Tag: Mike Russell

One of Rick Hawn’s Sponsors Just Pulled the Mother of All Scumbag Moves [UPDATED]


(Aw yeah. Get ready for some Internet street-justice.)

Rick Hawn‘s lightweight title challenge against Michael Chandler last week at Bellator 85 didn’t go so well. Chandler was able to put the decorated judoka on his back with relative ease, before finishing him with a rear-naked choke in round two. But as disappointing as the loss was for Hawn, it paled in comparison to what came next. As Hawn revealed on twitter last night, “one of my main sponsors from my fight canceled his check cuz he wasnt happy with the outcome or my performance…A lawsuit is pending so I cannot comment on who it is just yet but stay tuned.”

I think we can all agree that a company that stiffs one of its sponsored MMA fighters because he lost should be immediately banned from the sport. But what makes this story sink to another level of scumbaggery is that the sponsor is actually defending the non-payment as a wise business decision. Here’s what the still-unnamed floor-turd had to say in an e-mail purportedly sent to our old friend Mike Russell:

“At this point, a stop payment has been placed on check which cannot be cashed or deposited now. I will not comment on Rick and his fight. That is not my place. But what I will tell you is this: I took a huge chance with him. TV exposure was great…but it only holds weight if he wins or puts on a good show. Neither happened. At the end of the day…not one sole (sp) will run to [my] store and buy product because they [saw my logo and saw] Rick loose (sp) the fight. I’ve made it my career and business to know what nets a return on investment for the brand…and this is the number 1 reason why I DO NOT hand out money or product to fighters.”


(Aw yeah. Get ready for some Internet street-justice.)

Rick Hawn‘s lightweight title challenge against Michael Chandler last week at Bellator 85 didn’t go so well. Chandler was able to put the decorated judoka on his back with relative ease, before finishing him with a rear-naked choke in round two. But as disappointing as the loss was for Hawn, it paled in comparison to what came next. As Hawn revealed on twitter last night, “one of my main sponsors from my fight canceled his check cuz he wasnt happy with the outcome or my performance…A lawsuit is pending so I cannot comment on who it is just yet but stay tuned.”

I think we can all agree that a company that stiffs one of its sponsored MMA fighters because he lost should be immediately banned from the sport. But what makes this story sink to another level of scumbaggery is that the sponsor is actually defending the non-payment as a wise business decision. Here’s what the still-unnamed floor-turd had to say in an e-mail purportedly sent to our old friend Mike Russell:

“At this point, a stop payment has been placed on check which cannot be cashed or deposited now. I will not comment on Rick and his fight. That is not my place. But what I will tell you is this: I took a huge chance with him. TV exposure was great…but it only holds weight if he wins or puts on a good show. Neither happened. At the end of the day…not one sole (sp) will run to [my] store and buy product because they [saw my logo and saw] Rick loose (sp) the fight. I’ve made it my career and business to know what nets a return on investment for the brand…and this is the number 1 reason why I DO NOT hand out money or product to fighters.”

Man, this is not going to end well for this douche. To this point, Rick and Mike haven’t revealed who the sponsor is, or even hinted at his identity — a wise move, from a legal standpoint. But if you cruise through the UG thread, you’ll see that by about page 6, the UG’s keyboard-detectives have made a pretty compelling case about who it might be.

With the shitstorm-clouds gathering, the sponsor is now looking to do some damage control. “We got a text telling us that he would pay up last night if we apologized and Rick took down his Twitter post,” Mike wrote. At this point, Hawn has no intention of apologizing. We’ll update you when the sponsor is officially outed.

UPDATE: Yes, the sponsor was HTFU. CEO/founder Mark Gingrich has sent Hawn a new check for the $1,500 he owed him. If you want to read Gingrich’s side of the story — which includes accusations that Hawn didn’t fulfill all of his sponsorship obligations — click here.

MMA Trainer Firas Zahabi Launches FundAFighter to Put Sponsorship in the Hands of the Fans


(There’s always a Diaz fan in the crowd…)

By Jason Moles

We’ve seen as many MMA sponsors come and go over the last few years as we have fighters themselves, and with a few notable exceptions, they haven’t had much, if any, impact on the sport. That’s all about to change with the launch of FundAFighter.com, which helps fighters raise money to cover the costs of their training camps, travel, nutrition, or other MMA-related projects.

