Tag: Sarah Kaufman

UFC/Reebok Uniform Deal Reportedly Worth $70 Million Over Six Years


(From L-R: Reebok president Matt O’Toole, UFC chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, UFC social media intern Dana White. / Photo via Business Wire)

Yesterday, the UFC and Reebok laid out the broad strokes of a new partnership that would make Reebok the official uniform provider and commercial apparel producer for the world’s leading MMA promotion. In short: It’s a six-year agreement that will kick off on July 6th of next year, “every dime” of the revenue goes to the fighters — or at least “the vast majority” of it — and payouts will be based on a tier-system determined by a fighter rankings, which are themselves determined by a random and often unqualified assortment of approved media members.

There are a lot of questions about the deal that still need to be answered. But if a new report on The Telegraph is accurate, we now know how much Reebok is paying the UFC, in total. According to Gareth A. Davies, the partnership is “is understood to be worth $70 million over a six-year period.” So let’s break this thing down…

– $70 million over six years is about $11.67 million per year.

– There are approximately 550 fighters currently under contract with the UFC. That figure comes from UFC president Dana White, who said this yesterday: “I couldn’t call all 550 fighters, but I’ve been calling fighters over the last few days and pretty much all the men and women that I talked to are pretty excited about it.” Pretty much! Pretty excited! Nate Diaz was one of the dissenting votes, I guess.

– $11.67 million divided by 550 fighters = an average of $21,212 per fighter per year. Keep in mind that we still don’t exactly know how the tiered payout system will operate. But $21,212 is the number we’re starting with.


(From L-R: Reebok president Matt O’Toole, UFC chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, UFC social media intern Dana White. / Photo via Business Wire)

Yesterday, the UFC and Reebok laid out the broad strokes of a new partnership that would make Reebok the official uniform provider and commercial apparel producer for the world’s leading MMA promotion. In short: It’s a six-year agreement that will kick off on July 6th of next year, “every dime” of the revenue goes to the fighters — or at least “the vast majority” of it — and payouts will be based on a tier-system determined by a fighter rankings, which are themselves determined by a random and often unqualified assortment of approved media members.

There are a lot of questions about the deal that still need to be answered. But if a new report on The Telegraph is accurate, we now know how much Reebok is paying the UFC, in total. According to Gareth A. Davies, the partnership is “is understood to be worth $70 million over a six-year period.” So let’s break this thing down…

– $70 million over six years is about $11.67 million per year.

– There are approximately 550 fighters currently under contract with the UFC. That figure comes from UFC president Dana White, who said this yesterday: “I couldn’t call all 550 fighters, but I’ve been calling fighters over the last few days and pretty much all the men and women that I talked to are pretty excited about it.” Pretty much! Pretty excited! Nate Diaz was one of the dissenting votes, I guess.

– $11.67 million divided by 550 fighters = an average of $21,212 per fighter per year. Keep in mind that we still don’t exactly know how the tiered payout system will operate. But $21,212 is the number we’re starting with.

– Let’s assume that the UFC continues to run about 45 events a year, with 11 or 12 fights per event. That’s 22-24 available spots per event. Multiply that by 45, and you get a range of 990-1,080 — the total number of fights available to UFC fighters in a calendar year. We’ll just take the midway point and say 1,035.

– 1,035 available fights divided by 550 fighters = 1.88. Huh. So on average, each contracted UFC fighter is only fighting about twice a year.

– $21,212 divided by two = $10,606 per fight in sponsorship revenue for each fighter, on average. Of course, that’s if the fighters are literally getting “every dime” of this deal, which again, might not be completely accurate.

Okay, I understand that the vast majority (there’s that phrase again) of the UFC’s unranked masses will be getting a small slice of the sponsorship pie compared to the ranked contenders and champions — and if Johnny Fight Pass gets three grand in Reebok money every fight without having to hustle sponsors for it, that doesn’t sound like a terrible arrangement for him, does it?

