Comments on: Report: Huerta and UFC “far apart” on contract negotiations

By: Fightlinker.com » Blog Archive » Roger Huerta, greedy bastard

Fightlinker.com » Blog Archive » Roger Huerta, greedy bastard — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:32:48 +0000

[...] after the fight? Huerta will likely sit out for a very long time, as insider reports have him asking for BJ Penn level moneys. That’s THE BJ Penn. You know, contender for the #1 pound for pound [...]

By: dpk

dpk — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 06:59:28 +0000

Huerta controls his contract destiny, beat Florian, and he has alot of control, bargaining power, and will probably get an offer in the range of 50/50. He deserves nothing even close to BJ, a champion at both LW, and WW. If he loses to Florian, then he is going to sit on the sidelines until right before his contract is up, and then he will either fight a complete nobody that UFC plans on releasing anyway, or he will end up fighting someone like Sherk, so that he becomes a free agent on a two fight losing streak, and his only big time options by that point might be fighting in Japan. I personally think if he loses he could still be in the area of getting a contract similar to Kos or Sanchez, which is 35/35 right now, and I’m sure it goes up over the next few years.

By: darkmetal

darkmetal — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 03:22:47 +0000

I think Diego Sanchez is a better “face of UFC Latino” than Roger “I have a cut up Mexican flag that I made into shorts” Huerta. Sanchez, in spite of some noteable stumbles, is a fighter who will and has fought some sizeable competition, and he will just continue to improve. And do you ever hear the guy whine? He didn’t cry when he lost despite having a severe infection that he thought might put him out of MMA…and I doubt he cries about only getting $50 per stop for promoting himself/the ufc.

By: DamonO

DamonO — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:42:24 +0000

On one hand Roger has every right to ask for whatever pay he feels he deserves. He has been marketed toward the Mexican/Latino population and we’re not talking about a few thousand people here. On the other hand they threw some easy competition in front of him and he them. In fact, besides Clay Guida I don’t remember anyone giving him a hard time in the octagon. Yea so it’s Clay Guida who rocked him in the 2nd but he came back in great style and beat Guida. Oh wait, Leonard Garcia, which by the way was one of the greatest fights I have seen in the UFC. Roger is a class act just like Anderson Silva. He has great heart, he’s quick, he’s intelligent, and he trains in many aspects of MMA. This guy has what it takes to be in that #1 spot. If you don’t see it now, you will see it in the near future.

So should he make the amount of money he expects, hell yes he should!

By: Imbecile

Imbecile — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 20:56:31 +0000

I agree with Mike Wolfe and others that comment on Huerta’s mishandling of the situation. There is no reason why we shouldn’t point this out.

I also think he is perfectly within his rights to demand whatever crazy amount he wants, and the UFC is right to counter with whatever they want. But the UFC has obviously wanted Huerta to succeed from the beginnning, and acting in bad faith (going public, making outrageous demands, etc.) only makes them less willing to want to work with you.

The UFC has treated Huerta with kid-gloves up until now. It has been a win-win for both sides. However, if they see this is the tact Huerta is going to take from now on, they may just see what they can do to kill off the popularity they have created around him now, and send him packing. If Huerta is going to act like Tito Ortiz when he isn’t even a fraction of the star yet that Tito is, I can see Dana White just washing his hands of the guy as soon as possible. They may just let him wait out the rest of his contract, like with Arlovski, then throw him to someone like Sherk who will take him down and lay on him for three rounds. This could be especially devastating for Huerta if he loses to Florian, because it could be that loss, followed by nine to twleve months of being sidelined with no publicity, then followed by a boring loss to someone like Sherk. Then he is simply let go, with much less marketability to sell to another organization.

I just think Huerta is getting a little too big for his britches, and this isn’t the right time for him to start acting like the next Tito Ortiz just when Dana got rid of Tito.

By: Mike Wolfe

Mike Wolfe — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:56:30 +0000

I don’t care if Huerta gets big bucks. If he can, good for him. IMO, he’s mishandled the negotiations. He’s on the eve of the biggest fight of his career, which also coincides with the end of his current contract. He’s made an aggressive demand before the fight, and UFC will use a loss as a reason to counter at a lesser amount. So a loss hurts his negotiations. If he wins, it will be difficult to demand something more than his current position because nobody likes it when people negotiate backwards–away from previous offers. So his pre-fight demand has already established a ceiling, which UFC won’t agree to. He should have deferred the discussions including his demand until after the fight. Had he done that, and if he won, then maybe his current offer would be perceived as reasonable, or more reasonable. If he had deferred the discussions and then lost, he could still ask for big bucks under theory that he’s a poster boy and a big draw for Latinos, etc. But the timing of his demand undermines that, too.