Developed by Tristar Gym‘s Firas Zahabi, the new site supports fighters in the planning and execution of “crowdfunding” campaigns in which they solicit donations directly from their fans in exchange for unique incentives like event tickets, autographs, fight-worn gear, or whatever rewards they are willing to give their backers. Oh, and did we mention that CagePotato veteran Mike Russell is handling PR for FundAFighter?

If the concept sounds vaguely familiar, there’s a reason for that — and it’s not just because crowdfunding is how we got Karmaatemycat to the TUF 14 tryouts last year. From the press release:


(There’s always a Diaz fan in the crowd…)

By Jason Moles

We’ve seen as many MMA sponsors come and go over the last few years as we have fighters themselves, and with a few notable exceptions, they haven’t had much, if any, impact on the sport. That’s all about to change with the launch of FundAFighter.com, which helps fighters raise money to cover the costs of their training camps, travel, nutrition, or other MMA-related projects.

Developed by Tristar Gym‘s Firas Zahabi, the new site supports fighters in the planning and execution of “crowdfunding” campaigns in which they solicit donations directly from their fans in exchange for unique incentives like event tickets, autographs, fight-worn gear, or whatever rewards they are willing to give their backers. Oh, and did we mention that CagePotato veteran Mike Russell is handling PR for FundAFighter?

If the concept sounds vaguely familiar, there’s a reason for that — and it’s not just because crowdfunding is how we got Karmaatemycat to the TUF 14 tryouts last year. From the press release:

When late, great former UFC middleweight champion Evan Tanner waved away corporate sponsors to instead give his fans the opportunity to contribute financially to his training camps in exchange for tangible rewards like signature shirts and autographed gear, his novel idea was met with praise from both fans and the media. Evan’s groundbreaking concept was what would later become known as crowdsourcing, more specifically crowdfunding – two methodologies whose names weren’t even coined until a year after he began practicing them.

Inspired by Tanner’s simple idea, this exciting and groundbreaking initiative was developed by Tristar Gym owner and revered MMA trainer Firas Zahabi and noted Montreal based entrepreneurs Robbie Stein and Greg Hoffman. The goal of Fund a Fighter is simple: Provide fighters with an alternative means of raising money for their next MMA-related project, while giving fans an alternative way to interact and support their favorite fighters. Think of it like Kickstarter for MMA.

That sounds pretty badass, but how will the impact the sport going forward?

“Zahabi thinks the new venture will change the landscape of the sport for the better, removing a lot of the financial roadblocks fighters face when preparing for fights, like affording travel, hiring coaches, and making sure that their nutritional needs are being met.”

Nice. So what fighters can fans currently sponsor?

“The company also announced today that FAF’s first two approved fighters with active fundraising campaigns on the site are current UFC featherweight Joey Gambino and The Ultimate Fighter 13 veteran, welterweight standout Chuck “Cold Steel” O’Neil.”

It all sounds pretty awesome when you think about it. We love watching great fights, and want these athletes to have everything they need to show up on fight night healthy and ready to put on a Fight of the Night performance. What better way to help make this possible than by becoming a member and donating a few bucks? C’mon, we both know you’re going to, even if only for an autographed jock strap.

Registration at FAF is free and open to the public, however no new fundraising campaigns will be approved until August. For more information and updates, follow FundAFighter on Facebook and Twitter.

Chill Out and Have a Listen to The Bum Rush Radio Show Episode 6 Featuring UFC Lightweight Standout Cole Miller

  (007 373 5963 will take you right past our inane banter to Cole’s interview) 
Well it’s been a while, but The Bum Rush Radio Show is finally back from a short hiatus. Unfortunately, because of the UFC Fan Expo and a handful of weddings all…

 
(007 373 5963 will take you right past our inane banter to Cole’s interview) 

Well it’s been a while, but The Bum Rush Radio Show is finally back from a short hiatus. Unfortunately, because of the UFC Fan Expo and a handful of weddings all of us were guilted into attending, our free time was very sparse the last few weeks, but we’re ready to start pumping this thing out on the regular again.

