UFC Fighter Jon Fitch and Others Canned After Refusing Game Deal

Wow, looks like there might be a lawsuit in the foreseeable future against the Ultimate Fighting Championship, because apparently they have dropped fighter Jon Fitch and several others from the American Kickboxing Academy championship after they refused to sign over their likeness for a videogame. Supposedly, according to Sports Illustrated, their refusal stems from the contract stating that the rights of their likenesses would be owned for life and to be used in games based upon the UFC and currently under production with THQ.

Number one welterweight contender Jon Fitch and some of his teammates–along with a number of the UFC’s biggest names–where axed when they refused to sign a contract which granted the lifelong merchandise and ancillary rights to someone other than themselves. One of the main reasons was that the promoter’s share of the revenue share was substantially larger than anyone else who had a stake in it. Go figure–that is a promoter for you.

During this past summer, a contract discussing toys and other merchandising reached a standstill, so to get things moving on the videogame deal and prevent yet another contract standstill, UFC President Dana White approached one of the head trainers for the AKA, Bob Cook, with the contract, and according to Jon Fitch, it was nothing short of signing over their souls.

“We thought that was kind of crazy,” Fitch said. “Why would you sign anything away for your lifetime?”

Upon Fitch’s and the others refusal to sign, he said he was told “either you’re in if you sign this, or you’re getting cut.” Fitch and some of the others chose not to sign and then latter received an email from the UFC stating that their current contracts were now officially terminated.

“To have this happen is crazy,” Fitch added. “This sport is definitely not about fighting anymore. It used to be about finding out who the best guy was, what the best style was. It’s not about that anymore. It’s about the top company making the most money.”

In response to the fighters not signing their rights away, UFC President Dana White proved he was a class act when the old an interviewer for Yahoo!: “F*** them. All of them, every last f***ing one of them.” This statement was directed not only at Fitch, but also Josh Koscheck and Cain Velasquez–but not Mike Swick, because he signed the deal.

Coach Cook is in agreement with the fighters though:

“Basically, they didn’t want to sign all their rights away. [With] Fitch, he wants to be in control of what his image is on. He doesn’t want to just sign blankly away, and be endorsing a product he might not believe in. He’s got his beliefs, and some of the other guys, they want to be in charge of their own deals. They don’t want someone else brokering their deals for them, and then getting the crumbs of what’s left.”

Agreed. Most promoters are shady, scum sucking individuals anyway.

So now, if the game is made after all, and you go out and buy it, just remember who is a sell out and who is not.

(Thanks VG247)