By: j mac

j mac — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:45:55 +0000

roger shouldnt over do it on what he asks for i agree and i also agree on has he even beat but hell yall talk about kenny florian like he is some type of god wh the hell has he beat?

By: Huerta and UFC ?far apart? on contract negotiations - Source - Page 9 - Sherdog Mixed Martial Arts Forums

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 17:42:54 +0000

[...] now and the only way out is to beat Florian on Saturday and that?s an extremely tall task. Source: Report: Huerta and UFC ?far apart? on contract negotiations :Five Ounces of Pain Completely agree. Huerta is going to be getting a very rude wake up call as to his abilities [...]

By: Cathedron

Cathedron — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 17:32:50 +0000

The UFC built Huerta from the ground up. He’s been getting cans for most of his fights to build on his magazine cover “fame”. I can’t believe he let it go to his head like that. Like any other org is going to pay him that much.

By: Sergio G. Hernandez

Sergio G. Hernandez — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:40:40 +0000

“Who cares what Huerta is asking for. Ask why is BJ not paid better if he’s that good.”

I’m sure BJ is getting paid just fine. The mere fact that Huerta is asking for the same amount as someone who had A) headlined successful PPVs B) has held gold in two different divisions and C) is already a legend in this sport is insulting when the UFC has feed his cans to bolster his star power and record.

By: Echolocating

Echolocating — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:18:31 +0000

What ever happened to proving your worth first?

By: Barry

Barry — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:45:25 +0000

Who cares what Huerta is asking for. Ask why is BJ not paid better if he’s that good. It’s up to each fighter to work out his deal. Don’t ask for less just because the other guy gets less.

By: yuushi

yuushi — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:43:48 +0000

Hmmm . . . Huerta’s “new agent” wouldn’t happen to be Drew Rosenhaus, would it?

By: Grape Knee High

Grape Knee High — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:38:10 +0000

It surprises me that MMA fans can possibly complain that:

1) UFC fighters are underpaid
2) UFC fighters want too much money

For the record, I don’t think they are underpaid, but kudos to Huerta if he wants to fight for more. You should all be supporting Huerta’s efforts, not that he necessarily “deserves” it, but because the only way for fighters to earn more money if by demanding it from Zuffa for themselves.

By: tricky dicky

tricky dicky — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:25:50 +0000

spot on by ks – they are trying to court the latino audience, and I thought trying to get a presence in mexico as well – Huerta can’t hurt. Mind you, we saw what they did with Ortiz.

By: Nolan

Nolan — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:25:36 +0000

I understand having some pride in your heritage, Im a proud Irish dude. But these mexicans are a confused lot. The mexican flag is symbolic of one of the worst governments in the hemisphere, and you have nitwits like Roger and Tito sporting it all over the place. That half American half Mexican flag is a confused retarded abomination.

By: QP

QP — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:07:09 +0000

Roger should have never opened his mouth. He should know that any PR stunt he pulls isnt going to win him favors just like Randy. I think Dana will bury him….the UFC can market anyone they want as long as they are a decent fighter…..so Roger’s is easily replaceable. I hope Kenny puts a couple cracks in his head….to wake him up. Just because he was on the cover of SI doesnt make him a immediate superstar. He has a long way to go to even be in the same sentence as BJ Penn, GSP, Chuck…hell even Matt Serra…lol

By: Levi M

Levi M — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:46:50 +0000

Maybe they should throw in a sombrero with their offer to Huerta. What greedy mexican doesn’t love a good sombrero. This guy is in over his head and I hope Florian doesn’t just win, I hope he hurts him, and puts him back in check.

By: Jason G

Jason G — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:16:07 +0000

I don’t have a problem with the man seeking more money but I hate it when they complain in public and leak information about negotiations. How about he (or his agent) act professional for a change.

By: Nolan

Nolan — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:14:27 +0000

Some of these guys need to learn to save their money too, I was watching a video of BJ Penn surprising some fighter at his house while he was in bed, I think it was Heath Herring. His bedroom has like roman style fountains and all kinds of ridiculous shit going on.

Not wise IMO.