On the bright side we had a lot to talk about this episode.

Besides our usual kibitzing about upcoming match-ups and the week’s top stories, UFC lightweight, Cole Miller stopped by to talk to Ben and shared his thoughts on a plethora of subjects, including UFC lightweight champ Frankie Edgar, his disdain for Cecil Peoples, why he loves Ninja Turtles and how he sees his fight with TUF 9 winner Ross Pearson going down next week at UFC Fight Night 22.

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What Do You Have Planned for This Morning? Listening to The Bum Rush Episode 4, That’s What

(Stay Gomi, Ponyboy. Stay Gomi.)
Well Potato Nation, it’s the Friday before a major MMA event, and as such, we put together another episode of The Bum Rush to keep your cynical and demanding asses entertained for an hour and change whilst you…


(Stay Gomi, Ponyboy. Stay Gomi.)

Well Potato Nation, it’s the Friday before a major MMA event, and as such, we put together another episode of The Bum Rush to keep your cynical and demanding asses entertained for an hour and change whilst you whittle away the remaining hours of the work week.

In this episode, we welcome Cage Potato contributor Dallas Winston to our round table discussion and speak with Internet sensation and undefeated UFC newcomer, Sean "The Big Deal" McCorkle (feel free to use that nickname, Sean) who takes on former PRIDE star Mark Hunt at UFC 119 September 25 in his home state of Indiana.

As always on the show, Ben and Mike give their takes on the week’s hot news stories and dissect the upcoming fight cards by consulting their Ouija boards and magic 8-balls to help make their fight predictions.

Check out the show and post your feedback and questions for future editions of The Bum Rush Mail Bag.

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Listen Here


GOOOOD MORNING, POTATO NATION! It’s Time for Episode 3 of The Bum Rush Radio Show

 (Goldstein during his Taxi Driver phase.)
If you’re looking for something to help you cruise into the weekend, we’ve got you covered. Episode 3 of "The Bum Rush" features more of our terribly inaccurate fight predictions, an insider rou…

 
(Goldstein during his Taxi Driver phase.)

If you’re looking for something to help you cruise into the weekend, we’ve got you covered. Episode 3 of "The Bum Rush" features more of our terribly inaccurate fight predictions, an insider round table featuring the usual suspects: Ben, Mike, Chad and Chad’s hype man, ReX13 discussing current MMA news and last weekend’s UFC card and an interview with UFC 116 slam master, Gerald Harris.

Find a cold, dark corner to hide in and keep your laughter to a minimum and you may be able to avoid your boss long enough to get through this damn thing.

As always, your input is appreciated. Let us know who you want to hear on the show, what we’re doing mediocrely and what areas we need to step up our games in.

We’re working to get the show on iTunes by next episode to make it more easily accessible and to make it at least seem more legit.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD EPISODE 3

Grab a Coffee, Lock Your Office Door and Waste an Hour of Your Friday Listening to ‘The Bum Rush: Episode Two’

  (Bet you didn’t know we’re all fighters, too.) Well, since it’s almost the weekend and we know on Fridays how the second hand seems to move one tick forward and two ticks back, we figured we’d help you waste an hour of your day with another pod…

 
(Bet you didn’t know we’re all fighters, too.)

Well, since it’s almost the weekend and we know on Fridays how the second hand seems to move one tick forward and two ticks back, we figured we’d help you waste an hour of your day with another podcast.

Episode two features an interview with our The Ultimate Fighter 11 guest blogger and hero among men Rich Attonito, our take on this week’s big stories and a round table discussion panel with Ben, Mike, weekend CP editor Chad Dundas and our resident jack of all trades, master of none, DL "ReX13" Richardson, AKA "The Skirt Smasher."

We’re working on ironing out the bugs and are looking into other Voip options as Skype is hit or miss quality-wise.

Let us know in the comment section (like you needed to be told) what you think, what and who you want to hear on future episodes and any questions you may have for the panel or our future guests.

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