The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) organization is synonymous with mixed martial arts and has spearheaded the sport's transition into mainstream culture. While upstart competitor brands like Pride, Elite XC and the IFL have appeared and folded, the UFC’s brand continues to thrive and gain positive attention.
But, owning the majority of the market has given the UFC a false sense of security along with a real case of short-sightedness.
In the long run, the UFC is making itself vulnerable because of the too often unprofessional attitude and business style of its "face," UFC president Dana White, and because of the organization's treatment of its most valuable assets: the fighters.
Understandably, the UFC is a business and its main purpose is to profit, which it is undoubtedly succeeding at, and handsomely. In this environment, President Dana White should be building the most comprehensive stable of talent in the world and hosting the best and most competitive fights. The organization's way of conducting business should be of the highest professional quality, befitting a major worldwide business.
The problem is that the UFC is failing on all these counts.
They have adopted a cutthroat negotiating style with fighters and an unwillingness to compromise. This has disrespected key fighters and led to the departures of some marquee combatants. Dana White's in-your-face, "gangster style" of operating is more appropriate for a start-up fight club based in a back alley than for a billion dollar global enterprise.
Yes, White understands UFC's position in the market place. His company is, ultimately, the only real game in town—the gold standard and major leagues of MMA.
But White believes he can stonewall anyone who objects to the UFC's practices. Differences in opinion are simply not tolerated. The actions of fighters are either aligned with what the UFC wants, or they are expendable.
Over the past year, notable figures such as Tim Sylvia, Andrei Arlovski and Tito Ortiz were not re-signed. Arlovski is still relatively young at 29, with incredible skills and a knack for entertaining in fan pleasing bouts.
Although aged and one dimensional, Ortiz is one of the most significant draws in the entire sport and was not re-signed due to his deteriorating relationship with White.
Allowing such talented and marketable fighters to leave is mind boggling.
Compounding the issue has been the recent release of Fabricio Werdum and Jon Fitch.
Both fighters are atop their division and among the world's best.
Fitch is a warrior who went five rounds in an entertaining bout with champion GSP. He is 8-1 in the octagon and holds a win over Thiago Alves. Despite displaying tremendous heart in many bouts, Fitch seemed disenchanted with the organization's negotiating.
“We tried to negotiate five or 10 year deals with them," he said, "but it wasn’t good enough. It was all or nothing. He (White) wanted our lifetime. He wanted our souls forever.”
Even if Fitch’s situation is resolved, White’s unrelenting, in-your-face attitude is eventually going to backfire for the company.
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about 1 month ago
Since the article has been published Fitch has been re-signed by the organization. Fitch, realizing that his other options are sparse, decided to sign the agreement for his video game rights. This doesn't change the fact that the organization has some things to work out.
from about 1 month ago
But Lorenzo was called in to smooth things over, which I am sure tipped the balance.
about 1 month ago
You're probably right. My brother, who is a huge pot-head and internet junkie, was telling me the other day that he was growing interested in UFC and Dana White. I guess the blog White does is interesting, and the whole manner through which he does business, really. I can see that now reflected in this article. Although I don't care for UFC particularly, I always felt (having seen enough events, and watching a full season of the UFC reality show [when Ken Shamrock and Ortiz were coaching]) that there was something significant about White's personality. Now I have something to ask my brother about (who is otherwise quite silent and moribund), so I'm thankful...
about 1 month ago
You took the words right out of my mouth! I agree 100%! Thankfully Lorenzo Fertitta stepped in to clean up White's mess and resolve the issue.
The way Dana White negotiates is "My way or the highway"...He knows full well that he has all the negotiating advantages because the UFC is really the only promotion that fighters what to be affiliated with. So he could pretty much put whatever clause he wants in the contracts and if a fighter doesn't like it then "hit the road"... The fighter has no choice but to sign the contract, because if he doesn't, he's out.
Dana deserves a slap.
about 1 month ago
Dana White owns 10% of the UFC. The Ferttitas own the remaining 90% between them. Do people really think that Dana is always the cause of the problems in these situations?
from about 1 month ago
Yes, since Lorenzo is now incharge of marketing the UFC in other countries and his brother is in charge of the casinos, Dana is in charge of the rest of it.
about 1 month ago
Provides interesting perspective. I'd like to fast forward a few years and see where UFC is and how Dana has fared, given your admonition.
about 1 month ago
The more I hear, the more I dislike White. I used to like his frank attitude but lately it has gone overboard.
One thing that would really help and Ive said this before is to form a fighters union. Most sports have some type of union to protect the participants from the owners. It can get sticky but it is better than watching guys get raped by an organization.
