With rumors of a UFC sale abound and the prospect of longtime UFC President Dana White actually stepping down from his position actually possible, there may not be a better time than now to look back and reflect on all of the game-changing, evolving, and impactful changes White has made upon the UFC and the
With rumors of a UFC sale abound and the prospect of longtime UFC President Dana White actually stepping down from his position actually possible, there may not be a better time than now to look back and reflect on all of the game-changing, evolving, and impactful changes White has made upon the UFC and the sport of MMA as a whole.
However, this article is not the place to do that.
No, despite all of the absolutely positive and furthering changes, implementations, and improvements White has made during his nearly 20-year tenure with the UFC, he’s built up quite the long list of people in the sport that have angered him quite a bit.
For better or worse, some were right, some were wrong, and some of those people were able to mend the fence with the most powerful man in MMA. Others still remain on the boss man’s proverbial naughty list, and they may indeed never recover.
It’s been a wild ride for White, and it may or may not be close to being over. Let’s take a look back at the people in MMA that angered Dana White the most.
Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm continues to deal with what some would call a controversial choice when she decided to trust the word of Lenny Fresquez as her full-time manager when she made the transition from boxing to MMA. In the eyes of some, like UFC President Dana White, Fresquez is vaguely akin to Screech from Saved By The Bell; not
Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm continues to deal with what some would call a controversial choice when she decided to trust the word of Lenny Fresquez as her full-time manager when she made the transition from boxing to MMA.
In the eyes of some, like UFC President Dana White, Fresquez is vaguely akin to Screech from Saved By The Bell; not many people care for him, but he’s always around because he’s friendly with the important people.
Fresquez is no stranger to making headlines, but it’s generally for all the wrong reasons. If you’re wondering why his name is currently ringing a bell, it’s most likely due to his recent verbal tussle with Dana White over his alleged “mismanagement” of Holm’s contract and fight schedule.
Earlier this year, after Holm’s November 2015 decimation of then-champion Ronda Rousey, Fresquez and White experienced some discord over against whom Holm should make her first title defense, Miesha “Cupcake” Tate or a rematch with “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey.
Fresquez, as any competent manager would, wanted what his client wanted; what they thought was best for Holm. They wanted to stay active and take the best, most challenging fight available to keep her sharp for her ‘eventual’ title rematch with “Rowdy.” That, as history shows, happened to be Miesha Tate, which turned out to be a very poor decision.
But as they say, hindsight is always 20/20.
White, on the other hand, wanted what any sane and savvy businessman/promoter would want; for the fighter that dethroned the UFC’s golden queen to await the rematch that would surely turn out to be not only a behemoth moneymaker, but a pre-fight build-up unprecedented by any other blockbuster fight in UFC history. In other words, the company — and both fighters involved — would make a ton of cash.
Unswayed by White’s insistence, Fresquez and Holm opted to stay active and give themselves a good old fashioned warm-up fight against Miesha Tate, a useful practice bout before she “inevitably” stepped back into the cage to defend the title she pried from the ice-cold clutches of Rousey.
Unsurprisingly, “Cupcake” did not take very well to this news, and deservedly so, she aired her frustrations to Joe Rogan while a guest on his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, on Thursday (May 5, 2016).
The UFC did not want that fight to happen. Dana flew out to Albuquerque and told them ‘don’t fight Miesha Tate…Ronda’s the money fight.’ They wanted the [Holm vs. Rousey] rematch to be the first [title] defense. And Holly’s manager told him ‘we want Miesha Tate’, Dana said he threw up his hands and was like ‘are you f*cking kidding me, other than Ronda she’s been the baddest for years now and you want to take her lightly? You think you’re just going to walk through her?’ And he [Fresquez] was like ‘yeah we got this, she’s going to be a tune-up fight. He told Dana that I was going to be a tune-up fight…he’s an idiot.”
“Cupcake” was spot on. She submitted “The Preacher’s Daughter” via rear-naked choke late in the fifth round of their co-main event title fight at UFC 196 on March 5, undoubtedly using the motivation provided by Fresquez’s patronizing words to squeeze just a little bit tighter and secure her astonishing victory.
Let this be a lesson to all managers (and fighters) out there, that any fighter skilled and tough enough to make it all the way to the most talent-rich, prestigious organization in the world is not a tune-up fight and should never, ever be taken that lightly.
Apparently UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Miesha Tate took the Amanda Nunes fight at UFC 200 instead of accepting the challenge of an immediate rematch at the landmark event against former champion Holly Holm.
In speaking with The Albuquerque Journal this week, Holm’s manager, Lenny Fresquez, claimed that his fighter would soon be returning to the Octagon in a non-title fight, but that it’s only because “Cupcake” Tate took a “weaker opponent” for her first title defense..
