighting.com/2016/1/9/10743272/usada-mirko-cro-cop-still-suspended-despite-report-stating-he-didn't

 

That report didn't make any sense. A negative test doesn't mean anything. Admitting a violation is as good as a failure.

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The dialogue here is Cro Cop didn't fail any tests so he's innocent I suppose.  

 

I think USADA could've handled this better because I believed I had read earlier that his tests did detect HGH.  

 

Cro Cop really never should've come out of retirement in the first place.

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The dialogue here is Cro Cop didn't fail any tests so he's innocent I suppose.  

 

I think USADA could've handled this better because I believed I had read earlier that his tests did detect HGH.  

 

Cro Cop really never should've come out of retirement in the first place.

 

The thing is he admitted to being injected with HGH. After that, it doesn't matter what test you take. That's a violation of the rules. So no, he isn't innocent. 

 

So in this case, USADA did what they were suppose to do. CroCop or whomever misconstrued the same automated email everyone gets when they pass a test with "Yeah, I'm cleared".

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So the Nevada commission basically decided to save face by getting finished with the Nick Diaz agenda item with the quickness. Also, by not announcing the terms of the settlement.

Brett Okamoto is saying it's 18 months from UFC 183 and a $100k fine.

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http://www.ufc.com/news/UFC-Statement-on-Yoel-Romero-11216

 

Romero's potential violation came from an out-of-competition test. If you recall, I reported he was surprise tested just days after UFC 194.

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http://www.ufc.com/news/UFC-Statement-on-Yoel-Romero-11216

 

Romero's potential violation came from an out-of-competition test. If you recall, I reported he was surprise tested just days after UFC 194.

 

So was he tested for the event itself? Because if so and he passed, it's pretty crazy that days later he was already back on a cycle. 

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Mark La Monica @LaMonicaMark 5m5 minutes ago

New York Gov. Cuomo will include MMA in his budget proposal.

 

Mark La Monica @LaMonicaMark 4m4 minutes ago

This is the first time Gov. Cuomo has included MMA revenue in his NY State budget proposal. It's his most overt act of support for the bill.

 

Mark La Monica @LaMonicaMark 3m3 minutes ago

Should MMA remain in final NYS budget (March 31 deadline to pass it), and the budget passes, no Assembly vote on bill needed.

 

Mark La Monica @LaMonicaMark 3m3 minutes ago

Just to be clear: Cuomo putting MMA in his budget proposal doesn't guarantee it being legalized this year, but it's an impressive step

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Positive step for MMA in NY.

 

LOL at the fans on twitter being mad at Reebok. It's not that serious and at the end of the day fighters control their own destination. Bellator and Viacom is right there if they don't like UFC rules. It hasn't even been a year yet to work out the kinks.

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Positive step for MMA in NY.

LOL at the fans on twitter being mad at Reebok. It's not that serious and at the end of the day fighters control their own destination. Bellator and Viacom is right there if they don't like UFC rules. It hasn't even been a year yet to work out the kinks.

This is not directed at anyone specifically, but I think it is relevant since it will be brought up many times over the next several months.

Bellator is still a business with their own interests and agenda. The MMA free agency market still isn't one company versus their leading competitor. Just like the UFC, whoever Bellator is actually interested in is who they choose to go after. So this uniform thing isn't going to start this Mariel boatlift effect where any and everybody who has a problem with the low pay tiers with Reebok will go over to Bellator where they can wear whatever. Bellator is interested in people who can bring ratings and not average Joes. They got enough of them.

So this free agency thing is truly for people who have name value and/or those who have the managerial connections to make a move. For example, you had a few of the Zinkin Entertainment fighters make a move. However, you really haven't seen many other managers make a similar move. Why? Because you have a lot of managers whose clientele doesn't offer value to Bellator or have that same relationship.

Keep in mind, Bellator has that seasonal approach to the events they have and also you only get maybe eight purposeful fights per card (4 or 5 televised ones and maybe 2 or 3 non-bummy regional fights on the prelims/postlims if you're lucky) so card space is extremely limited. It's especially limited given that they tend to recycle some of the same guys over and over again. Therefore, their approach isn't to sign just anyone who is unhappy with the UFC or the uniform policy. You don't think Bellator has some of the same issues the UFC has with people sitting on the sidelines waiting for a fight? Bellator is trying to make sure they don't go into breach of contract as well.

