Rampage Jackson claims that the UFC lies about ppv sales

[steelcityroller]

He obviously has a biased opinion on the matter given his recent falling out with the company. However he may have a point when he says that he can even prove it with his payouts based on ppv buys where he got paid for far less buys that what was being claimed by several people including Dana White.

Randy Couture, Ken Shamrock and Tito Ortiz have all claimed the same thing as well.

They tell me one number, but then they tell the press another. Pay me the numbers that you tell the press! Don’t tell me, ‘Oh, we only sold this many,’ then you tell the press, ‘Oh we sold this many!’ But then I’m saying, ‘Hey, you only told me we sold 800,000 buys but you told the press you sold a million buys.’ Then they say ‘Oh, we just say that for the press.’ No, pay me what you told the press because you lyin’ somewhere. You either lyin’ to me or you lyin’ to the press about the pay-per-view numbers. If they’re doing it to me, I’m sure they’re doing it to other fighters.”

http://www.fightline.com/fl/wire/201...re53131/47549/

[saintsfan]

I believe him, White seems like one shady dude. Hope he doesnt ruin the ufc faster than he built it.

[Bleacher Bums]

I wouldn't be surprised if this was true

[Gdubbz]

Why do the richest people have to be greedy most of the time? Its like just play fair for once people.

[Knockturnal]

I like Rampage, but I don't believe him.

If Rampage really believes he’s being screwed, then he should give his lawyers a call. Every UFC fighter that has PPV points has a right to audit the UFC books and find out how much money they made on their fight.

The UFC can't do anything to stop this. There's absolutely nothing stopping Rampage from getting his money if he truly believes the UFC is lying to him. The question is, why hasn't Rampage done this by now?

As for these other fighters that claimed the same. Lets take a look at Couture's dispute with the UFC.

Just like Rampage, Randy said how the UFC was underpaying him and lying about the PPV numbers.

Well that was put to rest very quickly when the UFC held a press conference and provided proof that Randy was full of it. They had check receipts that showed Randy was getting paid way more than he said he was.

I just don't understand what the UFC would get from lying to their fighters, especially those who have PPV points. Whatever amount they saved by lying, wouldn't be enough to cover the scandal that it would cause. It's not worth the headache...

[tnewkirk]

I like Rampage, but I don't believe him.

If Rampage really believes he’s being screwed, then he should give his lawyers a call. Every UFC fighter that has PPV points has a right to audit the UFC books and find out how much money they made on their fight.

The UFC can't do anything to stop this. There's absolutely nothing stopping Rampage from getting his money if he truly believes the UFC is lying to him. The question is, why hasn't Rampage done this by now?

As for these other fighters that claimed the same. Lets take a look at Couture's dispute with the UFC.

Just like Rampage, Randy said how the UFC was underpaying him and lying about the PPV numbers.

Well that was put to rest very quickly when the UFC held a press conference and provided proof that Randy was full of it. They had check receipts that showed Randy was getting paid way more than he said he was.

I just don't understand what the UFC would get from lying to their fighters, especially those who have PPV points. Whatever amount they saved by lying, wouldn't be enough to cover the scandal that it would cause. It's not worth the headache...

exactly.

[TopsyTurvy]

If Rampage really believes he’s being screwed, then he should give his lawyers a call. Every UFC fighter that has PPV points has a right to audit the UFC books and find out how much money they made on their fight.

I highly doubt that's the case at all. There is likely no post-fight auditing written into the contract because it would be an extra cost. The audit comes with a lawsuit (floated by the fighter) to get the actual numbers disclosed.

Will the UFC disclose their PPV take? To a degree, sure - but I can guarantee they flub buy numbers by simply re-classifying what they consider a buy to the media and essentially set a double standard. Boxing has been doing the same thing for years though most promotions have added different classifications for different buys.

The UFC can't do anything to stop this. There's absolutely nothing stopping Rampage from getting his money if he truly believes the UFC is lying to him. The question is, why hasn't Rampage done this by now?

The UFC can tie the whole claim up in court and force a fighter to sit on legal fees. There is also the aspect of biting the hand that feeds - it's one thing to be a contentious employee and cry foul to the media, it's another thing to sue your employer. You can roll your eyes at one (Randy and Rampage) and you sick your lawyers on the latter.

I fully believe there is a degree of truth to what both Randy and Rampage claim, though I'm not sure how much it truly effects their earnings. Randy got blown up by the organization, but even that comes with the UFC sterling standard of "we actually overpaid you" aka "be happy and go away." Dana doesn't realize that all his boasting of covering injured fighter's purses, health benefits, and paying stars under the table is a sword cutting both ways. He cannot go on declaring his own benevolence and simultaneously avoid the "good old boys" stigma.