But after looking at these numbers, I’m not as concerned with the up-and-comers taking a big hit. Now, I’m wondering if the Reebok revenue can possibly match what big stars like Jon Jones, Ronda Rousey, and Anderson Silva used to make from all of their sponsors on fight night. Because $11.67 million per year, for everybody? The pie itself is not that big, relatively speaking. Of course, none of this takes into account the 20% cut of merchandising sales that UFC fighters will also receive. But then again, only the big stars will see real money from that incentive — because who would buy a Sultan Aliev x Reebok-branded hoodie?

Damn it, we really need details about how this tier system will work. And speaking of which — are we really supposed to believe that payouts will only be based on media ranking, without any consideration of star power? I mean, I respect the egalitarian, meritocractic nature of that concept, but dude:

No disrespect to Sarah Kaufman intended. We were just using her and Anderson’s shared top 5 status to illustrate a point about how the entire world has gone insane. We’ll keep you posted on the UFC/Reebok deal as more interesting stuff comes to light.

Related: Nate Quarry gave his own constructive criticism about the Reebok deal on Reddit, and it ain’t pretty…

Yep. The UFC further continuing their stranglehold over the fighters. Why? They don’t have enough money to actually pay their athletes above welfare wages? Will the money trickle down? Has it so far? How many checks have the random fighters gotten from “official” UFC sponsors? None? No Harley Davidson checks? No checks from the supplement sponsors? “But Nate, NBA players don’t get to put random sponsors on their team jerseys.” Good point. But it’s that of a child. Please shut up and be quiet. NBA players CAN and DO make shoe deals The NBA tried to squash that, fining Michael Jordan every time he wore his Nikes. Nike paid the fines. Why didn’t Jordan get cut from the Bulls? Because he’d go to the Lakers and make just as much money. Hard to do when you’re working for a monopoly. (Fortunately some organizations are flourishing off UFC’s bad business ideals.) But here’s a better point: “Cool. You want to treat UFC athletes like NBA players? Nice. So when will the players union be put into place? I assume the minimum wage for a fighter, whether he actually competes or not, will be that of an NBA benchwarmer? Around half a million dollars? OH you just want to pick and choose dumb ass arguments that you think make your point without really thinking things through. You should run for office.”

What is really hilariously sad is they are stomping ALL OVER dollars in an attempt to get a few more nickels. Imagine a UFC with profit sharing. Where EVERY athlete’s paycheck is directly tied to the number of PPV buys. Where fighters are COMFORTABLE in the work place, not given the speech before EVERY fight that if they have a bad night they will be CUT. Where fighters have a chance to grow and build a fan base. And for you fans…. seeing a PPV where you KNOW all the fighters! Remember those days? The days of packed cards top to bottom? Now you’re lucky if you know the main event. Why is that? First off, the UFC will cut anyone at any time. Fitch, Gerald Dwayne Harris, many others. Now you have GREAT fighters that after a few years of fighting and the blinders are off their eyes they realize, I’m fighting for what? How much? With NO future at all? Let me clarify, sports are an opportunity, NOT a career. Average NFL career? Around 3 years. So about 1.5 million dollars. Not a bad opportunity. And well worth putting your body in harms way. How about the UFC? I’ve known main event fighters that fought for the UFC for many, many years, who don’t make enough money to even own their own house, put their kids through college, build anything you can in a job you know you’ll have for decades. So these athletes retire from fighting. Why? When they love it so much? Because at some point the love wanes and reality sets in. “I’m always in pain, I’m not appreciated, there’s no future in this and what I’m being paid right now isn’t allowing me to build a future.” I just read that the UFC is down in profits substantially for the year. So they do what every company does, blame the workers. Blame the customers. Even Dana is quoted as saying if you don’t like what we’re doing, don’t buy the PPVs. Wish granted.

Jessica Eye’s Denial of Positive Marijuana Test is a PR Failure of Spectacular Proportions

(via MMAFighting)

Jessica Eye had four months to come clean about testing positive for marijuana following her UFC 166 win over Sarah Kaufman, yet she chose to deny, deny, deny and has arguably found herself in a worse place because of it.

Perhaps I should back up a bit. You see, although reports initially claimed that Eye had tested positive for prescription blood thinners stemming from a car accident she was involved in some 11 years ago, it was revealed yesterday that Eye did in fact test positive for marijuana post UFC 166. This was largely unearthed by BloodyElbow’s Brent Brookehouse, who correctly pointed out that a) no athletic commission in their right mind would license a fighter on blood thinners for obvious reasons (difficulty stopping cuts, increased risk of intracranial bleeding) and b) the Texas Athletic Commission did not conduct any blood tests at UFC 166, which would have been the only way that blood thinners would show up in a post-fight test.

