Welcome If I Did It: the show where we analyze PR kerfluffles from the world of MMA and beyond. This week we look back at the multiple kerfluffles of UFC 210 plus United Airlines, Sean Spicer and the love struck governor of Alabama.
Alexei Auld is back with a brand new book available 7 Secret Sources of Inspiration: A Snappy Guide for Creative Procrastinators to grill Eugene S. Robinson (who’s pushing a GoFundMe to pay for the new Oxbow album) and myself with some PR stumpers from the world of combat sports.
For the audio only version check us out on SoundCloud and be sure to subscribe to MMA NATION on iTunes and subscribe to MMA Nation on YouTube so you’ll never miss an episode. This week’s kerfuffles include:
You’re the New York State Athletic Commission. You temporarily cancelled a UFC fight last Saturday given a boxing breast implant prohibition that was mistakenly applied to MMA. Now that you’ve witnessed strength of the silicone, is it time to embrace it or expand the prohibition to MMA?
You’re Anthony Rumble Johnson. You retired from MMA immediately following your loss to Light Heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier in the UFC 210 main event last Saturday in Buffalo. So why are you now filing a complaint against DC for his weigh-in towel trickery, when you have no intention to rematch?
You’re Henri Hooft, Anthony Johnson’s coach and corner. Why did you leave the Octagon before your fighter made his retirement speech last Saturday at UFC 210?
You’re referee Dan Miragliotta. You’ve been accused of bungling your duties as a referee in the controversial co-main at UFC 210. With the New York State Athletic Commission vindicating your actions, do you need to make any PR moves to prevent the Mazzagattfication of your reputation?
You’re Chris Weidman. With your failed gaming of MMA rules costing you a match and sympathy of the fans, what do you need to do to escape the woodpile?
You’re the WWE. Suspended superstar Paige suffered a sex tape leak which inspired her fiancée, and former WWE champion and MMA fighter Alberto Del Rio to rant on Periscope about the source and you. In wake of Paige’s upcoming biopic starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, is it best for business to monetize the beef by working an angle with Alberto?
You’re Former Alabama Governor Robert Bentley aka The Luv Gov. You resigned and pled guilty abusing state money to cover up your affair with a woman with whom you professed….loving to fondle her breasts. Since you claim it was just sex talk, how can you talk your way out of this mess?
You’re President Donald Trump.You skipped your staffer’s official Passover dinner. Your Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Hitler wasn’t as bad as Syria’s Assad, because “he was not using the gas on his own people.” Then made matters worse by clarifying Hitler’s using gas in the “Holocaust Centers”. Is it time to bring out Jared for cover or will you let these kerfuffles just…pass over?
TEACHABLE MOMENT: You’re United Airlines. You bungled the PR behind the brutalization of a passenger on your plane. And the world will not let this kerfuffle go gentle into that good night. What can we learn from your flight of PR failure?
KID NATE’S HEEL TURN
EUGENE’S LOST BATTALION
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“We’ll be back next week with another installment of If I Did It and we don’t know what we’ll be talking about yet because the PR mistakes have yet to be made.”