Issue 080
October 2011
Nick Peet, Editor at Fighters Only magazine
Undoubtedly the biggest thing to happen to the lives and careers of the world’s best mixed martial artists recently was the groundbreaking announcement from UFC and Strikeforce parent company Zuffa at the start of the summer confirming all fighters on their roster would receive full accident insurance.
That a group of athletes, more than 350 strong, in a sporting industry still fighting for worldwide recognition would be provided with accident insurance coverage was not only unprecedented in all of combat sports, but also signified a hugely expensive commitment from the Zuffa team in the welfare of their fighters.
The new and hugely improved coverage goes a whole lot further than simply protecting fighters during live events. It also covers training mishaps occurring in the gym, life insurance, non-training accidents including automobile, emergency evacuation and dental coverage. Zuffa even made the commitment of paying 100% of the premiums.
The policy is a massively significant gesture by the organization, and again reaffirmed its status as the true pioneering promotional arm of the sport of MMA. However, I cannot help but think that their extravagant gesture of fighter protection is now backfiring a little.
The number of fighters withdrawing from bouts injured since the announcement in May has grown at an exponential rate. It almost seems like nobody wants to fight anybody anymore. Of course, that’s certainly not the case.
It would be obtuse of me to even suggest that fighters are exploiting the policy, and undoubtedly this safety net of financial support is exactly what the policy is geared towards; it is there to protect the athletes’ wellbeing and remove the temptation of having to fight injured or at anything less than 100%.
After all, any fighter stepping into the Octagon anything other than fighting fit is the last thing anybody wants. But also, has the temptation to bail out due to the slightest knock or sniffle now become all too appealing? Fighters fight hurt, that’s a fact. Ask any athlete currently listed on the roster at the UFC or Strikeforce – or even Dream, Bellator or any other professional MMA outfit for that matter – and he or she will undoubtedly regale a tail of adversity that has punctuated their MMA record. But is that temptation to now ‘play safe’ hampering the progress of the sport?
I suppose one benefit then should be the fact we are never again to hear a fighter coming out afterwards and complaining of carrying an injury but taking the fight anyway as he or she had to pay the bills!
But seriously, there can’t have been one single UFC event since the start of the summer that hasn’t been directly, or indirectly, affected by the withdrawal of a fighter. And it’s playing havoc with, not only matchmaker supreme Joe Silva’s sleep pattern, but the title shake-up in each and every weight division. Little over two months ago Rashad Evans was the universally recognized number-one contender for the UFC light heavyweight title. Yet where is he today? His chances of facing current belt holder Jon Jones are seemingly now more distant than ever.
Likewise Jon Fitch, who along with opponent BJ Penn pulled out of their planned rematch due to injuries, has gone from being one win away from an overdue shot at welterweight lynchpin Georges St Pierre to once again pissing in the wind for his title opportunity.
Let me just reiterate, that no fan of mixed martial arts, or any sport for that matter, wants to see an athlete go out there and compete anything less than in their very best condition. We all pay our hard-earned dollars to watch the greatest athletes in the world firing on all cylinders. But still, everybody has to remember that this is the fight game; the hurt business. It ain’t no tickling contest. And sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do and get out there, dig deep and unleash that fighter from within. Dreams are made by such actions. Heroes are made by such actions.
THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER
The Ultimate Fighter series has come in for perhaps more than its fair share of stick in recent years after a handful of all-too-forgettable casts and quiet, compromising coaches, but I have a feeling that is all about to change.
When Chael Sonnen failed to get his house in order in time to face-off against Brit pack leader Michael Bisping for the series 14 run I wasn’t alone in fearing the worst. But, if it’s possible, may I say that replacement Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller could prove to be the key to the future of the show.
In this issue we caught up with Jason in Las Vegas and if his antics on our photoshoot set are anything to go by, this TUF series is going to be one no MMA fan would dare miss.
Two outspoken, larger-than-life genuine middleweight contenders, thrown in front of the cameras and babysitting two teams of hungry, short-fused international fighters… The run can’t start soon enough.
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