Will
10-27-2007, 10:21 AM
Randy Couture, the UFC heavyweight champion who abruptly resigned from the organization earlier this month, said his problems with the UFC’s current ownership and President Dana White began as early as Zuffa LLC’s initial purchase of the organization in 2001. In the end, a growing number of those problems led to his resignation.
The 44-year-old UFC hall-of-famer discussed the laundry list of items during a Thursday afternoon press conference at his training center in Las Vegas.
Couture said a major reason he tendered his resignation was because of the offer the UFC made to then-free agent Fedor Emelianenko. Couture said he was upset to learn that the UFC was offering Emelianenko a signing bonus that was worth more than any amount he — an 11-year UFC veteran and champion — had ever received for a fight.
He said he felt disrespected since he had spent so much time and effort supporting and promoting the organization.
“That was the final slap in my face,” Couture said.
Couture said he was also disappointed that he didn’t receive an additional bonus after his UFC 74 victory over Gabriel Gonzaga. Couture said “locker-room bonuses” are standard practice for the organization’s marquee fighters. In fact, he said he received one after his UFC 57 loss to Liddell and one after his victory over Tim Sylvia earlier this year at UFC 68. But he didn’t get one after his third-round TKO of Gonzaga, and he never got an answer when he finally asked.
“I didn’t understand why I got overlooked and didn’t get the bonus in my last fight,” Couture said. “I don’t understand why I never got a response.“
Couture emphasized that the bonuses are solely at the discretion of UFC management but that he was confused why he would get one in March but not in August.
Couture also addressed a report from Yahoo! Sports that stated he was making between $3.25 million and $3.75 million per fight during his main events with Sylvia and Gonzaga. Couture passed out a copy of his bout agreements that stated he got $250,000 per fight. He said that with his cut of the pay-per-view revenue, which accounted for about $500,000 to date for each bout, he actually earned approximately $750,000 per fight — nearly $3 million less than what was reported.
Couture said he first spoke to UFC officials about his intentions of resigning about two-and-a-half weeks before he left to shoot a movie in South Africa.
“I got no response,” Couture said. “I waited two-and-a-half weeks. I saw them all face-to-face again at the Anaheim show (in September). I had my letter of resignation at that (original) meeting and could have tendered it right then… but I wanted to give them an opportunity to respond to the things that I stated as the issues for me.
“I got no response.“
As far as the status of his contract, Couture said it is his understanding that his contract expires in nine months. During a media conference call that the UFC scheduled simultaneously with Couture’s press conference, White explained that the contract has no expiration date.
As for a possible return to the UFC, Couture said it’s possible but hinted that it’s unlikely. He said he spoke to White, as well as UFC owners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, Wednesday afternoon and that they had asked him about returning to the organization.
“I just think it’s time for me to move on,” Couture said.
The 44-year-old UFC hall-of-famer discussed the laundry list of items during a Thursday afternoon press conference at his training center in Las Vegas.
Couture said a major reason he tendered his resignation was because of the offer the UFC made to then-free agent Fedor Emelianenko. Couture said he was upset to learn that the UFC was offering Emelianenko a signing bonus that was worth more than any amount he — an 11-year UFC veteran and champion — had ever received for a fight.
He said he felt disrespected since he had spent so much time and effort supporting and promoting the organization.
“That was the final slap in my face,” Couture said.
Couture said he was also disappointed that he didn’t receive an additional bonus after his UFC 74 victory over Gabriel Gonzaga. Couture said “locker-room bonuses” are standard practice for the organization’s marquee fighters. In fact, he said he received one after his UFC 57 loss to Liddell and one after his victory over Tim Sylvia earlier this year at UFC 68. But he didn’t get one after his third-round TKO of Gonzaga, and he never got an answer when he finally asked.
“I didn’t understand why I got overlooked and didn’t get the bonus in my last fight,” Couture said. “I don’t understand why I never got a response.“
Couture emphasized that the bonuses are solely at the discretion of UFC management but that he was confused why he would get one in March but not in August.
Couture also addressed a report from Yahoo! Sports that stated he was making between $3.25 million and $3.75 million per fight during his main events with Sylvia and Gonzaga. Couture passed out a copy of his bout agreements that stated he got $250,000 per fight. He said that with his cut of the pay-per-view revenue, which accounted for about $500,000 to date for each bout, he actually earned approximately $750,000 per fight — nearly $3 million less than what was reported.
Couture said he first spoke to UFC officials about his intentions of resigning about two-and-a-half weeks before he left to shoot a movie in South Africa.
“I got no response,” Couture said. “I waited two-and-a-half weeks. I saw them all face-to-face again at the Anaheim show (in September). I had my letter of resignation at that (original) meeting and could have tendered it right then… but I wanted to give them an opportunity to respond to the things that I stated as the issues for me.
“I got no response.“
As far as the status of his contract, Couture said it is his understanding that his contract expires in nine months. During a media conference call that the UFC scheduled simultaneously with Couture’s press conference, White explained that the contract has no expiration date.
As for a possible return to the UFC, Couture said it’s possible but hinted that it’s unlikely. He said he spoke to White, as well as UFC owners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, Wednesday afternoon and that they had asked him about returning to the organization.
“I just think it’s time for me to move on,” Couture said.