Despite what many may assume, Oscar De La Hoya doesn’t plan on stopping promoting mixed martial arts (MMA) events anytime soon.
Last month Golden Boy Promotions decided to get into the MMA business. Their inaugural event was focused around a trilogy bout between two former UFC champions. Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell headlined the event form The Forum in Inglewood, California. Ortiz picked up the first-round knockout victory over Liddell, who looked absolutely terrible from the opening bell.
The event received a lot of criticism, especially for the fact that Liddell was allowed to compete. UFC President Dana White came out against the fight, blasting Oscar De La Hoya for promoting the event. Reports then began to surface indicating that the PPV’s numbers weren’t doing too hot. It was suggested the PPV didn’t even make 50,000 buys, and numbers were as low as between 25,000 to 30,000.
Speaking to TSN recently, De La Hoya responded to White’s recent criticisms, and denied reports that his PPV buys were that low (via Bloody Elbow):
“I mean look, first of all the LA Times is wrong. And second of all, they didn’t count our digital buys, which far exceeded the linear buys that we did. So, those reports are false.
“If Dana White wants to criticize the fact that I put a show together for Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. It’s because they wanted to get paid. They wanted to make money. If Dana White is going to keep criticizing me, then pay your fighters so they won’t have to be fighting when they’re 49-years-old. It’s as easy as that.
“And so, as long as Dana White’s not paying his fighters, I’m going to continue promoting MMA.”
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