And so, reports began to circulate that Eye’s test was actually for marijuana (Author’s note: Called it). Eye vehemently denied these rumors on yesterday’s The MMA Hour (see above) and even went as far as to attack Brookehouse’s credibility on her now deleted Twitter account. Unfortunately for Eye, Fox Sports published a piece containing “the agreed order as handed down from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation” shortly after her MMA Hour appearance that not only proved that Eye’s test was in fact for marijuana, but that Eye had known about this and waived her right to appeal in January.


(via MMAFighting)

Jessica Eye had four months to come clean about testing positive for marijuana following her UFC 166 win over Sarah Kaufman, yet she chose to deny, deny, deny and has arguably found herself in a worse place because of it.

Perhaps I should back up a bit. You see, although reports initially claimed that Eye had tested positive for prescription blood thinners stemming from a car accident she was involved in some 11 years ago, it was revealed yesterday that Eye did in fact test positive for marijuana post UFC 166. This was largely unearthed by BloodyElbow’s Brent Brookehouse, who correctly pointed out that a) no athletic commission in their right mind would license a fighter on blood thinners for obvious reasons (difficulty stopping cuts, increased risk of intracranial bleeding) and b) the Texas Athletic Commission did not conduct any blood tests at UFC 166, which would have been the only way that blood thinners would show up in a post-fight test.

And so, reports began to circulate that Eye’s test was actually for marijuana (Author’s note: Called it). Eye vehemently denied these rumors on yesterday’s The MMA Hour (see above) and even went as far as to attack Brookehouse’s credibility on her now deleted Twitter account. Unfortunately for Eye, Fox Sports published a piece containing “the agreed order as handed down from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation” shortly after her MMA Hour appearance that not only proved that Eye’s test was in fact for marijuana, but that Eye had known about this and waived her right to appeal in January.

Why Eye chose to outright lie with the evidence staring her directly in the face in anyone’s guess. Surely she knew that it was only a matter of time until her tests results came to light, so what was she hoping to gain by denying the facts until the very last minute? As Ben Fowlkes stated on the most recent edition of The Co-Main Event Podcast, Eye’s “probated suspension” and measly $1,875 fine was probably the lightest an MMA fighter has ever gotten off for a positive marijuana test. There’s also the fact that, well, MMA fans and media alike don’t really give a shit about weed anymore — there’s much bigger fish to fry.

The real irony of the situation is that, had Eye simply admitted to her mistake like Pat Healy before her, most of us would have shrugged our shoulders and moved on from the situation entirely. Instead, Eye’s denial of the claims against her (and subsequent Twitter rant) made a story out of nothing and has left her in a much worse standing with fans than any failed marijuana test ever could. Not to mention the fallout that could come from Eye’s admittal to being on blood thinners, which could make it incredibly difficult for her to secure a fight license moving forward. I guess that’s why they say “the truth shall set you free” and all that.

But as it stands, Eye will still fight Alexis Davis at UFC 170, and the Texas Athletic Commission might want to look into how they handle failed drug tests. Let’s just hope that Eye’s handling of this situation will serve as a “what not to do” blueprint to the Yancy Medeiros’ of the world moving forward.

–J. Jones

Jessica Eye Fails Drug Test, Receives “Probated Suspension” and Has UFC 166 Win Overturned to No Contest [UPDATED]


(Reports say Eye tested positive for over 4 times the legal amount of spinach. Photo via Getty.)

Late last week, reports started floating around that the Texas Athletic Commission had overturned Jessica Eye‘s controversial decision victory over Sarah Kaufman at UFC 166 to a “No Contest” without offering an explanation. Both Eye and Kaufman had been feuding over Twitter since the decision was announced but seemed as in the dark as the rest of us when the announcement was made. Clearly, Eye’s win was the result of a decades-long hoax involving herself, George W. Bush, and Eye’s native Ohio (a historically crucial swing state in Presidential elections) that was only recently exposed by a brash young reporter who dared risk everything in pursuit of the truth. In theaters this May.

