Dana" They're(EliteXC) trying to change the rules"

Underground
1

 dana's right...if it was the UFC, the FBI woukd be investigating...and the UG would be Blowing Up.

UFC's Dana White on 'Rampage' about Elite XC


5:19 PM, October 13, 2008



UFC President Dana White


Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White came on the phone to talk to The Times about Saturday's middleweight main event in England between Michael Bisping and Chris Leben (9 p.m. PDT, Saturday on Spike TV).


But White soon changed gears from calm and enthused to irate and ballistic as he addressed the Florida State Boxing Commission's investigation of rival MMA fight promoter Elite XC.


Last week, victorious Elite XC fighter Seth Petruzelli ignited an uproar when he told a Florida radio station that Elite XC promoters approached him before his fight with star Kimbo Slice and directed him to keep the fight a stand-up clash, paying him extra for the effort.


Stand-up is Slice's strength as a former street fighter. It mattered little, with Petruzelli quickly knocking down Slice and winning in just 14 seconds.


White railed at follow-up comments in The Times by former Elite XC executive (and current consultant) Gary Shaw, who said he wouldn't hesitate to direct a fighter to keep the bout standing up. "You're talking about a fan-friendly fight," Shaw said.


"That sport is kick-boxing, not MMA," White said. "What makes MMA so exciting is that anyone can win on any given day. Even a guy who's losing badly can pull a submission out ... and win. That's what's been going on in my sport for nine years, and it's why I love it.


"These guys are selling the sport because it's popular, but now they're trying to change the rules. ... If you think wrestling and jiu-jitsu is boring, you're in the wrong ... business, brother."


White proceeded to say Petruzelli's comments, which were later amended to say he was only referring to a knockout bonus he earned, deserve a criminal investigation, and a formal inquiry in all states where Elite XC has staged fights. White said if Florida requires a formal complaint to amplify its current probe, he will "look into" making one himself.


"This is illegal, these guys should go to jail for that," White said. "You could bet on this fight in Vegas. It's no secret Kimbo stinks on the ground. It's no secret Petruzelli should take him to the ground. But what you didn't know is that the scumbag promoter had told him not to.


"If this happened in Nevada, or if it happened with me, the FBI would be investigating it. If this thing does not get investigated properly, it's the biggest slap in the face to sports."


Meanwhile, White discussed his organization's own drama with former light-heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson of Irvine. During the summer, Jackson was arrested after driving recklessly in Costa Mesa and Newport Beach, nearly running over pedestrians and evading arrest. He has been criminally charged.


White said Jackson is part of an "insane" UFC fight card on Dec. 27 in Las Vegas, where he is slated to fight Wanderlei Silva. The card is also set to feature a light-heavyweight title fight between champion Forrest Griffin and Rashad Evans and a heavyweight title defense by Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir.


White said Jackson is training in England, and has recovered fully from the bout of delirium caused by dehydration and exhaustion that led to his reckless driving. White picked Jackson up from jail and said, "it was scary. I didn't know whether to call a doctor or an exorcist."


-- Lance Pugmire


Photo:  Dana White, president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, shakes hands with fans during a weigh-in at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on Oct. 13, 2006. Credit: Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times



2

maybe dana should try to change the rules. he could start by getting kicks and knees on the ground allowed.

3

The UFC already worked a fight with Ken Shamrock and Rich Franklin. The FBI never investigated it. Also look at how the NFL handled Pac Man Jones. Dana is letting Rampage fight instead of suspending him.

4

 Pacman? he was involved in 12 incidents with Police since 2005.



Rampage had a bad day after being up for 3 days. no alcohol or drugs were involved. he has not been convicted fo any felonies yet, unlike pacman.



no comparison there. nice try.

5

He should still suspend him until the case is resolved IMO. Letting him fight quickly afterwards does not send a good message and makes him seem like he is full of shit IMO. If you are going to grandstand about ethics and morals you should practice them.

6

 guilty until proven innocent. got it. fuck our legal system. fuck a fair trial.



everyone should be assumed guilty under the OJ SIMPSON LAW.

7

I think in Rampage's case it is fairly obvious he did it.

8

it could have been worse. but after its all said and done...this is what he was charged with...misdemeanor charges of hit-and-run and reckless driving.



he'll get a slap on the wrist. just like everyone else who hires a remotely competent lawyer.



he wasn't caught with a gun, wasn't a barfight at 2am at a strip club. no dugs were involved. do you really think he did more than say...JT MONEY?!?!?

9

ttt

10

Of course Dana White is going to say all of this. Elite XC is competition. They are in trouble, and White will do anything to finish them off.

People made comments about what Petruzelli said, and White will run with it, and take it as far as he can. Hell, he'd put a top-notch legal team on it, and file the complaint himself.... he confirmed that above.

It's not about the love of the sport, it's about smashing the competition. For those who think that Elite XC aren't competition, just ask yourself why he would "counter" their last show by airing Jackson vs Griffin on Spike. It's all about business... nothing more.

