Iole:"Dana's double standard?"

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Mailbag: Dana’s double standard?


By Kevin Iole, 2 hours, 44 minutes ago


When Kimbo Slice fought in Elite XC, the company was roundly criticized for pushing a man with no experience as a mixed martial artist into main event bouts and having him headline shows on both Showtime and, more significantly, CBS.


Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White made no secret of his disdain for Slice’s abilities and for the way the now-defunct Elite XC promoted him.


But lo and behold, after Slice accepted an offer to appear on Season 10 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” the UFC is exhibiting much the same behavior that Elite XC and promoter Gary Shaw were so roundly criticized for.


After generating record ratings for the Season 10 opener, the Slice marketing push from the UFC has kicked into overdrive. White has already said Slice will fight again in the UFC, regardless of the outcome of the show.


That may indicate that Slice fares better than expected in the show, but it runs counter to the way White has handled other TUF fighters. He has given contracts to fighters who didn’t win on TUF, but it came after the season, not just two weeks in.


Slice will face former International Fight League champion Roy Nelson on Wednesday in a show the UFC and Spike TV are pushing so hard that they held a conference call with Slice on Monday. They’re touting it as the biggest fight in TUF history, which is saying a mouthful since White himself credits the TUF 1 finale between Stephan Bonnar and Forrest Griffin with saving the company.


Unless Slice somehow defeats Nelson – and I can’t see how he can – it’s extremely hypocritical of White to give Slice a second shot in the UFC based simply on his popularity.


If Slice wins and defeats Nelson, who is my pick to win the season and earn the UFC contract, then giving him a contract to fight in the UFC is fine.


Other than that, though, giving him a contract is buying into the marketing hype that White so venomously ripped Elite XC for.


If Slice loses and proves not to be a capable mixed martial artist, putting him in the UFC regardless would bring to mind the infamous quote made many years ago by boxing promoter Bob Arum: “Yesterday, I was lying. Today, I’m telling the truth.” Finally, please feel free to follow me on Twitter. Now, let’s delve into the MMA mailbag.

sports.yahoo.com/mma/news;_ylt=AlsSIe.YkMMcSmbb.jRneXU9Eo14


 




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First Iole piece I've read in a while that I thought was decent.

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So there is no difference between promoting a guy as your presumed chamion and best fighter and promoting a popular fighter in an undercard fight? There is a world of difference in how Strikeforce and the UFC promoted Kimbo.

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teflonbilly - So there is no difference between promoting a guy as your presumed chamion and best fighter and promoting a popular fighter in an undercard fight? There is a world of difference in how Strikeforce and the UFC promoted Kimbo.


EliteXC, not Strikeforce.

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 ^^LOL

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i find this article kind of pointless... ufc has given many non-winners contracts, if they do well... sure kimbo's popularity has a LOT to do with the decision, but who really cares? people want to see kimbo fight, and apparently did well enough on the show to warrant such a move on the part of the ufc...

kimbo is a tough guy who is coming along as a fighter, just like many of the previous tuf guys... (would love to see an all girls tuf sometime btw)

again, i really see no point in this article, other than to make headlines on lole's part... quit buying into the hype... and just wait and see how he performs... he must have done well enough to earn a spot... (kind of alludes to him losing the competition though)...

i also picked nelson as the favorite... as a long time IFL fan, and loser of $10,000 of hard earned money when i bought their stock...IFLI....

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soooo, he's shilling for strikeforce now?

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Bailx - i find this article kind of pointless... ufc has given many non-winners contracts, if they do well... sure kimbo's popularity has a LOT to do with the decision, but who really cares? people want to see kimbo fight, and apparently did well enough on the show to warrant such a move on the part of the ufc...

I'm 100% okay with this position as long as:
1)Dana was just honest about it and said 'Hell yeah Kimbo's gonna fight in the UFC because he's one of the most popular fighters on the fuckin' planet. Just look at the ratings he brought to TUF and even EliteXC! Our fans wanna see this guy and we're gonna deliver.'

2)Dana didn't question the legitimacy of Herschel Walker. Its not like Kimbo is legit either, no matter how hard he's training. Kimbo and Herschel are both 'promo fighters.' And there's nothing wrong with that.

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Mr. Iole shouldn't be surprised at how a pro-wrestling organization determines who gets "pushed" on their roster.  Kimbo draws, the marks love him.

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"That may indicate that Slice fares better than expected in the show, but it runs counter to the way White has handled other TUF fighters. He has given contracts to fighters who didn't win on TUF, but it came after the season, not just two weeks in."

The show is over.

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Dana is hell bent on turning the UFC into a WWE juggernaut.

Now that Kimbo's been training UFC over the past few months, a PPV superfight against Lesnar is only a couple of cans away.

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David Weiß -  This scathing attack on Dana should shut-up the people who said that Iole was nothing but a UFC shill.







+ 1

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 "Unless Slice somehow defeats Nelson – and I can’t see how he can – it’s extremely hypocritical of White to give Slice a second shot in the UFC based simply on his popularity."



How is it hypocritical when virtually every TUF guy has gotten at least one UFC fight despite losing on the show?

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 this isn't really a bad article for Dana btw.

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  Boy this is some deep analysis no one has really thought about.

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One fatal flaw in mt Iole's argument, he stated that they are only two weeks in, but in reality they finished the season already. Dana has seen him fight and we as viewers have no idea how well he did against Nelson. Iole should shut his fucking pie hole until he sees the fight. Amirite?

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rut ro! lovers spat!

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Kimbo will be fighting legit fights in the UFC, that's all I care about, none of this paid stand up shit. They're using him for ratings on a reality show.. who cares? I don't think he can get by the C-level HWs in the UFC honestly. I'm gonna give the UFC enough credit to say he will never get a title shot unless he earns it (he won't.)

EXC invested a lot of time and money into hyping Kimbo, UFC is just milking it for what it's worth.

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its actually not a double standard. Dana ripped EliteXC for signing him then making him a headliner. It wouldve only been a double standard if Dana had said all that, then signed Kimbo and then put him on the main event of a PPV. Dana from the jump has always said Kimbo's only shot at the UFC was to join TUF and earn his way. Kimbo has jumped through every hoop Dana has put in front of him, so i dont see what the big deal is if he gets a contract despite the fact if he wins or loses TUF. Must be a slow day at the Office, huh Kevin?

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xcouturefan - 
David Weiß -  This scathing attack on Dana should shut-up the people who said that Iole was nothing but a UFC shill.
+ 1


 Yeah, a token objection once or twice a year totally mitigates the chronic butt-sucking Iole demonstrates every time he does his job as UFC Press Secretary via the Yahoo UFC News Section/Online Pay Per View Store. Nice work, obviously nothing gets by you two sleuths. This should once and for all settle the myth that Zuffa has any kind of interest in manipulating members of the media, especially ones who share print space with ads selling UFC PPVs