Many of you know me as a right winger and we righties always read in-between the lines on everything, even when things might not be there. I have decided to approach the canceling of UFC 151 in this same way. =)
Are there some grains of truth here or am I a wacko? You be the judge.
The canceling of UFC 151 seems a bit too simplistic to me. I can think of several different scenarios that could have played out and saved this show. I know the cliché, “the show must go on” is being hurled around mightily but the undercurrents sound more like, “The show will go on as long as we make a crap load of money and everyone does what the hell I tell them to.”
Here are some questions and scenarios that I have in my jaded little mind (Cause I wasn’t there.)
Why didn’t the UFC offer to pay Jon Jones and Greg Jackson more money to fight Chael Sonnen on short notice? Why can’t Dana White and Billionaires, as a last resort, pay the Jones camp an “over the top”, “offensive” amount of money to fight? Everyone has a price, right? Let’s cut the crap Greg Jackson, What’s Jones’s price? The show is saved. Dana White is a Hero!
Why not be fair to Jones. If he is concerned about Sonnen as a worthy opponent then why not make it a NON -TITLE 3 round fight? If Jones loses he gets a Mulligan and Sonnen has proven he is a contender and the re-match would draw an astronomical crowd to see part Deux. I think a lot of people would tune in to see Sonnen fight with Jones though (I know we can argue that). The show is saved. Both Guys are a Hero!
I believe Sonnen even offered to forgo a purse for this fight to save UFC 151 and other fighters chances for an appearance as well. Keep the purse, fall on your sword Chael and do the non-title fight if you really care about 151. The Show is Saved. Sonnen is the hero!
The heck with Jones, put UFC 151 on anyway with a couple short notice contenders (Sonnen and someone else) on the Main Event card. Hell, Call up Chuck and Tito or something. The UFC might lose money but can’t it afford to take a loss on one event while keeping a number of people, fighters, venues and companies employed? The show is saved. The UFC is the Hero!
Why don't they bill it as “The Ultimate Charity Event” and give all the remaining proceeds to the Marine’s (a UFC sponsor) Toys for Tots Charity. It would be great advertising and help the Marines justify to their critics about their sponsorship. The show is saved WE ARE ALL HEROS!
How Come the other fighters who were on the card can't get paid anyway as a way to take care of them? Some of them need the money! How long do they have to wait to get their chance at the spotlight. It would show that business has a heart. The UFC is a Kind Hero!
The Cigar Filled Back Room Part:
What if.. maybe,. just maybe …Dana White didn’t want to pay any more money or make any concessions to Jones? What if he didn’t like Jones’s (or Jackson’s) tone of voice and said, “You do what I tell you to do or I will cancel UFC 151 and the chips will fall where they may?” How does that bus feel Greg Jackson?
Dana White is a brilliant marketer and business man and after being the boss for so many years, has enough lip marks on his butt that he probably needs lotion to keep his ass from getting chapped. He doesn’t take kindly to not getting his way and seems to not only get even with people, but he ALWAYS gets ahead!
In the end Dana White looks like a classic victim in all this (don't cry though) and the letters U.F.C are on every fan’s Facebook Page and Twitter account from here to Uzbekistan giving the UFC a nice bit of advertising push? Nothing sells future fights like drama!
In the end Dana White looks like a classic victim in all this (don't cry though) and the letters U.F.C are on every fan’s Facebook Page and Twitter account from here to Uzbekistan giving the UFC a nice bit of advertising push? Nothing sells future fights like drama!
Let’s just say things DIDN'T happen like I played it out for you. I’m a Wacko, remember? Let’s pretend that Jones said, “Dana, No amount of money will get me to fight Chael Sonnen on short notice even if it’s a non- title three rounder for charity AND I look like a hero for saving UFC 151.”
Then I am forced to ask, "What kind of political mess have you let yourself get into Jon Jones?"WTF?
You better hope you never lose that title and a fight or two after that because you, my friend, probably will not be coming back. Letting down the UFC and it's fans is no easy thing. Where does one go after the UFC? The UFC has no competitors of substance. You can’t treat “the family” like that when they ask for a favor! Fighters fight Jon (even on this short notice) and you were preparing for A fight….so fight. Greg Jackson, brother, you are on some thin ice too with the UFC! Where is the freakin loyalty to the UFC?
To sum up this convoluted mess, you are still my favorite fighter Bones Jones. Because …you can bang… AND THAT will probably get you through this PR nightmare if you keep winning. Right now though, you are the most hated man in MMA. There is a lot of blame to go around, rest assured but… The show is cancelled and I get the feeling it wasn't as difficult from a business perspective. (Let's not fool ourselves, it was a light card). The Winner and Still Champion, Dana White!!
If I suddenly disappear, it was the UFC black helicopters that did it. =)
P.S. Now I see Vitor Belfort is stepping into "the Mess"..lol
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