Dana holds all the cards right now. That is a sad fact, and he can use them whenever he wants. One has to imagine, the Fertittas are casino owners. They have their resources. How long can succesful business owners allow the reputation of their mulit million dollar promotion be marred by this guys strong arm tactics. Even if it is to be accepted as a business practice, stuff like this should be going on behind closed doors, not in public and definitly not in this fashion. F this F that, I can cuss with the best of them, but not at work ya know.
Great points made here, I hope they shorten this guys leash a bit, he has cost the fans a lot. Losing Fitch wouldnt have been a disaster but it sets a very negative tone. A fighter doesnt make the fight but generally the masses know who the best fighters are. This is damn shame.
Finally the fighters should buck up and sign the damn contract. This isnt as one sided as it seems. Every professional sport has an EA game made after it. TO my knowledge Barry Bonds is the only one not inluded in Baseball for example. We all know what a tool he is. Do these guys want to hold out for a few bucks worth of royalties from a game? Is that worth forgoing the opportunity that the UFC has provided them? I say no, the business opportunities to starts gyms or gain endorsements are countless. Maybe guys are only getting 4k a fight, but those shorts they wear with condom depot, that flag they hang behind them at every fight is worth much more than that. They arent starving thats for sure. Thats the devils advocate in me talking.
Overall the landscape must change for the better or this could snowball and we would be the ones to suffer with the fighters.
about 1 month ago
Good article, Dana White is coming off more and more like an asshole every day. He doesn't present himself as a major business executive, instead he chooses to try and act tough and hard in front of the cameras, bad mouthing fighters and organizations. If the Yankees and Joe Girardi ended their business relationship today based on some dispute, you wouldn't hear Joe use extensive profanity and insults when addressing the situation. Dana acts like a spoiled kid not getting what he wants. You were right to say that sooner or later White is going to have to change his ways for the good of the company. Eventually a rival MMA organization will have the ability and capital to compete with the UFC. When that time comes I don't think White will be able to get by on his extremely low wages and as you said "dictator" business approach.
about 1 month ago
Yeah what does Dana know? He only took a dying business worth $2 million and turned it into a BILLION dollar, fastest-growing sport in the world, enterprise. Oh, and Tito Ortiz? Who gives a fuck about a guy who hasn't beat anyone in over 2 years? He's too busy making babies and direct-to-video zombie movies with Janna Jameson.
from about 1 month ago
Your right Scot, White has done some amazing things for the company. Without him the UFC wouldn't even be close to where it is today. However as the MMA industry evolves and the sport grows, the people involved in it must grow too. Dana's attitude and business approach are going to have to change some time
about 1 month ago
The UFC was my favorite MMA organization until Pride formed in 1997.
I just thought that Pride was a far classier organization than the UFC; Pride created rules rules geared for MMA and not for boxing, and they employed far better announcers. Plus they held frequent tournaments and the fighters represented far more countries than the UFC's fighters. Pride's treatment of fighters (in and out of the ring) was superior. If a guy was severely cut while fighting, not one, but four or five doctors rushed to his aid.
Then when Dana White was hand picked as the UFC "president" by his childhood buddy, Lorenzo Ferttita; a job which he was ill qualified for (as evidenced these days), I basically said "good bye" to the UFC and "hello" to Japanese and smaller American productions. Meanwhile, I collected every Pride DVD made.
Ditch Dana, cross promote, and lose that obnoxiously loud used car salesman/carnival barker/AM discjockey named Joe Rogan. Then, maybe, just maybe the UFC might produce a classier product.
As a disclaimer, this post is purely my own opinion.
about 1 month ago
I BELIEVE DANA IS AN ARROGRANT MAN WITHOUT THE FIGHTERS HE WOULD OF NEVER MADE IT THIS FAR
about 1 month ago
Won't we all feel superior when Dana White finally gets kicked to the curb and becomes just another answer to a sports trivia quiz and nothing else? Don't laugh, it could happen and may be happening even now.
about 1 month ago
Is EVERYONE on Bleacher Report a UFC hater? WTF, it's like you're waiting, no wishing for the other shoe to drop. I swear every time I google UFC news you guys have some negative **** to say, regardless of what they do. Lighten the hell up!
about 1 month ago
LOL@lighten up
about 1 month ago
Dana White to Joseph: "Who the f*$k do you think you are, you grey-haired, Hawaiian shirt wearing b$^@h? Don't you ever disrespect the UFC again! I make more money in one hour than your sorry "C*#k-S&%^ing A#S makes in a f$@king year! So s&^k my c@^k, you s#&mbag!"
Joseph's reply to Dana White: "Okay, meatball, but what's my bad side?"
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