That surgery came at a cost of well over $100,000. If he had never stepped in a cage again, he had his life back. The back was not from anything that happened while with the UFC, so I don't understand this at all.
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Wasn't there a Nuvasive patch on the fight shorts post surgery in your next appearance in the UFC?
On the main card for every fight post surgery-
In an interview nate talks about how he is the reason team quest was started and that when he didn't get paid enough there he jumped ship and tried to convince other fighters to leave as well to no avail . It sounds like whats going on now . trying to convince people to hate or leave something just because it didnt work out for you is usually a good way to blacklist yourself . Ide love to hear of these fighters who are soo fed up and need soo much help that they are asking nate for help to battle the evil ufc machine . 
REMATCH WITH KALIB STARNES! THE FANS WANT TO SEE IT! STARNES GOT ROBBED!
Most these guys would spend the extra money on better training, coaching and nutrition. To me its a win win for UFC to invest in the fighters like they would any other asset.
Since you have spoken from experience, and you want to reach individual talent in hopes of making it better. The time will come, MMA like Fertitta said is still in it's infancy. Paydays are going to be there with each event built. UFC is close maybe even passing 200 events. Lets touch on the cost for an event then times that number of events to see how much is spent. Since I don't know the exact amounts of the Venues etc I can itemize what is needed. Costs to host an event: Venue, Insurance, Lighting, Athletic Commission Fees, Doctor Fees, Ambulance Fees, Fire Marshall/Security Fees, State Taxes, Fighter Purses, Bonuses (GIFT), Hospital Visits (IF PAID BY THE BOSS, ITS A GIFT), Offset Printing, Employees Wages within the Corp., and most of all MARKETING the "Roster" and spending more for the "HEADLINERS" to draw that magic number for the GATE BUYS and PPV Buys to offset costs to Prep, Host, and Post the event(s). Don't forget about all the behind the scenes "LEGAL" drama that is blanketed to keep the machine running. As for Sponsorship, me personally if I am spending MILLIONS to help YOUR career, put you on NATIONAL TELEVISION + PPV for YOU, and NOT RECEIVE anything for a "SPONSOR" to be seen by MILLIONS it doesn't add up. Ask the "SPONSORS" if they would spend "Advertising Dollars" on their own and 100% of them will say NO. Ask your sponsor if they ever purchased a magazine ad for their brand and most will say NO. SPONSORS know this is cheap advertising to be seen by millions of people and to associate their brand/logo on TV/PPV plus a known UFC fighter. But yet fighters are losing sponsorship because fighters are being limited. So yeah, lets have our employer incur ALL of the fees to host an event, pay me my deserved fight purse, allow me to make thousands on the side from multiple sponsors, but then you complain because you can't announce them? Be lucky you got to advertise them and they allowed that much. Just be thankful for the opportunity to dance in the big show as it was well deserved for past, present and future talent. Much respect to UFC for pumping MILLIONS to keep the machine running, while millions are coming back in the fold, just know they are pumping it back into the events to give the WORLD a hundred and more plus shows so fighters can make a name for themself and a decent living! Remeber "fighters" signed up for this job because it is their "dream-job" it is up to them to handle their finances and life.
Well said nfamma
Zachlibs - REMATCH WITH KALIB STARNES! THE FANS WANT TO SEE IT! STARNES GOT ROBBED!Cecil Peoples scored it for Starnes.
What is needed is not a fighters union, but a fighters ASSOCIATION like the Screen Actors Guild or the MLBPA.
Some actors are out of control, but they still retain their rights and star actors get the biggest salaries, period.
It's a joke that he has to lobby for pro athletes to make a minimum of $30K a year. Even a $30K minimum is awfully low for a pro athlete in the "fastest" growing sport in the world for an organization that's valued in the billions.
talkischeap - In an interview nate talks about how he is the reason team quest was started and that when he didn't get paid enough there he jumped ship and tried to convince other fighters to leave as well to no avail . It sounds like whats going on now . trying to convince people to hate or leave something just because it didnt work out for you is usually a good way to blacklist yourself . Ide love to hear of these fighters who are soo fed up and need soo much help that they are asking nate for help to battle the evil ufc machine .
Where is that interview?
Salaries should be directly proportional to what fighters bring to the promotion. Unknown fighters means low purses, same as with boxing.
There also wouldn't be super-stacked MMA cards if MMA fighters were paid same as the boxing model, because the headliners would veto giving a cut of their PPV to pay for other mid-tier fighters.
But many would say we're already there.
All I can say is that Rob Maysey is on the right track in terms of collectively retaining fighter rights. There would be new revenue from video games, sponsorship, royalties. Undercard fighters would not get more from the elite fighters like Jon Jones, Ronda or Weidman, however.
