Former Bellator head man Bjorn Rebney might not be a name you expected to be associated with Georges St-Pierre as he attempts to finally make his way back into the UFC Octagon (or any MMA cage), but apparently that’s what will go down.
According to a report from MMA Fighting, the two will spearhead an ‘industry re-defining’ announcement this Wednesday that also includes major MMA stars Cain Velasquez, TJ Dillashaw, Donald Cerrone, and Tim Kennedy. The announcement was revealed today and will take place on a conference call on November 30.
It can’t be denied that it is entirely possible the announcement will be about the initial creation of a fighter’s union, as St-Pierre, Cerrone, Dillashaw, and Kennedy have all been extremely forthright in their stance about better fighter treatment and pay in the UFC, one of the hottest topics in all of MMA. Things got worse in that regard when the UFC was sold to talent giant WME-IMG for a record-setting $4.2 billion this summer, making fighters realize their worth compared to what they were getting paid.
St-Pierre recently revealed WME-IMG had taken an offer from previous UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta off the table. They then allegedly drug their feet on offering him a realistic fight, leading St-Pierre and his legal team to declare he was a ‘free agent’ while still under UFC contract. Dillashaw has been heard speaking out against the UFC’s practice of paying fighters, and fan favorite Cerrone recently said he was willing to head a potential fighter’s union.
What Rebney’s role in the potentially game-changing announcement remains unclear, but one thing is crystal: fighters have needed effective representation for far too long now, and the growing anti-establishment sentiment amongst fighter needs to be quelled for an athlete base that puts their health and future on the line each and every time out to the cage.
It should be noted that all fighters named in the press release except Cerrone are clients of Creative Artists Agency (CAA), WME-IMG’s main competition in the MMA representation business. The fact St-Pierre is represented by CAA has been whispered about as a reason why WME-IMG has been unwilling to meet the legendary former champion on his terms, instead calling it a ‘great financial risk’ to re-introduce him to fans.
GSP may have taken that as an insult, and it now looks he’s decided to do something about it. Is this the change so many fighters have been striving for?
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