Before Bellator MMA goes live on Spike January 17, Bellator: 360 is all new with back-to-back episodes this Thursday featuring Ben Askren and Pat Curran.
It’s rare that the details of a contract being offered to a fighter ever becomes public, especially one offered by the Ultimate Fighting Championship. On Wednesday evening, MMAjunkie.com received a copy of the lawsuit filed by Bellator against it’s former lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez. In the exhibit are details of the contracts from both the […]
Eddie Alvarez back flip
It’s rare that the details of a contract being offered to a fighter ever becomes public, especially one offered by the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
On Wednesday evening, MMAjunkie.com received a copy of the lawsuit filed by Bellator against it’s former lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez. In the exhibit are details of the contracts from both the UFC and Bellator.
From the UFC contract, the two main pieces that stand out is the “intent” of an immediate title shot and a cut of the pay-per-view sales, but not a guarantee of either. Still though, this in itself for Alvarez could prove very lucrative for his Octagon debut which could bring ‘The Silent Assassin’ a big payday for one match.
Here’s a breakdown of everything being offered to Alvarez by the UFC as described by MMAjunkie.
An eight-fight deal starts Alvarez at $70,000 to show and $70,000 to win and raises in $5,000 increments with each win until it tops out at a guaranteed $210,000 for a win, the exhibit states. Alvarez is also guaranteed a $250,000 signing bonus, payable in two installments of $85,000 and one of $80,000.
When Alvarez fights on a UFC pay-per-view broadcast, the offer entitles him to $1 for each “buy” between 200,000 and 400,000 buys, $2 per buy between 400,000 and 600,000 buys, and $2.50 per buy over 600,000 buys.
Additionally, Alvarez is guaranteed a fight on a UFC on FOX card and three appearances as a commentator at UFC-branded events.
Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney has come out saying that his company matched the UFC contract, except for the area involving revenue generated through pay-per-view events. Basically since these numbers aren’t something that Bellator can quantify they feel it’s something they don’t have to match.
More details of the Bellator offer to Alvarez were also posted by MMAjunkie but you’ll have to visit their website to see that.
Both Bellator and Alvarez have filed lawsuits against one another, and are leaving it up to the courts to decide who is in the right and who is in the wrong in this situation.
Press Release – Newport Beach, CA. (January 9, 2013) – Bellator’s Welterweight Tournament is now complete as the eight man field will battle for a $100,000 Bellator Tournament prize, as well as a guaranteed title shot for the Bellator Welterweight World Title. The Bellator Welterweight Tournament Quarterfinals will begin January 24th from Oklahoma’s WinStar World […]
Press Release – Newport Beach, CA. (January 9, 2013) – Bellator’s Welterweight Tournament is now complete as the eight man field will battle for a $100,000 Bellator Tournament prize, as well as a guaranteed title shot for the Bellator Welterweight World Title. The Bellator Welterweight Tournament Quarterfinals will begin January 24th from Oklahoma’s WinStar World Casino live on Spike TV and in Spanish language on mun2. The night will also feature the Bellator Welterweight World Title fight between reigning and undefeated Bellator World Champion Ben “Funky” Askren and French submission ace Karl “Psycho” Amoussou, as well as the debut of MMA superstar “King Mo” Lawal.
The event will broadcast LIVE starting at 10 p.m. EST on Spike. The preliminary card will be streamed LIVE and FREE on Spike.com starting at 8 p.m. EST. Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com or by visiting the WinStar World Casino Box Office, with tickets starting at just $45 dollars.
Fan favorite and Bellator veteran Ben “Killa B” Saunders will return to the Bellator cage as he battles dynamic welterweight Koffi “The Lion King” Adzitso. Training under the tutelage of long time MMA veteran Jeremy Horn, Adzitso is eager to bring his finishing power to the Bellator cage. For Saunders, the always entertaining American Top Team product knows with the bright lights of Spike TV upon him, this is his time to shine.
“I’ve had my sights set on getting back into this tournament for a while,” Saunders said. “Everyone knows what type of energy I bring into every one of my fights, and to have the opportunity to do it on Spike is all I could ask for. I can’t wait to get started on January 24th.”
Former Bellator Tournament Finalist Brent Weedman is back and will look to make another long tournament run when he meets “The Whitemare” Marius Zaromskis in opening round action. With only five decision victories between the two long time veterans, neither fighter is expecting a 15 minute affair.
“Whenever I step into the cage, I’m looking for a finish, and nothing is going to change against Brent Weedman,” Zaromskis said.
RusFighters product Michail Tsarev will bring his impressive arsenal of submission skills to the Bellator cage when he battles top welterweight contender Douglas “The Phenom” Lima in front of a packed WinStar World Casino crowd. Having already navigated his way through a previous Bellator Welterweight Tournament, Lima is fully aware of what it takes to lock up his title shot, and has every intention of getting another shot at the Bellator Welterweight World Championship.
