As perennially top ranked middleweight Matt “The Law” Lindland (20-5 MMA, 9-3 UFC) readies to sign a new fight contract, one organization has already been ruled out: the UFC.
"I made it very clear to Dana (White), and he’s the final decision-maker on all that stuff,” Lindland said. “I made it very clear that I was looking for them to make me an offer. I said, ‘Make me an offer, and let’s talk. Let’s do business.’ I got back a, ‘We’re not going to make you any kind of an offer’ response."
Lindland said it was not even White that delivered the disappointing message, but rather UFC matchmaker Joe Silva.
“Joe actually responded back to me and said, ‘Dana is not going to make you an offer of any kind,’” Lindland said.
The relationship between Lindland and the UFC has been strained since the fighter was fired in August 2005, two days after his victory over Joe Doerksen at UFC 54. Lindland was told the reason for the termination was that he wore the logo of an unapproved sponsor to the weigh-ins.
“There’s a lot of other people that had similar sponsors, or unapproved sponsors, (and they) weren’t suspended,” Lindland said of his sports-book sponsor. “They didn’t fire me for doing that. They fired me the next day after I fought. You know, I didn’t wear the sponsor into the ring. There’s guys that have worn similar sponsors — or even the same company — into the ring that didn’t get fired. I didn’t wear it into the ring. I wore it at the weigh-ins. That’s a crazy reason to fire someone."
Matt Lindland is very well respected in the MMA world. Dana White, if he does have personal issues, needs to grow up a bit. This is a guy that could make some serious noise in the UFC and White wants nothing to do with him. Does he really think that Lindland isn't needed?
It's no secret that Dana White did a super job in promoting the UFC and took some serious chances that paid off for him. However, the writing is on the wall that he could also be the cause of the UFC's demise.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Matt Lindland: "UFC Refuses to Negotiate New Deal"
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3 comments:
Again, Dana White being Dana White......a dick. Right now, the UFC desperately needs fighters of Matt Lindlands caliber. Does anyone even remember or care enough to know the sponser in question. No! We watch these guys because we enjoy the fights, not because they wear a sponser on their underwear at weigh-ins. Shows you how trivial this is. I'd like to smake Dana White in the fuckin skull with a 9 iron for 2 reasons......1 ....to knock the chip off his shoulders......and 2.....cause he hates golfers.
touche. He's acting like Vince Macmahon and George Steinbrenner combined.
Aint that the truth. I honestly think that the end may be near for the UFC. Many top notch, highly respected MMA fighters are speaking out against the UFC with regards to how it is run and how the fighters are treated.....and most importantly, they are signing with other organizations! Dana White would be best served if he viewed his company from a fans point of view rather than from a "who he likes" and financial point of view. Of course finances are of paramount importance to any President or CEO but its the fans who watch the fights and order the pay per views. Afterall, isn't that where the money comes from. Here's the solution......Pretend you're a FAN, make the fights happen that the FANS want to see, give us good, top quality, exciting fights and we, the FANS, will order the pay per views and you'll make lots of money.....keep the potlitics and all the bullshit out. Is it really that difficult?
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