However, new evidence surfaced just hours ago that bids to tear my latest conspiracy theory/movie pitch in twain. According to MMAJunkie’s Ben OldDad, “an administrative order from Jan. 22 states that Eye ‘tested positive for a prohibited drug,’ and was fined $1,875 and placed on a ‘one year fully probated suspension.’”

To clarify: “tested positive for a prohibited drug” = probably weed.


(Reports say Eye tested positive for over 4 times the legal amount of spinach. Photo via Getty.)

Late last week, reports started floating around that the Texas Athletic Commission had overturned Jessica Eye‘s controversial decision victory over Sarah Kaufman at UFC 166 to a “No Contest” without offering an explanation. Both Eye and Kaufman had been feuding over Twitter since the decision was announced but seemed as in the dark as the rest of us when the announcement was made. Clearly, Eye’s win was the result of a decades-long hoax involving herself, George W. Bush, and Eye’s native Ohio (a historically crucial swing state in Presidential elections) that was only recently exposed by a brash young reporter who dared risk everything in pursuit of the truth. In theaters this May.

However, new evidence surfaced just hours ago that bids to tear my latest conspiracy theory/movie pitch in twain. According to MMAJunkie’s Ben OldDad, “an administrative order from Jan. 22 states that Eye ‘tested positive for a prohibited drug,’ and was fined $1,875 and placed on a ‘one year fully probated suspension.’”

To clarify: “tested positive for a prohibited drug” = probably weed.

As for the “one year fully probated suspension,” well, according to both Fowlkes and the woman herself, Eye will still be allowed to compete in her scheduled fight against Alexis Davis at UFC 170 as long as she abides by the terms of her probation. A suspension-less suspension, if you will. It is interesting to note, however that Eye vs. Davis has been removed from the UFC 170 Wikipedia page (a great source, I know) as well as Eye’s personal page which states that Eye was “removed from the card due to her failed drug test.”

In any case, Sarah Kaufman responded to the news in the grateful yet complacent manner typical of a Canadian, stating:

It’s not a loss but also not a win. I hate to see our sport marred by athletes who can’t seem to control what substances they put in their bodies. It’s disrespectful to their opponents and employers.

Another interesting thing to note here is how differently Eye’s case is being treated than Ben Rothwell’s. Both fighters were popped by secondary athletic commissions in “fringe” MMA states (states that the UFC does not often visit), yet the UFC opted to suspend Rothwell for 9 months when he tested positive for elevated testosterone and, as of this write up, have done nothing to Eye. Not that weed should even be in the same ballpark as elevated testosterone — if the former even is what Eye tested positive for — but both are usually cause for lengthy suspensions in MMA, so what gives?

Is the UFC taking a pro-marijuana stance with its non-punishment of Eye? Or did Dana & Co. know that Jessica only got a *little* high before her fight and let her have a free pass? And can someone help explain THIS to me?

UPDATE

According to BleacherReport, the substance found in Eye’s system was “a blood-thinning medication used to treat a long-term issue stemming from an accident when she was hit by a drunk driver at 16 years old.”

–J. Jones

Jessica “Evil” Eye Signs With UFC, Likely to Face Sarah Kaufman in Debut


(Eye squares off with Prison Michelle at the Bellator 66 weigh-ins. Photo via Sherdog.)

Big news out of Cleveland today, as it has been announced that 10-1 bantamweight prospect Jessica “Evil” Eye has signed with the UFC. The news was broke late last night by none other than Eye herself, who posted the following to her Twitter:

A fierce striker with just as deadly submission skills, Eye’s coming out party came at Bellator 83, where she thrashed Bellator women’s strawweight champion Zoila Gurgel before locking up a standing arm triangle choke that put Gurgel out on her feet less than a minute into the contest. After Bellator decided to shut down their women’s division last week, most correctly assumed that Eye would be snatched up by either the UFC or Invicta, as was the case for fellow Bellator star Felice Herrig.

Although no date or event has been set for Eye’s debut, she is currently being linked to a bout with Sarah Kaufman, who recently saw her Fight Night 27 bout on the 28th cancelled as a result of Sarah McMann’s last second injury. We will have more details on the potential Eye/Kaufman matchup as we are made aware.