“They tell me Tate chose (Nunes),” Fresquez told the Journal on Thursday in a phone interview. “Holly was offered to her and she chose Nunes. She chose to take a weaker opponent.
“She’s not as stand-up as Holly. She said she’d take on the best, but she’s not willing to take on the best. Holly gave her a chance. We’re pretty disappointed she didn’t return the favor.”
Apparently UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Miesha Tate took the Amanda Nunes fight at UFC 200 instead of accepting the challenge of an immediate rematch at the landmark event against former champion Holly Holm.
In speaking with The Albuquerque Journal this week, Holm’s manager, Lenny Fresquez, claimed that his fighter would soon be returning to the Octagon in a non-title fight, but that it’s only because “Cupcake” Tate took a “weaker opponent” for her first title defense..
“They tell me Tate chose (Nunes),” Fresquez told the Journal on Thursday in a phone interview. “Holly was offered to her and she chose Nunes. She chose to take a weaker opponent.
“She’s not as stand-up as Holly. She said she’d take on the best, but she’s not willing to take on the best. Holly gave her a chance. We’re pretty disappointed she didn’t return the favor.”
The MMA world was given a refreshing bit of news when it was revealed earlier this week that Invicta FC featherweight champion Cristiane ‘Cyborg’ Justino would finally be making her UFC debut against Leslie Smith at May 14’s UFC 198 from her homeland of Curitiba, Brazil. While Smith is most certainly a gritty and talented
The MMA world was given a refreshing bit of news when it was revealed earlier this week that Invicta FC featherweight champion Cristiane ‘Cyborg’ Justino would finally be making her UFC debut against Leslie Smith at May 14’s UFC 198 from her homeland of Curitiba, Brazil.
While Smith is most certainly a gritty and talented fighter and also deserves respect for taking the 140-pound catchweight fight, most hoped ‘Cyborg’ would make her debut against the top fighters of the UFC women’s bantamweight division. Obviously Justino has a long-standing feud Ronda Rousey, and bouts with champion Miesha Tate or top contenders Holly Holm and Cat Zingano are very enticing prospects.
However, UFC President Dana White spoke up to declare that no one other than Smith wanted the fight, and apparently Holm, who recently lost the title to Miesha Tate at March 5’s UFC 196, is one that did not. In a recent appearance at a news conference transcribed by The Albuquerque Journal, Holm touched on her desires for her next fight, which not surprisingly include rematches with Tate or Rousey:
“This one’s definitely a little more out of my hands. (In boxing), I knew that Lenny would give me the opportunity as long as I wanted it. This is a whole different situation.
“I really want that rematch, but I’m not the one with the title now. I’m not the one with the belt. So I have to be patient and wait for that opportunity to come.”
‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ seems to know the bargaining chips are a bit out of her hands after Tate submitted her in the fifth round of their title bout, and she believes she can’t be too picky as a result:
“Right now, what’s on my heart is the rematch,” she said. “(But) I don’t necessarily want to be too picky, either. I’m the one coming off a loss. I can’t expect to have everything handed to me, so we’ll see what happens.”
Holm’s longtime manager Lenny Fresquez also spoke up on the subject, adding that the UFC will hopefully give them a chance at Tate or Rousey when her next fight is booked:
“Miesha was in Australia on vacation, so they were supposed to get with her this week,” Fresquez said. “Hopefully, in the next couple of weeks we’ll know. But whether it’s Miesha or Ronda, those are the fights we’re interested in.”
As for the Cyborg fight, Fresquez, whom White infamously said was ‘not that smart’ in a tirade post-UFC 196, said that Holm’s camp is simply not interested in fighting ‘Cyborg’ right now:
“(Fighting Rousey or Tate) is pretty much what Holly wants to do,” Fresquez said. “If they have something else, it’s my job to present it to her. I’ve made her wishes known to them.
“We were not interested in that right now,” Fresquez said. “(Holm) just wants to fight Miesha.”
Let’s get one thing straight: Calling Holly Holm a “franchise” is ludicrously premature. Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva are MMA franchises. Beyond that, the list gets very thin. In fact, the concept of franchise players is fading in every sport as the Lebron Jameses and Jacoby Ellsburys of the sports world show that their loyalty only extends to the highest free market bidder.
The argument could be made that UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey is a franchise athlete. After all, Dana White has admitted that the UFC only created the women’s division because of her. But Holly Holm is not on the same level of recognizability as Rousey. Sure she was a big boxing draw in New Mexico, but being a regional draw does not translate to franchise-level success with a global brand like the UFC.
Chances are, not many outside of the hardcore MMA and boxing fanbase have even heard of Holly Holm. The Holly Holm brand might bring a few new eyeballs from the boxing world but she is certainly not selling a PPV on her own.