One thing that I take from the Sterling situation and his statements is he is right that there is only one Conor McGregor. Accordingly, there aren't a ton of guys who can astronomically drive up their bargaining power. This includes people you know and those you don't really know. If that's the case then, free agency in a world where you have the payment issues with Reebok and other stuff that tends to come up should favor the WSOFs and One FCs of the world who are extremely desperate to sign anyone and have space to put people on cards. However, the only thing that really stops that from happening other than the obvious incompetence of those companies is the exposure factor. I think some fighters are blinded by that even if there isn't monetary gain. On one hand, you can get paid more than you would in the UFC. On the other hand, people have no idea that you're fighting.

One place where I might disagree with Aljamain Sterling on is what it (fighting for the UFC in the USADA/Reebok era) offers in addition to the exposure. However, it's also the reason I can see why he is a bit more pessimistic in discussing it since it's not a rosy picture by any means.

The UFC doesn't crank out a ton of stars, however, their platform is strictly to make sure star fighters have the elements to do what they can to be stars. Once you get to another company, your purpose now is to basically keep your name out there like an actor who was killed off on a popular TV show and moved to a newer show with no value yet. Your success is now strictly dependent on people who likely aren't that good at their job as you are at yours. There are TV shows that get cancelled every year with people who can act, but the writing staff or the show runner sucks. Fighters are out for themselves and to feed their family. They can't market, promote, and book the shows they fight on unless it's a regional promotion in the Midwest somewhere. The stuff the UFC has problems with can be easily fixed, but they don't give a shit enough to fix them or care enough about the fighters to do so. So it's Zuffa and the talent in a standstill until someone blinks. Unless you're a Conor McGregor, nine out of ten times it's going to be you. With other companies, you're basically working around incompetence to up your own value as a fighter and athlete. So I can see why someone like Aljamain Sterling is willing to deal with that bullshit as long as he gets paid because that's pretty much the truth he has been presented. The options are simply not there, and you're not going to be able to create them.

So even if you plan to fight out that deal in a particular company (that isn't Bellator), your value did not increase. Hell, it might have decreased because no one is paying attention to those companies. Once that incompetence seeps into your name value, how are you going to ask the UFC to now pay you to come back? So you won 5 or 6 fights straight. Shit, there is some Brazilian dude straight out of the favela from Watch Out Combat Show and XFC Brazil that is 17-0 against the same level of bums and taking less pay than you had when you left the UFC on the FS1 opener. Who gives a fuck?

That's the problem. Fighters are trying to clear this imaginary hurdle that only benefits the companies they work for. If you help increase the ratings of WSOF, what are you getting in return as a fighter? Free shirts from the MMA Barn or some other outlet store?

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It's a really awful situation for fighters to be in. The logical thing is to unionize but nobody wants to take the risk in doing that, understandably. And, though I doubt it happens in the next 5 years or so, should UFC fighters unionize like athletes for all other top pro sports leagues, it leaves the hundreds of non-UFC fighters in their current predicament.

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Sorta. I imagine if there's a UFC Fighters Association that it would be easier for other smaller groups to form around other legitimate promotions. People working for sketchy promotions are going to have issues but that's the way it is in all sports.

 

I often wonder if the athletes in other sports would have it in them to form one NOW if they didn't already have one. I'd like to think yes but I'm not so sure.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Mark La Monica ‏@LaMonicaMark  22m22 minutes ago
UFC execs plus @ChrisWeidmanUFC begin lobbying efforts for #MMA in New York on Tuesday. Albany and Syracuse among cities on tour.

 

FWIW Today (1/25) is the deadline that the UFC set for Judge Kimba Wood to make a ruling on their preliminary injunction. So I imagine, UFC 198 bouts (and the official location) are going to be officially announced sooner rather than later.

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Mark La Monica ‏@LaMonicaMark  22m22 minutes ago

UFC execs plus @ChrisWeidmanUFC begin lobbying efforts for #MMA in New York on Tuesday. Albany and Syracuse among cities on tour.

 

FWIW Today (1/25) is the deadline that the UFC set for Judge Kimba Wood to make a ruling on their preliminary injunction. So I imagine, UFC 198 bouts (and the official location) are going to be officially announced sooner rather than later.

 

 

Update: The injunction was denied on the grounds that the courts felt they could not make a proper ruling without the state discussing the matter first.

 

So short of an appeal, UFC 198 is possibly California bound and the next major movement in NY won't come until late March.

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