The big loser if an association was established in MMA would be the promoter, but only in the short term.
cdmontgo -talkischeap - In an interview nate talks about how he is the reason team quest was started and that when he didn't get paid enough there he jumped ship and tried to convince other fighters to leave as well to no avail . It sounds like whats going on now . trying to convince people to hate or leave something just because it didnt work out for you is usually a good way to blacklist yourself . Ide love to hear of these fighters who are soo fed up and need soo much help that they are asking nate for help to battle the evil ufc machine .
Where is that interview?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu5UzylXm_U
talkischeap -cdmontgo -talkischeap - In an interview nate talks about how he is the reason team quest was started and that when he didn't get paid enough there he jumped ship and tried to convince other fighters to leave as well to no avail . It sounds like whats going on now . trying to convince people to hate or leave something just because it didnt work out for you is usually a good way to blacklist yourself . Ide love to hear of these fighters who are soo fed up and need soo much help that they are asking nate for help to battle the evil ufc machine .
Where is that interview?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu5UzylXm_U
get off Dana's dick brah
Brian J DSouza - What is needed is not a fighters union, but a fighters ASSOCIATION like the Screen Actors Guild or the MLBPA.
Some actors are out of control, but they still retain their rights and star actors get the biggest salaries, period.
There is an MMA Association and it is run by the UGs very own Macedawgg. But you already knew that- or is the MMAFA not sufficient for the athletes?
Cindy
Cindy/Dana, what I'm saying is that the basic tenements of a fighters association are misunderstood by fighters, managers-- and even journalists.
All it would involve is the majority of MMA fighters demanding to retain their video game likeness rights, sponsorship, and perhaps some merchandise rights. As a collective unit, the elite guys like Jon Jones or Ronda would not have the embarrassment of Nike being taxed; the undercard fighters could all get a uniform sponsor but take 50% of the revenue with the other 50% going to the promotion, but on an opt-in basis (esp if the UFC is finding these uniform sponsors).
There are problems with promoters besides the UFC, problems exclusive to promotions outside the UFC. An association involving most major MMA fighters could eliminate the 1-year matching clause that diminishes competition (and salaries).
MMA fighters can sign with the MMAFA or they can form their own association. I'm just explaining the ideas instead of repeating the myth that "a union wouldn't work."
nobones - While Nate tries to come off as neutral and as objective as possible on a topic, he is actually a pretty emotional guy. Moreso than most 'normal' people but as far as fighters go he is pretty reserved. That is why he blurted out 'the UFC doesn't care about its fighters' when he himself knows that isn't true at all. The UFC has gone above and beyond to give him opportunities and to help him when he was in dire straits. Anyone that saw TUF 1 knows how much the UFC helped Nate out when his own coach injured him by being careless. And this pales in comparison to how much they helped Leben who also came out in the news lashing out at the UFC. Can you imagine what the UFC would be like if disloyal people like Nate and Chris ran it? Thankfully there is no fighter's union if people like Nate or Leben were to be in charge of it they would run everything into the ground.
Can you imagine the amount of bitching the UG would be doing if they had to pay for cards full of guys the UFC can't cut if they suck, which is what St. Quarry thinks they should do with his 3 fight guarantee??? Even I would be bitching then.
They gave him an Ipod for Christmas and he talked shit about them. DW should have left his brokedown ass alone instead of spending $100,000 for him to get his back fixed, an injury he had his entire life, not one that he got while competing for the UFC. Its like, "Thanks for saving my ass when I had nothing but fuck you now because I have an agenda to keep, guys." Pfft.
Cindy
Brian J DSouza - Cindy/Dana, what I'm saying is that the basic tenements of a fighters association are misunderstood by fighters, managers-- and even journalists.
All it would involve is the majority of MMA fighters demanding to retain their video game likeness rights, sponsorship, and perhaps some merchandise rights. As a collective unit, the elite guys like Jon Jones or Ronda would not have the embarrassment of Nike being taxed; the undercard fighters could all get a uniform sponsor but take 50% of the revenue with the other 50% going to the promotion, but on an opt-in basis (esp if the UFC is finding these uniform sponsors).
There are problems with promoters besides the UFC, problems exclusive to promotions outside the UFC. An association involving most major MMA fighters could eliminate the 1-year matching clause that diminishes competition (and salaries).
MMA fighters can sign with the MMAFA or they can form their own association. I'm just explaining the ideas instead of repeating the myth that "a union wouldn't work."
Then hop on board and help Mace if there is something you don't understand. Or will he not let you join?
Cindy
LOL!
I'll quote a prominent athlete:
"I love everything you are saying--they've got me by the balls. Half of my pay is not by contract."
Or another--when discussing the importance of promoting the fighter first-as a brand:
"Yeah, Dana is not going to like that. Anything that doesn't go through them--will be punished."
Me--incredulous. "You can't promote yourself?"
Response--"All revenue has to go through them--or is treated as a threat. They will see this as a threat--and I won't get the other half."
These are quotes Cindy-O--and exactly why Boxing made these pay practices illegal.
Said athlete is still prominent--and still at championship level.
*damn--duplicate again