Nick Diaz took to his YouTube Channel to explain how he was on his way to take a flight to Vegas but now he hears he’s not fighting Georges St. Pierre anymore. Then he says.
Nick Diaz took to his YouTube Channel to explain how he was on his way to take a flight to Vegas but now he hears he’s not fighting Georges St. Pierre anymore. Then he says he’s locked in a contract and not getting paid. He does apologize for not making it to the “beauty pageant” but he’s never not showed up to a fight or backed out of a fight in his life. Oh yeah, except I think he forgot about this one. Watch him put other drivers at danger while he drives and talks into his video camera.
In a UFC 137 press conference today, there was Georges St. Pierre sitting in a chair, Dana White standing next to him and an empty chair on Dana’s left hand side where Nick Diaz should.
In a UFC 137press conference today, there was Georges St. Pierre sitting in a chair, Dana White standing next to him and an empty chair on Dana’s left hand side where Nick Diaz should have been sitting. But Dana caught news early this morning that Nick Diaz wasn’t going to make his flight. He did not show up to the Toronto presser yesterday but White was assured it was due to Diaz accidentally missing his flight and he would definitely make it to the Las Vegas press conference in Mandalay Bay today. But, as it turns out, though Diaz was on lock down last night in trainer, Cesar Gracie‘s home so he could be driven first thing in the morning to the airport to fly to Vegas, he apparently snuck out the back door and has been MIA.
Dana White felt forced to make the call and offer the title-shot to a seemingly much more deserving opponent and one who he is sure will show up to the fight on October 29th, Carlos Condit. The most shocking part of this news was that Diaz was unaware until the time of the conference that he’d been pulled from the fight with Georges St. Pierre. Also, BJ Penn who was scheduled to fight Carlos Condit in the co-main event that evening is now currently without an opponent. Penn had not been informed of the match-up change either, prior to the press conference.
The conference was filled with highlights, including Cesar Gracie’s cell phone call to Dana, who answered the call mid-presser and let us know that Gracie apologized, agreed with White’s decision and expressed their team’s embarrassment with the situation.
No one can offer any reasons for Nick Diaz to disappear. Yet, Dana asked a poignant question in the presser, “are any of you surprised?” There were moments of comedy in the conference in regard to Diaz’s behavior, twice even GSP bent his head to the table, laughing, especially upon hearing Diaz’s last stint in the UFC had ended with him in a fist fight at the hospital. But this really is no laughing matter for UFC who have already spent a pretty penny promoting the fight, and even in just flight costs alone for Diaz. It’s also no laughing matter for Nick Diaz who seems to have choked on the most important opportunity he could ever have in his career. Dana was quite clear Diaz would have received a huge monetary payoff for this fight. Though Dana has not commit to cutting Diaz from the UFC promotion, one wonders where Diaz goes from here. And for now, that’s all we can do, wait and wonder.
Of course, the show must go on. Congratulations, Carlos Condit.
Source: Las Vegas Review Journal Zuffa and more notably the Fertittas have been forced into a battle with the Las Vegas Culinary Union Local 226, and oppositions have heated up as the Culinary 226 has.
Zuffa and more notably the Fertittas have been forced into a battle with the Las Vegas Culinary Union Local 226, and oppositions have heated up as the Culinary 226 has sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission calling for an investigation into what they believe are violations of Anti-Trust laws on the part of Zuffa.
In the past year, we have learned that Culinary workers have protested the Fertitta owned Station Casinos (which is a non-union gaming company) in an effort to put a stop to their “anti-union campaign.” The union has openly protested that Station Casinos prevents and interferes in their employees’ rights to organize.
Already added to these troubles, Zuffa and more vocally, Dana White believes it is the culinary union [in New York] that is halting the legalization of MMA in NY. Dana had said to MMA Weekly:
“It has nothing to do with Mixed Martial Arts, of all things, it’s the Culinary Union that’s keeping us out of New York. They’re powerful guys here. The economic impact we have on a city is huge.”
“This time we got all the way up, got all the votes all the way (through various committees), but they never put us on the floor to try and get the votes. They are spending union member dues to fight the UFC from coming (to New York).”
And today in Las Vegas, in what looks like it could have been motivated by their union feud, the Director of Culinary Research, Ken Liu wrote to the FTC:
“Zuffa has preserved and strengthened this dominant market position through exclusionary conduct by refusing to co-promote events, as well as anticompetitive contractual restraints that severely limit a professional athlete’s freedom of movement,”
Yahoo! Sports sites further examples from the Culinary 226′s complaints in the letter:
– The champion’s clause, which automatically renews a contract for UFC champions.