After the jump: Eye puts a beating on Gurgel at Bellator 83.


(Eye squares off with Prison Michelle at the Bellator 66 weigh-ins. Photo via Sherdog.)

Big news out of Cleveland today, as it has been announced that 10-1 bantamweight prospect Jessica “Evil” Eye has signed with the UFC. The news was broke late last night by none other than Eye herself, who posted the following to her Twitter:

A fierce striker with just as deadly submission skills, Eye’s coming out party came at Bellator 83, where she thrashed Bellator women’s strawweight champion Zoila Gurgel before locking up a standing arm triangle choke that put Gurgel out on her feet less than a minute into the contest. After Bellator decided to shut down their women’s division last week, most correctly assumed that Eye would be snatched up by either the UFC or Invicta, as was the case for fellow Bellator star Felice Herrig.

Although no date or event has been set for Eye’s debut, she is currently being linked to a bout with Sarah Kaufman, who recently saw her Fight Night 27 bout on the 28th cancelled as a result of Sarah McMann’s last second injury. We will have more details on the potential Eye/Kaufman matchup as we are made aware.

We’ve thrown a video of Eye’s aforementioned beating of Gurgel below, so check it out.

On behalf of CP, I’d like to personally welcome Jessica to the UFC women’s bantamweight division. Now start drilling armbar defense or you’re f*cked.

–J. Jones

Sara McMann Out of UFC Fight Night 27 Due to Injury


(Photo via MMAFighting.com)

Due to an undisclosed injury, 7-0 bantamweight Sara McMann has been forced to withdraw from her upcoming match against former Strikeforce champ Sarah Kaufman, which was slated for UFC Fight Night 27: Condit vs. Kampmann 2, August 28th in Indianapolis. MMAJunkie reported the news yesterday, and McMann’s agent confirmed it, stating that the former Olympic silver medalist “will be back in the cage soon.”

It would have been the second UFC appearance for McMann, who scored a first-round TKO against German striker Sheila Gaff at UFC 159. The UFC is currently looking for a replacement opponent for Kaufman. Our suggestion: Leslie Smith, who lost a somewhat controversial split-decision to Kaufman in a three-round war at Invicta FC 5. Time for a rematch? Come on Joe Silva, we know you’re reading this.

UFC Fight Night 27 (f.k.a. UFC on FOX Sports 1: 2) has previously lost Paulo Thiago and Derrick Lewis to injuries. The current lineup is after the jump…


(Photo via MMAFighting.com)

Due to an undisclosed injury, 7-0 bantamweight Sara McMann has been forced to withdraw from her upcoming match against former Strikeforce champ Sarah Kaufman, which was slated for UFC Fight Night 27: Condit vs. Kampmann 2, August 28th in Indianapolis. MMAJunkie reported the news yesterday, and McMann’s agent confirmed it, stating that the former Olympic silver medalist “will be back in the cage soon.”

It would have been the second UFC appearance for McMann, who scored a first-round TKO against German striker Sheila Gaff at UFC 159. The UFC is currently looking for a replacement opponent for Kaufman. Our suggestion: Leslie Smith, who lost a somewhat controversial split-decision to Kaufman in a three-round war at Invicta FC 5. Time for a rematch? Come on Joe Silva, we know you’re reading this.

UFC Fight Night 27 (f.k.a. UFC on FOX Sports 1: 2) has previously lost Paulo Thiago and Derrick Lewis to injuries. The current lineup is after the jump…

MAIN CARD (FOX Sports 1, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT)
Carlos Condit vs. Martin Kampmann
Donald Cerrone vs. Rafael dos Anjos
Kelvin Gastelum vs. Brian Melancon
Sarah Kaufman vs. TBA
Court McGee vs. Robert Whittaker
Robert McDaniel vs. Brad Tavares

PRELIMINARY CARD (FOX Sports 2, 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT)
Takeya Mizugaki vs. Erik Perez
Papy Abedi vs. Dylan Andrews
Justin Edwards vs. Brandon Thatch
Darren Elkins vs. Hatsu Hioki

PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook, 4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT)
James Head vs. Jason High
Ben Alloway vs. Zak Cummings
Roger Bowling vs. Abel Trujillo

UFC Booking Roundup: These UFC on Fox Sports 1 Cards Are Downright Stacked


(Stacked enough to mandate a *formal* paisley vest.)

