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Post by Darth Turkish on Feb 12, 2007 14:07:46 GMT -5
Thanks to UFCjunkie.com
If this is true, Vera hgot hit in the head too hard.
Report: Brandon Vera Turned Down UFC’s Offer of $200,000 per Fight
Posted by UFC Junkie on February 11, 2007 at 11:46 am ET
After quickly rising to a top UFC heavyweight contender, Brandon Vera (8-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) now apparently has some pretty substantial salary demands. In fact, according to a WrestlingObserver.com report discussed by MMAlowdown.com, Vera has turned down a UFC offer that would have paid the fighter a guaranteed $200,000 per fight.
Vera, amazingly, reportedly demanded at least $1 million per fight — and an unheard-of signing bonus.
From MMAlowdown.com:
According to Dave Meltzer of Wrestlingobserver.com, the UFC offered Brandon Vera $200,000 guaranteed per fight, with much more if he wins the title and headlines Pay Per Views.
Brandon Vera and his camp shot back with a demand of a $1.5 million signing bonus with seven figures guaranteed per fight on a three fight deal, which was the same amount offered by Gary Shaw of Elite XC, as soon as Vera’s contract expires in September. The UFC thought the offer was laughable and turned it down without any thought at all. Gary Shaw did confirm to Meltzer the figures were accurate.
Well, this fully explains why negotiations with the 29-year-old fight have gone nowhere.
Although Vera’s UFC career has been impressive — with wins over Fabiano Scherner, Justin Eilers, Assuerio Silva and Frank Mir — he’s done nothing to earn a million-dollar per-fight payday. Vera is essentially asking for salaries given only to the likes of Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz and perhaps Randy Couture.
And honestly, if Shaw and EliteXC are willing to spend a million bucks per fight for Vera, I can only imagine what they’d be willing to pay for a guy like Liddell. Regardless, if Shaw honestly made that offer, I wouldn’t expect to see EliteXC in operation by the time September rolls around. It just makes no financial sense whatsoever.
In any manner, Vera has one fight remaining on his current UFC contract. If that fight ever comes to fruition, you’d be safe in assuming it’ll be his last in the UFC.
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Post by LWPD on Feb 12, 2007 20:33:06 GMT -5
Vera is a talented young fighter who seems to have a good head on his shoulders. His side of the story is that relations with the UFC originally broke down after BV won the '#1 contender' fight with Frank Mir...at that point there was one fight left remaining on his contract. The UFC wanted his next fight to be for the Heavyweight Championship (which was going to help sell the card) at a ridiculous pay rate/residual...and were refusing to even put him into that fight until_AFTER_ he re-signed under terms that would peg his market value while he was still merely a 'contender'....and THAT'S the real deal killer.
The UFC has not negotiated in good faith with Vera...they have held the 'remaining fight' over his head while refusing to book him in any future cards. He has offered to fulfill his last fight in a non-title match against anyone in his weight class so that his obligation could be squared away...and the UFC has refused. So essentially he's 'stuck' and unable to make a living. He's purposely priced himself out of the market because he doesn't want to work for the UFC anymore...thankfully the sport has evolved to the point where he has other realistic options.
LWPD (from the UFC's perspective it makes perfect sense to refuse to give someone a title shot when they only have one fight left remaining...but holding someone hostage to a contract when they have made every effort to fulfill it under other very reasonable conditions is just ridiculous...Brandon Vera has ever right to look out for his best interest as he perceives it...UFC's tactics would never hold up in court...but it's a waste of time, money and resources fighting against a powerful entity like Zuffa LLC...and that's what companies that pull stunts like this count on)
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Post by Darth Turkish on Feb 12, 2007 22:17:13 GMT -5
UFC does not want another BJ Penn incident, and I understand that. I also understand that Vera wants to get paid, and he should- but these upstart companies need to gain some exposure and some following beofre they compete with the UFC. So Vera is going to go to Elite XC and fight a lot of ronin heavies, mostly without a good rep. And where is that going to leave him? He is going to accumulate an impressive record not against top talent that he can surely compete with. . I am not saying that he should kowtow to the demands of the UFC, but he is a young guy while very talented, is also untested. I think ultimately, this move is going to hurt him in the long run.