“I’ve been there once, and everything I do is the gym is to get back to that point,” Lima said. “This is what I train for every day, and my only goal to get that $100,000 check and a shot at the belt.”
The tournament rounds out with Bellator newcomer Jose “Zezao Trator” Gomes getting his first taste of The Toughest Tournament in Sports when he takes on the nearly undefeated Raul “Smash Mode” Amaya on January 24th.
“From top to bottom, our welterweight division has a collection of pure finishers that have put on some wildly entertaining fights,” Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney said. “With a Welterweight World Title fight, the debut of King Mo and a stacked welterweight tournament, January 24th is going to be a huge night from WinStar World Casino.”
For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA, follow Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney @BjornRebney and check out Bellator on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Bellator
About Bellator MMA
Bellator MMA is the world’s largest tournament based Mixed Martial Arts organization. Televised to nearly 500 Million homes worldwide in over 107 countries, Bellator’s majority owner is entertainment giant Viacom. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. With over 150 world-class athletes under contract, Bellator is home to many of the sport’s top mixed martial artists. Bellator’s founder & CEO, Bjorn Rebney, an experienced fighting sports and entertainment executive with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes. Bellator’s core philosophy is that title shots should be earned, not given. This belief gave rise to Bellator’s real sport, tournament-based format, which gives Bellator’s tournaments a true playoff feel that keeps the sport true and distances itself from the subjective side of fighting sports found in organizations that utilize a matchmaking/casting formula. Bellator Fighting Championships’ executive team is comprised of top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Newport Beach, California.
About Spike TV:
Spike TV is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.
About mun2
mun2 is the leading Hispanic cable network for young millennial adults 18-34. From reality to music, on-air to digital, mun2 creates original content that resonates across a multi-screen platform. Young, vibrant and unabashedly Latino, mun2 has a distribution to over 38 million households. The network is part of Telemundo Media, a division of NBCUniversal.
Press Release – Newport Beach, California (January 8, 2013) — In anticipation of Bellator MMA’s highly anticipated Spike debut January 17th from Irvine’s Bren Center, Bellator MMA will be hosting a fighter open workout for media from 1 – 3 p.m. PST on Tuesday, January 15 from HB Ultimate Training Center. The workout will be […]
Press Release – Newport Beach, California (January 8, 2013) — In anticipation of Bellator MMA’s highly anticipated Spike debut January 17th from Irvine’s Bren Center, Bellator MMA will be hosting a fighter open workout for media from 1 – 3 p.m. PST on Tuesday, January 15 from HB Ultimate Training Center.
The workout will be attended by Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney as well as Bellator MMA fighters, including Bellator Lightweight World Champion Michael Chandler, his title challenger and former Judo Olympian Rick Hawn, Bellator Featherweight Champion Pat Curran, explosive Brazilian & Tournament Champion Patricio Pitbull, Light Heavyweight “Babalu” Sobral and Southern California’s own Mike “Joker” Guymon and Mario Navarro.
There will be a workout session followed by an interview/Q&A opportunity with each fighter. One-on-ones will be made available with each fighter and Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney.
Fans are also welcomed to attend and take in the action.
The schedule will be:
Tuesday, January 15 – 1 – 3 p.m. PST
HB Ultimate Training Center
19240 Beach Boulevard, Huntington Beach, California
714-593-9335
For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA, follow Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney @BjornRebney and check out Bellator on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Bellator
About Bellator MMA
Bellator MMA is the world’s largest tournament based Mixed Martial Arts organization. Televised to nearly 500 Million homes worldwide in over 107 countries, Bellator’s majority owner is entertainment giant Viacom. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. With over 150 world-class athletes under contract, Bellator is home to many of the sport’s top mixed martial artists. Bellator’s founder & CEO, Bjorn Rebney, an experienced fighting sports and entertainment executive with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes. Bellator’s core philosophy is that title shots should be earned, not given. This belief gave rise to Bellator’s real sport, tournament-based format, which gives Bellator’s tournaments a true playoff feel that keeps the sport true and distances itself from the subjective side of fighting sports found in organizations that utilize a matchmaking/casting formula. Bellator Fighting Championships’ executive team is comprised of top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Newport Beach, California.
About Spike TV:
Spike TV is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.
About mun2
mun2 is the leading Hispanic cable network for young millennial adults 18-34. From reality to music, on-air to digital, mun2 creates original content that resonates across a multi-screen platform. Young, vibrant and unabashedly Latino, mun2 has a distribution to over 38 million households. The network is part of Telemundo Media, a division of NBCUniversal.
Things have started to heat up over the last few days for lightweight fighter Eddie ‘The Silent Assassin’ Alvarez as he now faces a legal challenge from the Bellator promotion over the latest contract proposal. On Monday, Alvarez came out saying that the Bellator promotion failed to match the contract offered him by the Ultimate […]
Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney
Things have started to heat up over the last few days for lightweight fighter Eddie ‘The Silent Assassin’ Alvarez as he now faces a legal challenge from the Bellator promotion over the latest contract proposal.