If you somehow still aren’t excited about the UFC on Fox Sports 1 cards, then perhaps this new batch of fight booking announcements will be enough to change your mind. Let’s start off with what is reportedly the co-main event of UFC on Fox Sports 1: Condit vs. Kampmann (aka UFC on Fox Sports 1:2). It appears that top lightweights Donald Cerrone and Rafael dos Anjos have been booked for that honor.

After a rough start to his UFC career, dos Anjos will be riding a four fight win streak into this bout. His last fight was just over two weeks ago, where he edged out Evan Dunham in a very close fight at UFC on FX 8. Likewise, Cerrone last competed almost two weeks ago at UFC 160, where he absolutely dominated KJ Noons on his way to a unanimous decision victory.

This looks like a great fight that will have a direct impact on the UFC lightweight division. If you disagree, well, just realize that not every fight can be Fitch vs. Askren. Sometimes, people like to watch fights because they’ll be fun and entertaining.

Speaking of UFC on Fox Sports 1 booking updates…


(Stacked enough to mandate a *formal* paisley vest.)

If you somehow still aren’t excited about the UFC on Fox Sports 1 cards, then perhaps this new batch of fight booking announcements will be enough to change your mind. Let’s start off with what is reportedly the co-main event of UFC on Fox Sports 1: Condit vs. Kampmann (aka UFC on Fox Sports 1:2). It appears that top lightweights Donald Cerrone and Rafael dos Anjos have been booked for that honor.

After a rough start to his UFC career, dos Anjos will be riding a four fight win streak into this bout. His last fight was just over two weeks ago, where he edged out Evan Dunham in a very close fight at UFC on FX 8. Likewise, Cerrone last competed almost two weeks ago at UFC 160, where he absolutely dominated KJ Noons on his way to a unanimous decision victory.

This looks like a great fight that will have a direct impact on the UFC lightweight division. If you disagree, well, just realize that not every fight can be Fitch vs. Askren. Sometimes, people like to watch fights because they’ll be fun and entertaining.

Speaking of UFC on Fox Sports 1 booking updates…

– UFC on Fox Sports 1: Condit vs. Kampmann will have yet another top ten showdown on the card, as it has been announced that undefeated female bantamweight Sara McMann will take on former Strikeforce champion Sarah Kaufman at the event. McMann won her UFC debut by first round TKO back at UFC 159, while Kaufman recently got back in the W column by picking up a split-decision over Leslie Smith at Invicta FC 5 this past April. I’d write that the winner is in line for a title shot, but with Cat Zingano getting the next title shot when she returns from her knee injury, who the hell knows for sure?

– As for UFC on Fox Sports 1: Shogun vs Sonnen (UFC on Fox Sports 1:1), bantamweight contests Brad Pickett vs Michael McDonald and also Urijah Faber vs. Yuri Alcantara have both been added to the already strong card. If you thought Dana White was just hyping up the launch of Fox Sports 1 when he promised us a “SICK card” to celebrate it, then this is his way of walking towards the coffee pot and declaring that he is not fucking with you.

Here’s a list of the announced bouts for UFC on Fox Sports 1: Shogun vs. Sonnen, which goes down on August 17th from the TD Garden in Boston:

Mauricio Rua vs. Chael Sonnen
Alistair Overeem vs. Travis Browne
Urijah Faber vs. Yuri Alcantara
Matt Brown vs. Thiago Alves
Uriah Hall vs. Nick Ring
Joe Lauzon vs. Michael Johnson
Brad Pickett vs. Michael McDonald
Mike Brown vs. Akira Corassani
Daniel Pineda vs. Diego Brandao
Andy Ogle vs. Conor McGregor
Cody Donovan vs. Ovince St. Preux
Ramsey Nijem vs. James Vick

The only questions that remain are, will Fox Sports 1:1 be as good as it looks on paper? And when both cards fill up, which card will have the better fights? Let us know in the comments section what you think.

@SethFalvo