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Post by Trent Lawless on Feb 13, 2007 5:10:06 GMT -5
Pride will probably pay him, don'tcha think? At least if they're still spending money out the wazoo.
I tend to agree with LWPD since he explained the situation so well.
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Post by vansabu on Feb 13, 2007 13:13:26 GMT -5
Man too bad for both parties as Vera would help them sell tickets and PPVs and Vera would make a good living as a top fighter as his experiance grows.
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Post by LWPD on Feb 14, 2007 19:49:27 GMT -5
I posted this a while back but it's relevant to this topic. This was from a Brandon Vera MMA Gameplan Seminar from back in 2005. He discusses some thread germane issues that give a good glimpse into where his perspective is coming from...runs just under 14 minutes Brandon Vera Speaks On Building A Career In MMA
"What's the most important thing I've taught you? Getting paid...but what else goes along with getting paid?...don't let anyone walk all over you...I'm going to go over a couple of quotes I've heard in my life...that made a real big difference...but the biggest one is that if someone's trying to hold you down...to be PC...get rid of them...you don't need them in your life anymore...at all!"
-Brandon 'The Truth' Vera |
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Post by Darth Turkish on Feb 14, 2007 22:05:06 GMT -5
I certainly dislike the UFC's attempts to effect the reputation of Vera, but I still say that he is taking a big chance on a new organization that is throwing around a lot of money.
Pride may be another option, but they seem to be having some problems as well. When they get a stable business partner, perhaps this will be an option.
It has been confirmed that Vera will fight Jake O'Brien. Hopefully, the UFC will not dark match this fight. Unfortunately, I do not see that happening.
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Post by dukedave on Feb 14, 2007 22:10:09 GMT -5
It has been confirmed that Vera will fight Jake O'Brien. Hopefully, the UFC will not dark match this fight. Unfortunately, I do not see that happening. They will most definitely dark match this fight in my opinion. They will dark match it and then if O'Brien wins they show their new golden boy. If Vera wins, they don't show it. |
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Post by habbalah on Feb 18, 2007 14:26:40 GMT -5
I think your all assuming Jake won't win (I don't think he will either). Why not show Vera losing if it happens? The UFC Ppv's seem to have a tape delay or something. Notice when ones going it says towards the end "this fight happened earlier this night!" alot of times.
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Post by dukedave on Feb 18, 2007 14:42:12 GMT -5
I think your all assuming Jake won't win (I don't think he will either). Why not show Vera losing if it happens? The UFC Ppv's seem to have a tape delay or something. Notice when ones going it says towards the end "this fight happened earlier this night!" alot of times. That's my point in the post right before yours habbalah |
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Post by vansabu on Feb 18, 2007 15:26:53 GMT -5
Bad situation, Vera is very good and getting better. But, I dont think he is worth $1 million a fight, correction, he is NOT worth a million a fight yet. Couldnt they come to terms ? Tell him he can get it if he wins the next few fights plus a title fight, just nudge him - damn at least listen to his reasoning and not just say no, give him a goal to acheive then if he says he wants the million a fight no matter what then UFC can say they tried with him, He could be the future of the company why lethim go so easy ?
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Post by LWPD on Feb 18, 2007 17:59:54 GMT -5
I think your all assuming Jake won't win (I don't think he will either). Why not show Vera losing if it happens? The UFC Ppv's seem to have a tape delay or something. Notice when ones going it says towards the end "this fight happened earlier this night!" alot of times. If Vera somehow loses to O'Brien it'll probably be via decision...Dan Severn '3 round blanket' style. In that event you'll see a boring fight replayed for political purposes on UFC Unleashed ad infinitum. That's not a good thing. |
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Post by habbalah on Feb 20, 2007 22:30:59 GMT -5
It's not a horrible disaster either. Be honest, won't it be kinda nice to see elite getting ripped off for being stupid enough to pay a mill for vera only to get him after a lose? I like to see stupidity punished. Specialty million dollar stupidity.
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IPPON!!