On Monday, Alvarez came out saying that the Bellator promotion failed to match the contract offered him by the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and that now he is being sued by Bellator over the contract dispute.
Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney spoke out about the situation on Monday to MMAFighting.com, defending his company’s side of the contract negotiations stating the offer made to Alvarez was the exact same as the UFC’s.
“I will tell you point blank, no questions asked, we matched it dollar for dollar, term for term and section for section,” he said. “To avoid any kind of ambiguity, let me make clear, we took the UFC contract, we took it out of the PDF format, we changed the name ‘UFC’ to ‘Bellator’ and we signed it. We didn’t alter a word, we didn’t alter a phrase, we didn’t alter a section, we didn’t alter a dollar figure.”
Naturally the sticking point is a cut of the pay-per-view revenue, which the UFC is certainly offering Alvarez for all events he would participate in. This is a practice the UFC appears to follow when dealing with it’s big starts, it’s just not a business model that Bellator Fighting Championships follows as their events air on free television.
Projecting a dollar amount generated from ppv buys is certainly an unknown and according to Rebney is something his company doesn’t “have to match.”
“There is no guaranteed pay-per-view in the UFC offer to Eddie Alvarez,” he says emphatically. “We as Bellator don’t have to match projections. We don’t have to match what could conceptually happen. We have to match guaranteed dollars and what the UFC contractually guaranteed would occur. That is what we are held to.”
I can certainly understand Bellator’s stance, it’s difficult to quantify something for which there has been no basis for when it comes to Alvarez. I guess one could use the PPV numbers from UFC 149, the Octagon debut of former Bellator champ Hector Lombard, but again how does one compare the drawing power of Alvarez to Lombard.
On the other side, Alvarez does have a strong fan base and his inclusion in the UFC’s lightweight division would generate a lot of buzz, more so if he wins his Octagon debut. The money that he could potentially earn is certainly more than Bellator would be willing to pay to keep a former marquee fighter.
I guess we’ll have to wait and see what the court’s decide, as well as whether or not this recent event has left a sour taste in ‘The Silent Assassin’s’ mouth. If this is the case, and the court decides to rule in favor for Bellator, Alvarez may opt to sit for a year until he is entirely free of any contract obligations to the Chicago promotion.
Former Bellator lightweight champion Eddie ‘The Silent Assassin’ Alvarez (24-3) completed his contract with the Chicago based promotion last October when he picked up a first round knockout win over Patricky ‘Pitbull’ Freire at Bellator 76. With that win Alvarez was able to entertain contract offers from other promotions, including the Ultimate Fighting Championship The […]
Former Bellator lightweight champion Eddie ‘The Silent Assassin’ Alvarez (24-3) completed his contract with the Chicago based promotion last October when he picked up a first round knockout win over Patricky ‘Pitbull’ Freire at Bellator 76.
With that win Alvarez was able to entertain contract offers from other promotions, including the Ultimate Fighting Championship
The UFC made their offer and Bellator made their counter-offer, but according to Alvarez the two contracts were vastly different and because he didn’t resign with Bellator he is now being sued by his former promotion.
Alvarez was a guest on The MMA Hour (@MMAFighting.com) earlier today to speak about the contract negotiations.
“We went to settlement maybe a couple days ago,” Alvarez said. “We had a settlement meeting to where we were supposed to settle our differences and everything was supposed to get worked out. Long story short, I was sued 30 minutes after our settlement agreement was over…. ”
“If it was a match, I would be more than happy to honor the contract,” Alvarez said. “I signed that contract, I have to fulfill my obligations, it’s what I signed, I’m a man. I have no problems. If it was a match, if this was a hundred percent match, I’d have no problem going and fighting for Bellator. That is not my issue. Do I want to fight the best in the world? Yeah. Would I love to fight the Ben Hendersons? Yeah. The Gilbert Melendezes? Yeah. I’ll fight them tomorrow.
“I’ve always wanted to fight the best guys. That’s not the issue. The issue has to do with being fair. If the contract said at the end we have a chance to match this contract, I said OK to that four years ago and I’m accountable for that. In our eyes, this is not a match. This a difference is a lot of money, a lot of money, and its hard to sign on the dotted line. It’s a lot of money.”
Alvarez is 9-1 over his last ten bouts, all but one of which was under the Bellator banner. ‘The Silent Assassin’ won the Bellator lightweight title back in June 2009 and successfully defended the belt in April 2011 against Pat Curran. Alvarez was finally beaten, losing by submission to current champ Michael Chandler in a 2011 “Fight of the Year” candidate at Bellator 58. Alvarez would bounce back by winning a rematch with Shinya Aoki last April and then by earning his first round knockout against Freire at Bellator 76.