However, just because Holly Holm is not a “franchise” does not mean she wouldn’t make a great investment for the UFC’s fledgling women’s division. Holm is a fantastic athlete. Once considered by many as the best female boxer on the planet, she was twice named Ring Magazine’s female Fighter of the Year. Training under Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn, she not only has the physical ability and attributes, she also has the right team around her to be a world champion in MMA.
It’s possible that Holm may one day be a UFC franchise athlete. She certainly has the potential to dominate a women’s division that is severely lacking in high-quality strikers. She could also develop into a legitimate MMA star. She’s personable, good looking and professional. However, she’s not there yet.
(Fresquez and Holm field questions after her win over Angela Hayes on Friday. / Photo via Getty)
Let’s get one thing straight: Calling Holly Holm a “franchise” is ludicrously premature. Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva are MMA franchises. Beyond that, the list gets very thin. In fact, the concept of franchise players is fading in every sport as the Lebron Jameses and Jacoby Ellsburys of the sports world show that their loyalty only extends to the highest free market bidder.
The argument could be made that UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey is a franchise athlete. After all, Dana White has admitted that the UFC only created the women’s division because of her. But Holly Holm is not on the same level of recognizability as Rousey. Sure she was a big boxing draw in New Mexico, but being a regional draw does not translate to franchise-level success with a global brand like the UFC.
Chances are, not many outside of the hardcore MMA and boxing fanbase have even heard of Holly Holm. The Holly Holm brand might bring a few new eyeballs from the boxing world but she is certainly not selling a PPV on her own.
However, just because Holly Holm is not a “franchise” does not mean she wouldn’t make a great investment for the UFC’s fledgling women’s division. Holm is a fantastic athlete. Once considered by many as the best female boxer on the planet, she was twice named Ring Magazine’s female Fighter of the Year. Training under Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn, she not only has the physical ability and attributes, she also has the right team around her to be a world champion in MMA.
It’s possible that Holm may one day be a UFC franchise athlete. She certainly has the potential to dominate a women’s division that is severely lacking in high-quality strikers. She could also develop into a legitimate MMA star. She’s personable, good looking and professional. However, she’s not there yet.
Holm hasn’t fought anybody even near the top 10 in MMA and it’s yet to be seen what will happen once she gets taken down by a quality grappler. Her last fight was a forgettable unanimous decision win over 40-year old Angela Hayes, who has a losing record. Even during her successful boxing career, there were those in the boxing community who felt Holm was protected by not facing top competition, like Cecilia Braekhus, and mostly fighting in her hometown.
Though her early MMA career has intentionally followed the boxing model of record-padding en route to a title fight, Holm needs to fight high-quality competition in order to demand anything close to six-figures upon entry into the UFC. Fresquez claims that Holm makes more than 80% of UFC fighters. That may have been true in her boxing career — although even that seems doubtful — but she certainly didn’t make that much fighting for Bellator and Legacy FC.
The Holly Holm controversy will likely devolve into a debate about unfair UFC fighter pay in general. That debate has been going on for years and will continue to rage for years to come. However, this is about the worth of one particular fighter in the context of the current WMMA landscape, and Holm’s management needs to be careful not to price her out of a potentially lucrative long-term UFC career.
Zuffa has shown that they are willing to let free agents sign with other companies if the UFC feels the fighters are not worth what they could get on the free market. For every Hector Lombard who gets signed to an inflated UFC contract, there are the Ben Askrens of the world who the UFC decides aren’t worth it.
Dana White has called Holly Holm “the female Conor McGregor” because of the amount of MMA fans telling him to sign her. There’s no doubt the UFC wants Holm but they don’t exactly need her either. They have a long list of contenders waiting to challenge for Rousey’s belt with Miesha Tate, Cat Zingano, Alexis Davis, and Sara McMann waiting in the wings. Holm versus Rousey would certainly be a high-profile matchup. It would be a marketing dream — a pound-for-pound world champion boxer versus the Olympic judoka and undisputed MMA champion — if we ever get to see it happen. At this point it looks like a big if.
The MMA landscape is littered with managers who have screwed over their fighters by overvaluing their clients. So far, Lenny Fresquez has done an outstanding job promoting — and some would argue protecting — Holm’s career, both in boxing and MMA. However, his recent claim that Holm needs a six-figure contract in order to sign with the UFC is delusional. Holm has a bright future in MMA. She would be a great addition to the UFC’s roster and could pose a legitimate threat to Rousey’s belt. However, Fresquez needs to recognize that WMMA is still in its infancy and the market value is not the same as it is in boxing. He’s doing his job trying to get the most for his client but he needs to be careful not to play his client right out of the UFC picture altogether.
If Holm is worth it, she’ll establish herself as a top contender and get her six-figure contract in due time. However, that time is not now.
