DFW, Masvidal in compensation dispute

Underground
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Jorge Masvidal beat Nate Diaz for the BMF and was believed to be next in line for a shot at welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, but apparently talks reached an impasse over compensation. Perhaps for leverage in the negotiation, perhaps because it's true, or perhaps both, UFC president Dana White recently announced that Gilbert Burns was likely next.

Masvidal is not impressed.

https://twitter.com/GamebredFighter/status/1268946616771317760

https://twitter.com/GamebredFighter/status/1268948047674966020

https://twitter.com/GamebredFighter/status/1268950518874935297

Shortly after the tweets UFC president Dana White was asked for his reaction.

“I think everybody wants more money,” said White. “I think everybody wants more money in all these other sports. Masvidal says, ‘You’ve got enough money to buy islands.’ Let me repeat for the f***ing billionth time: I did not buy an island, OK? We did not buy an island.

“The reason we’re doing the Island is so that fights can go and these kids from Europe and the rest of the world can make money and can work. I think a lot of people are really frustrated and confused – or whatever the situation is right now.”

“Anybody that doesn’t want to fight doesn’t have to fight, including Masvidal and Jon Jones and all these other guys. It doesn’t have to be because of the pandemic. These guys are independent contractors. This isn’t like the NFL where I can make you: ‘You come to practice and you do this or you’re going to get fined or you’re going to get this.’ These guys can do whatever they want. They can say whatever they want.

“… We’re not begging people to fight. We’re offering fights because in our contract, I have to give you three fights a year. You have the ability to turn them down and not take them.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RO75DbY5-s

h/t Nolan King • MMA Junkie

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Matt Mitrione couldnt "say whatever he wanted" about a dude beating up girls.

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Why make me fight for half of what I made on my last fight cause the other dude can’t draw?

His own question answered.

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Jorge Masvidal doesn't understand basic economics. I'm shocked.

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“These guys are independent contractors. This isn’t like the NFL where I can make you: ‘You come to practice and you do this or you’re going to get fined or you’re going to get this.’ These guys can do whatever they want. They can say whatever they want.”

.... “but they can’t make a living anywhere else because I will stop them doing that and I’ll crush them if they try. But they’re independent contractors and I can’t make them do anything.”

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Jones might have set off a chain reaction.

If Masvidal leaves, it's going to get ugly real quick.

UFC's stock will plummet as two of their biggest stars just walk out.

It will be the equivolent of Steve Austin bouncing on WWF back in the late 90's and how that affected the entire industry.

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oranos - 

Jones might have set off a chain reaction.

If Masvidal leaves, it's going to get ugly real quick.

UFC's stock will plummet as two of their biggest stars just walk out.

It will be the equivolent of Steve Austin bouncing on WWF back in the late 90's and how that affected the entire industry.

Signing with ESPN set off the chain reaction, imo. This gives fighters a bigger platform than they’ve ever had before and pundits willing to back said fighters over the organization.

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Let em go!

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Liyon -
oranos - 

Jones might have set off a chain reaction.

If Masvidal leaves, it's going to get ugly real quick.

UFC's stock will plummet as two of their biggest stars just walk out.

It will be the equivolent of Steve Austin bouncing on WWF back in the late 90's and how that affected the entire industry.

Signing with ESPN set off the chain reaction, imo. This gives fighters a bigger platform than they’ve ever had before and pundits willing to back said fighters over the organization.

This is a great point I haven’t seen made.

Was expecting you to say ESPN paying in advance for years of presumed baseline ppv buys has given fighters far less leverage, as buyrate doesn’t matter to the promoter  , who has already been paid.

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The UFC isn't alone in this, just look at the disputes with the MLB and players union. But the thing is, baseball can't go on with just the players willing to play, it's unionized so it's either all or none. And they're negotiating what's worth playing and his much of a pay cut. 

White kind of helped make an argument in some ways for a union here. 

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Gennady Goblin -

If you don't like what you make, take up another job. Let's see how much Jorge makes loading up boxes at UPS. A few months of that and maybe he'll get excited to do a cage fight for a few mil.

A few mil....   you are delusional.   He 100% walked away with less than 1.5m for fighting Diaz.

Still better than anything else he would be doing...

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Colby was right once again lol Jorge priced himself out. Feed the journeyman to Colby, Colby will bring jorges stock wayyy down. 

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Maybe Jorge and Jones both went to the Tito Ortiz school of negotiation?

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Jorge is a journeyman.

Hope he finds some other employer that can pay what the UFC pays.

Fuck him

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FingerorMoon -

“These guys are independent contractors. This isn’t like the NFL where I can make you: ‘You come to practice and you do this or you’re going to get fined or you’re going to get this.’ These guys can do whatever they want. They can say whatever they want.”

.... “but they can’t make a living anywhere else because I will stop them doing that and I’ll crush them if they try. But they’re independent contractors and I can’t make them do anything.”

Exactly, independent contractors who are not permitted to independently contract or provide their services to anyone else. 

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Chappie -
FingerorMoon -

“These guys are independent contractors. This isn’t like the NFL where I can make you: ‘You come to practice and you do this or you’re going to get fined or you’re going to get this.’ These guys can do whatever they want. They can say whatever they want.”

.... “but they can’t make a living anywhere else because I will stop them doing that and I’ll crush them if they try. But they’re independent contractors and I can’t make them do anything.”

Exactly, independent contractors who are not permitted to independently contract or provide their services to anyone else. 

U can still be an independent contractor and sign an exclusive agreement. Doesn’t make them an employee/employee relationship. Masvidal agreed to terms for x number of fights for x period of time. He should honour his agreement. After his agreement expires, he can freely go anywhere else. I sign exclusivity  contracts with all my customers every single week - I’m not their employer & they aren’t mine. But they can’t just abandon our agreed terms in the middle of the deal because they think they can get a better deal. 

That’s not to say that I think Masvidal shouldn’t get more money. I think all fighters should get a bigger piece of the pie. 

But Masvidal is throwing his toys out of the pram a bit by asking to be released. And if I was ufc - why on earth would I release him before his contract expires after promoting his last fight to death. It’s all likely just a negotiation plot & he will probably end up with a better deal. Same as jones. 

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Why do Masvidal think he would get better pay somewhere else?

Everybody knows that as soon as he faces one of the TOP guys he gets dominated and humiliated.

Usman, Covington, Burns and Edwards would all destroy him.  Probably Mcgregor too. 

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Just my 2 cents but is the fact there’s no live gate affecting what theses guys have been offered lately or just UFC being cheap.

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Jorge is a big star he deserves to get paid.

You have maybe 4 stars and jorge is one of them.

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DFW: "These guys can do whatever they want".

Uhh, no they can't YA PRICK! Release them and then you can say that. Until then, it is corrupt as fuck that the UFC doesn't have to follow the Ali Act.

Jones deserves a PAY CUT btw. He's lost his last TWO fights and is a PR nightmare. Serial liar, cheater, and criminal. Just release him.