doesnt make a while lotta sence to me when the ufc is not obligated to give you fights and can basically cut you at any time and for any reason
conversely the fignter cant leave the ufc or break the contract at will so if you sign for a long time and end up doing well you are locked into whatever they agreed to pay you 8 fights ago or whatever
Probably because the UFC isn't offering short term contracts unless you have some serious bargaining power.
Here's why signing with the UFC has always made sense:
1) Unlike Dream, they always pay.
2) Unlike Strikeforce, they can keep you consistently fighting.
"with thwe knowledge the UFC does not renegotiate when a fighter outperforms his xontract."
What makes you think that? Any contract in the world can be renegotiated. It happens all the time in every sport.
orcus -
"with thwe knowledge the UFC does not renegotiate when a fighter outperforms his xontract."
What makes you think that? Any contract in the world can be renegotiated. It happens all the time in every sport.
benson just rengotiated. but obviously the ufc didnt have to. if bensons contract was up they would have had to.
also ronda apparently did turn down 8 fights so u can negotiate this point if you have some leverage
orcus -"with thwe knowledge the UFC does not renegotiate when a fighter outperforms his xontract."
What makes you think that? Any contract in the world can be renegotiated. It happens all the time in every sport.
It likely happens in rare cases where the fighter has a lot of leverage. Most cases fighters aren't big enough draws to reopen negotiations. Just winning doesn't give you leverage. There isn't a whole lot of incentive for the UFC to renegotiate a contract either. You signed it and therefore are obligated to fulfill it. It's not like they are worried that you'll be pissed and leave at the end of your contract like in other sports. 
The incentive to renegotiate is to keep a fighter happy.
" It's not like they are worried that you'll be pissed and leave at the end of your contract like in other sports."
If they're not worried about you leaving or just sitting out, then why is the question "why do fighters sign long term contracts" if they have no other options in the first place? How would they be better off with a short term contract if their only option when that contract ends is to sign a new similarly crappy one because the UFC has no incentive to make them happy and there is nowhere else for them to go anyway?
"Zuffa uses the term "contract" very loosely."
When have they not fulfilled the terms of a contract, or attempted to?
"UFC contracts are basically Dana White's way of telling fighters to just bend over and take it for as long as he so desires."
You mean for as long as the terms of the contract state?
The fighters, on the other hand, HAVE attempted to breach contract, like Randy when he "retired" from the UFC but tried to fight elsewhere.
orcus -
The incentive to renegotiate is to keep a fighter happy.
" It's not like they are worried that you'll be pissed and leave at the end of your contract like in other sports."
If they're not worried about you leaving or just sitting out, then why is the question "why do fighters sign long term contracts" if they have no other options in the first place? How would they be better off with a short term contract if their only option when that contract ends is to sign a new similarly crappy one because the UFC has no incentive to make them happy and there is nowhere else for them to go anyway?
you have much more leverage when not bound
Billy Joe Rottoncrotch - "benson just rengotiated. but obviously the ufc didnt have to. if bensons contract was up they would have had to."
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the fact that Benson holds the lightweight title means he had no choice but to sign another contract with Zuffa.
Was just a matter of how much money they wanted to pay him.
The number of fights is basically irrelevant.
If he had no choice but to sign another contract, why would they "want" to pay him much more than he was making previously?
How is the number of fights irrelevant?
orcus -The incentive to renegotiate is to keep a fighter happy.
" It's not like they are worried that you'll be pissed and leave at the end of your contract like in other sports."
If they're not worried about you leaving or just sitting out, then why is the question "why do fighters sign long term contracts" if they have no other options in the first place? How would they be better off with a short term contract if their only option when that contract ends is to sign a new similarly crappy one because the UFC has no incentive to make them happy and there is nowhere else for them to go anyway?
Likely it's to keep them from asking for more money by withholding their services at the end of contract. Once they get some popularity a long layoff can effect the UFC's ability to sell them to the public. A long term contract ensures they fight on the UFCs schedule.
Billy Joe Rottoncrotch - "benson just rengotiated. but obviously the ufc didnt have to. if bensons contract was up they would have had to."
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the fact that Benson holds the lightweight title means he had no choice but to sign another contract with Zuffa.
Was just a matter of how much money they wanted to pay him.
The number of fights is basically irrelevant.
i dont believe so. if u r champ i believe your term is extended one time for 3 fights
JOESONDO -orcus -The incentive to renegotiate is to keep a fighter happy.
" It's not like they are worried that you'll be pissed and leave at the end of your contract like in other sports."
If they're not worried about you leaving or just sitting out, then why is the question "why do fighters sign long term contracts" if they have no other options in the first place? How would they be better off with a short term contract if their only option when that contract ends is to sign a new similarly crappy one because the UFC has no incentive to make them happy and there is nowhere else for them to go anyway?
Likely it's to keep them from asking for more money by withholding their services at the end of contract. Once they get some popularity a long layoff can effect the UFC's ability to sell them to the public. A long term contract ensures they fight on the UFCs schedule.
They can withhold their services during a contract as well. They can't force a guy to fight. If nothing else, all the fighter has to do is claim injury.
Fighters have renegotiated better deals. It's in the UFC's interests to keep their valuable fighters happy. The ones that aren't valuable don't have any better options anyway.
"If they did in fact pay him more money, which no one knows for sure, then good on them."
He went from bitching about the offer they made to Alvarez, to signing a new deal that made him "HAPPY" (caps his), in one week.
Of course it's better to keep a valued employee happy but there aren't that many fighters in the UFC that have that kind if leverage to renegotiate. The vast majority fall into the lucky to have a job category. They are the ones that have no choice but sign long term contracts because that is what the UFC is offering. As far as withholding services within a contract or trying to break the contract, historically that has not ended well for the fighter.
Billy Joe Rottoncrotch -Orcus Knows MMA Better Than Goku -Billy Joe Rottoncrotch - "benson just rengotiated. but obviously the ufc didnt have to. if bensons contract was up they would have had to."
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the fact that Benson holds the lightweight title means he had no choice but to sign another contract with Zuffa.
Was just a matter of how much money they wanted to pay him.
The number of fights is basically irrelevant.
i dont believe so. if u r champ i believe your term is extended one time for 3 fights
I thought it was a perpetual thing.
UFC champions can't leave the organization without giving Zuffa matching rights to any outside offers.
Is that not correct?
perpetual and matching arent the same thing
It's the same as the nfl, no guaranteed contracts. Also same as the nfl, the ufc probably gives you a bigger signing bonus for a longer contract (if you've got some hype behind you)
JOESONDO -Of course it's better to keep a valued employee happy but there aren't that many fighters in the UFC that have that kind if leverage to renegotiate. The vast majority fall into the lucky to have a job category. They are the ones that have no choice but sign long term contracts because that is what the UFC is offering. As far as withholding services within a contract or trying to break the contract, historically that has not ended well for the fighter.
How would non-valuable fighters be better off by signing short term rather than long term contracts? If he's not valuable, what leverage is he going to have to get a better deal at the end of a short-term contract?
One time I spoke to a fighter about the contracts. He had just resigned with a 6 fight contract with UFC. He was happy to have a guaranteed number of fights over a certain period. He knew the contracts were slanted in the UFCs favour and they could cut him as soon as he loses. He also was aware it mostly just kept him from fighting in organizations but there are few options for the vast majority of fighters. The alternatives are just not there. That is ultimately why they sign these lopsided contracts.
if you sign a 6 fight contract and get cut after 3. Doesnt the ufc have to still pay you for the remaining fights on your contract