— Merchandising rights that give Zuffa rights to a fighter’s image in perpetuity. This clause is what Jon Fitch had a problem with when he was briefly cut from the organization.
— Restraints on athlete’s mobility and pay, meaning that by buying up the marketplace. Zuffa can keep a fighter from engaging the marketplace for fair pay.
The Las Vegas Review Journal notes: The union cites a 2008 independent equities research firm report which estimates Zuffa owns 80 to 90 percent of the MMA market.
In recent months Zuffa has purchased their biggest competitor, the Strikeforce promotion, which looks to be disbanding and who’s television contract with Showtime Network will expire in 2012. Also this year, Zuffa has made a huge beneficial impact with their fighters by providing health insurance, which is not currently offered by any other MMA promotion.
UFC released their itinerary and list of fighters you can meet at the Houston Fan Expo, October 7 – 8th and it looks pretty awesome ( I think, I really didn’t read all the details)!.
UFC released their itinerary and list of fighters you can meet at the Houston Fan Expo, October 7 – 8th and it looks pretty awesome ( I think, I really didn’t read all the details)! Plus there’s a super cool contest to enter where you can win ALL this (again, I think… Read! Read!)…
GRAND PRIZE PACKAGE:
(2) Premium UFC 136 Floor Tickets in Dana White’s section on October 8 at the Toyota Center
(1) Ultimate Expo VIP Package Including:
2 Day Admission to UFC Fan Expo Houston 2011
Official Houston Expo Poster
Collectible UFC Fan Expo VIP Badge
Limited Edition UFC Fan Expo Exclusive VIP T-Shirt
1 Hour Early-Entry to the Expo Friday and Saturday
Access to Private Fighter Autograph Sessions each Expo day from 9-10 AM
Exclusive Discount on UFC Fan Expo Merchandise Purchased Onsite
Special Ultimate Expo VIP Entrance
Dedicated Ultimate Expo VIP Ticket Counter
VIP Concierge at UFC Fan Expo Houston
Exclusive UFC Fan Expo Duffel Bag Featuring Exhibitor Exclusives
Access to Exclusive VIP Lounge with Complimentary Refreshments
Access to Exclusive UFC Executive Greenroom
Photo Ops in Greenroom & Octagon with UFC Title Belt
Official Limited Edition UFC Dog Tags
VIP Line for UFC Octagon Nation at UFC Fan Expo Houston
VIP Line and Early Entry to UFC 136 Weigh-in Before General Public
Reserved Front Row Seating at UFC Fan Expo Houston Main Stage
Autograph Line Pass to ALL UFC Hosted Autograph Sessions at the Expo
Meet & Greet with Dana White at UFC Fan Expo Houston
UFC 136 Backstage Tour of Toyota Center with Octagon Visit on Saturday
So log onto the UFC Houston Fan Expo site here to reserve your tickets. And click here to find details and enter the contest!
Source: MMA Weekly Damacio Page was disappointed to pull out of his UFC 135 bout against Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto due to a neck injury incurred in training. But he is thankful for his UFC medical.
Damacio Page was disappointed to pull out of his UFC 135 bout against Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto due to a neck injury incurred in training. But he is thankful for his UFC medical insurance provided to the promotion’s stable of fighters, earlier this year. Page’s manager, Jahani Curl says that surgery is necessary for the injury and that without insurance it would have cost the fighter somewhere between $25 to 30 thousand dollars. Page’s recovery time is currently unknown.
To follow his rehab and recovery, check in with MMA Weekly as Damacio Page will be giving bi-weekly blogs on the site.
Just minutes before Anderson Silva faced Yushin Okami for his 15th consecutive win at UFC 134, he was backstage in his locker room with his Black House teammates watching his BJJ coach, Antonio “Rodrigo” Nogueira.
Just minutes before Anderson Silva faced Yushin Okami for his 15th consecutive win at UFC 134, he was backstage in his locker room with his Black House teammates watching his BJJ coach, Antonio “Rodrigo” Nogueira beat Brendan Schaub with a first round KO. “Big Nog” was the underdog in the eyes of critics and the sportsbooks, but to the surprise of many and to the complete admiration of his entire Team Nogueira, Nog brought home the win. Anderson Silva and his teammates were not short on showing their hometown pride over the impressive victory. Watch the video below:
