Choosing Management: An MMA Fighter’s Guide
Choosing a manager/agent (for purposes of this article, I will refer to this role as “manager” but it is important to note that MMA managers perform many of the duties of sports agents and the terms are often used interchangeably) is one of the most important decisions a professional fighter will make in his or her career. As MMA has grown, so too has the number of individuals holding themselves... [Read More...]
Promotions and the Use of Exclusive Fighter Agreements in MMA
Promotions use exclusive fighter agreements to carefully and comprehensively describe the rights and responsibilities of fighters under contract with the organization. Generally, these exclusive agreements address key business conditions a promotion wishes to clearly define in the event the conditions are not met. Promotions are big businesses and the sophistication of their business agreements reflect... [Read More...]
Follow the Money
My four-year old is just learning how to write so she asks me to “do the dots” for the letters in her name. She traces them with her tongue hanging out like Michael Jordan to reveal, “Charlotte”, to her consistent amazement and delight. There are a lot of dots in “Charlotte” and so this particular game is not one of my favorites as it is very labor intensive and it wrecks my more delicate... [Read More...]
Pleased to Meet Me
This one is for me. It is not for you. It is not for Sam Caplan. I am writing this one so I will always have something simple and honest to remind me why I started writing about MMA in the first place. I write about MMA because I have to. Not because I want you to like me, or because I am part of a secret WAMMA plot, or I want Dana White to credential me for UFC 100. I write about the sport to try... [Read More...]
The Boor of Vegas
It is a Friday night and I am sitting on the balcony of my room at the Trade Winds Resort in St. Pete, Florida. We have driven down from Gainesville to take part in our annual family reunion and to enjoy a few days of rest, relaxation and guilt. The kids are finally asleep and, naturally, I’m enjoying a hot Arturo Fuente Gran Reserva and a tumbler of Knob Creek – no ice. I usually take ice but... [Read More...]
Up in Smoke: Circumventing CSAC’s Anti-Marijuana Policy
In pre-fight interviews, Nick Diaz, the highly-skilled Gracie jiu-jitsu black belt, and charismatic MMA athlete and personality, made it very clear he enjoyed smoking marijuana and, notwithstanding the California State Athletic Commission’s (“CSAC”) rules to the contrary, he planned to continue smoking in the weeks leading up to his main event bout with MMA legend Frank Shamrock. Of... [Read More...]
No Rest for the Wicked: Jens Pulver Fights for the Little Guy
Jens “Lil Evil” Pulver wants the world to pay more attention to the little fighters. He’s found a home at the WEC and he’s working hard as a fighter and as an advocate for lightweight fighters all over the world. Soon, the WEC will have 125 pounders on their cards and Jens couldn’t be more excited. I caught up with him a few days ago and we talked about fighting, the WEC, WAMMA, the UFC,... [Read More...]