11

Elite isn't as much competition as it is a black eye on the sport. Dana has every right to be pissed as well as the real fans that have supported this sport from the begining.

12

Golden Boy - Elite isn't as much competition as it is a black eye on the sport. Dana has every right to be pissed as well as the real fans that have supported this sport from the begining.

I know what you're saying.

I just don't believe that Dana is pissed. I think he is laughing and seeing an opportunity.
I believe this is purely business.
I'm reading right through the bullshit.
Sure, he's a good talker... he's making a very passionate argument, etc. I could do the same thing if you asked me to... but I can also give you the complete opposite argument just as passionately. Bottom line, while I understand how people feel about everything, I don't believe the UFC looks at this as anything other then an opportunity to smash the competition.

As for Elite XC being a black eye for the sport, well, I disagree. I don't know anything about anything, and it's just my opinion, but I like seeing more fights... and I like the fact that other fighters outside of the UFC have a place to go where they can get on television and get paid as they deserve to. Nick Diaz, bitch! lol.

The Kimbo/Petruzelli situation I look at like this... I don't buy that they straight up PAID HIM EXTRA TO STAND. I think they encouraged a good fight, paid him extra for taking the main event fight, and told him he'd get even more if he knocked Kimbo out. Again, I wasn't there, so I don't know... but I really do think that all of this "circumstancial evidence" isn't enough to say... hey, Elite XC did this... what pieces of shit they are.

13

deadlyonetwo3, fighters do need to get paid better but Elite and Affliction will do more damage than good at the end of the day. By them paying fighters the money they are paying them only to lose money, that only helps the UFC justify their payscale.

14

Golden Boy - deadlyonetwo3, fighters do need to get paid better but Elite and Affliction will do more damage than good at the end of the day. By them paying fighters the money they are paying them only to lose money, that only helps the UFC justify their payscale.

If they fold, you are right about that.

I don't know, I'm having mixed feelings about it. I'm thinking Fedor clips on CBS demolishing Tim Sylvia has to open the eyes of some of these mainstream people that aren't aware of MMA, but just UFC. Once these people say, "Hey, I want to see this Fedor guy." BOOM, money is there for the organizations, and all of the fighters.

The flip side is that if only a name sells a card, the organization long term has nothing i.e Kimbo with Elite XC. They are getting huge ratings when Kimbo fights, and taking a beating when he doesn't. (i'm not forgetting Gina Carano, because she is definitely name # 2 in terms of selling for Elite XC) They have invested in a lot more fighters then Kimbo. So then it becomes, do these organizations serve as managers for one or two "NAME" fighters, or do they try to continue to do all of these shows with guys that mainstream has no clue about where they will clearly lose money without the headliner.

Bottom line, I don't know how it's going to pan out. I do believe that eventually "MMA" will be understood more, and like HBO PPV, the names are going to sell the cards... and these 'organizations' will be more managers then their own entities. EVENTUALLY, something like WAMMA will be where it's at.. because realistically, it doesn't matter if you are sponsored by the UFC/Affliction/Elite XC they should all be able to fight each other, and we need to find out who the best are.

15

"They are getting huge ratings when Kimbo fights, and taking a beating when he doesn't."

I agree Kimbo has been great for ratings. But after the last event the causual fans are now aware that he isn't what he was marketed as. Hard to build your fight company around a guy that can't fight. Jerry Lapin is trying to get a job with Affliction and so that shows Elite is all but done.

16

"Jerry Lapin is trying to get a job with Affliction"

Did not know this... that is definitely not a good sign for Elite XC. On the flip side, that might just be an indicator that "Elite XC" is moving on. What do you think the chances are of the Elite XC name living on? Regardless, we're going to see MMA on CBS and Showtime, and I think the same fighters that we see now with Elite XC will be the fighters that we'll see on those networks.

17

Right or wrong, you can't really blame Dana for simply taking the tons of ammunition that Elite has handed him in the last week and running with it. Could they have handled the post fight business with Kimbo getting knocked out, any worse?

I mean, you have 3-4 guys, saying 3-4 different things, and then turning around and each of them contradicting what they said originally.

I think competition is good and necessary and want to see other organizations besides the UFC succeed, but the way that Elite and Affliction are running their business, I don't think it will be either one of those organizations that survive.

18

Like I have said in the past, Shaw was losing money in boxing to a superior sport called MMA, then he pulled the ol' "can't beat em...join em' approach.

In reality, this whole scandal, and the so called "promotion" (elitexc), was a sham from the get go, just to try to make MMA look fake to the average consumer.

If you make MMA look like pro rasslin', then boxing can once again try to make money.

Before you tell me to take off my tin foil hat, remember that 60 million, to boxing promoters, is a small price to pay for the death of MMA.

20

Thing I like about Dana, he just tells it like it is. Like it or not!