'Zuffa has banned any sportsbook, oddsmaker,or anyone associated with gambling to be mentioned or worn by a UFC fighter. They cannot mention a website, or a person, such as Danny Sheridan or Joey Oddessa.'
NOT 100% True. Sportsbooks have always been banned by the Casinos and in the Octagon. However mentioning 'individuals' such as myself is permissible. There is no reason why they would not allow that. I am a consultant/information source to several offshore and onshore news and odds agencies. I am no different than anyone else and the guys that I personally helped out.
Paul Buenotello, Nick Diaz, and David Lousieau
are NOT AFFECTED at all. All were paid before this scoop broke with me having the knowledge that Sportsbooks were never allowed in the Octagon. I can't speak for the other guys that Sportsbook.com or any other Dot.coms sponsor.
Different people want different things out of their sponsored fighters. I simply want these 3 guys to WIN. Zuffa has no issue with me nor do I with Zuffa because I DO NOT own a sportsbook, porn company, or anything that is banned via the latest DOT.COM bans. Joey Oddessa is a person that helps with promotion and GETS GUYS DEALS that help with training expenses. Fighters were never told that they could not mention or thank me personally at anytime and to the best of MY knowledge nor after speaking to the brass will they be stopped. Entirely too much is being made of the issue.
The fight is in the Octagon for the UFC guys, not with sponsors or the organization (UFC) I am priveledged to be associated with indirectly.
Guess they broke the rules and honestly its not my business how they conducted theirs. I work with alot of companies. The fightsport rumor about my name is not accurate despite the internet chat.
"Don't mess with a man who's got nothing to lose."
The above saying applies to many people that post at Fightsport. I've been very vocal in the past about my dislike of their website. I should never have done that. If you don't like what they print you should ignore it.
I know it's very difficult when they print false accusation, plagiarize your work, call you silly names etc... But, antagonizing them won't get you anywhere.
I've since had people post my personal information on the internet. I've had people calling my house at 3am screaming into the phone. I've had people pretending to be me and sending emails to professional fighters I've interviewed, the UFC and PRIDE.
Not saying the article was completely wrong. I realized after I saw THURSDAY 20th, they may have been misinformed by their source. There was alot of buzz about the issues, but Danny and I were not and should not have been included as individuals. The ban is dot coms and Offshore Sportsbooks/Casinos. Thanking me is no different than thanking any other individual fan or sponsor. Just no dot coms, which is actually the UFC's legal right as a private organization. And again, the Offshore Sportsbook bans are a Casino issue, not the UFC's fault.
"This place spends too much time worrying about Fightsport, in my humble opinion."
Agreed.
It's hard though because as a fan of the sport, reading some of the stuff Fightsport prints makes us angry. But, at the end of the day we must realize that Fightsport WILL NEVER CHANGE. Absolutely zero good is going to come from bashing Fightsport.
'Are you trying to make yet another Fightsport thread here? This place spends too much time worrying about Fightsport, in my humble opinion.'
NO
I apologize if that is how it came off. I honestly simply wanted to clear the record and have no idea what my Fightsport password is. I have zero problem w/ Fightsport and zero agenda. If it came off that way, it was not my intention. I needed to set the record straight on the issue with Danny and I, and seperate myself from any 'direct' association with the financial dealings of the sportsbook mentioned and the fighters that I have never been in any contact with.
This 'forum war' BS is beyond me. I am aware it can cause unwanted aggravation and essentially hurt my wallet long term.
That was impressive to see them not only have a huge banner on the mat of last nights HBO fights but also a huge sign at ringside and were announced by Michael Buffer as the sponser of the show. I thought that was kind of ironic after all the talk latly.
PS Peter came thorugh big for me (big play of night) and I think he is going to be the next BIG thing at HW. Don't let him hit ya.
Yes the Sportsbook sponsorship of last nights event was really impressive. If the UFC was not in Vegas, maybe something like that would be possible in the future. The money would make up for the lack of gate or whatever keeps them out of say Brazil again.
I think the Fightsport scoop was initially accurate at the time it was reported......minus Dannys name being mentioned in there, but due to the sensitivity of it, I imagine the situation was rolled around from desk to desk until the right decision was reached.