[steelcityroller]

The thing that I took from this is that the UFC is possibly inflating their ppv numbers. The problem is that Rampage Jackson isn't the most trustworthy source. On the other hand Dana White and Zuffa are shady as hell. So who knows which side is telling the truth?

[Knockturnal]

I highly doubt that's the case at all. There is likely no post-fight auditing written into the contract because it would be an extra cost. The audit comes with a lawsuit (floated by the fighter) to get the actual numbers disclosed.

Will the UFC disclose their PPV take? To a degree, sure - but I can guarantee they flub buy numbers by simply re-classifying what they consider a buy to the media and essentially set a double standard. Boxing has been doing the same thing for years though most promotions have added different classifications for different buys.

The UFC can tie the whole claim up in court and force a fighter to sit on legal fees. There is also the aspect of biting the hand that feeds - it's one thing to be a contentious employee and cry foul to the media, it's another thing to sue your employer. You can roll your eyes at one (Randy and Rampage) and you sick your lawyers on the latter.

I fully believe there is a degree of truth to what both Randy and Rampage claim, though I'm not sure how much it truly effects their earnings. Randy got blown up by the organization, but even that comes with the UFC sterling standard of "we actually overpaid you" aka "be happy and go away." Dana doesn't realize that all his boasting of covering injured fighter's purses, health benefits, and paying stars under the table is a sword cutting both ways. He cannot go on declaring his own benevolence and simultaneously avoid the "good old boys" stigma.

I'm not sure what to tell you, but Dana has said publicly that fighters have that option.

Dana also tells us Rampage and for that matter every UFC fighter featured in a pay-per-view event has the option to audit the UFC books and find out exactly how much cash the org. made on his fights -- but Rampage never took him up on the offer.

Source

But to take it a step further, here's a video of Lorenzo Ferititta confirming that fighters have the right to audit in their contract. Go to the 28:20 mark.

The thing that I took from this is that the UFC is possibly inflating their ppv numbers. The problem is that Rampage Jackson isn't the most trustworthy source. On the other hand Dana White and Zuffa are shady as hell. So who knows which side is telling the truth?

I thought that as well, so I checked the numbers released in the Couture dispute and I found something interesting.

The numbers cited by Couture last Thursday during his press conference were clearly in contrast to the documents presented at Zuffa headquarters on Tuesday. Couture estimated that he received a half million dollars from pay-per-view sales following the bout with Tim Sylvia at UFC 68, while the numbers, including check receipts, produced by the UFC totaled $936,000 based on 540,000 buys.

No go to Wikipedia and the PPV buys for UFC 68 are 534,000. Not a big difference, but the estimate was still short.

At the time of the dispute, they also released the projected numbers for UFC 74, which was at 485k. The estimate came up to 520k, but since it was projected, who knows what the final number was.

Here's another thing about Rampage. He said the UFC releases different numbers to the press and to the fighters. As far as I know the UFC doesn't do that, they're a private company and don't relase any PPV numbers (aside from the Couture case). The only one that gives us an estimate is Meltzer and he's not going to do UFC's PR work. Maybe Rampage is confused, which to his credit, wouldn't be surprising.

He also tried to use the argument of how popular his season on the TUF 10 was and how the PPV numbers don't reflect that, but what the dummy doesn't acknowledge is that the fight took place almost a year after that season, whatever hype that fight had, it was gone because Rampage screwed the UFC by doing the A-Team.

[TopsyTurvy]

Words

I stand corrected on the auditing policy, though I still stand by my point.

Here's best part about the Fertitta interview:

"If the fighter wants to know, they have buy rate rights," said Fertitta on the unaired portion of the interview. "Guys who get a back end of the PPV can walk right in the office right here. In fact, they can bring in an accounting team, and they can go through the whole thing. We're not hiding anything from anybody. It's just that were don't publish it for everybody to see. Were not a public company. There's no reason for us to do that. Once again, a lot of the fighters don't want people to know how much money they make because believe me, it would make their lives a lot more difficult."

Source

Again, I don't think the UFC inflates estimates to short-pay their fighters (I actually think they overpay the top-tier talent), but I do not think the numbers can be trusted. Ironically, only professional wrestling is required to publish ACTUAL buys.

[steelcityroller]

I stand corrected on the auditing policy, though I still stand by my point.

Here's best part about the Fertitta interview:



Source

Again, I don't think the UFC inflates estimates to short-pay their fighters (I actually think they overpay the top-tier talent), but I do not think the numbers can be trusted. Ironically, only professional wrestling is required to publish ACTUAL buys.

And fighters told ESPN that if you go and try to check the numbers they run you through the ringer and you pretty much get blackballed by the company. So YOU CAN go check the numbers but your career will suffer as a result.

[TopsyTurvy]

And fighters told ESPN that if you go and try to check the numbers they run you through the ringer and you pretty much get blackballed by the company. So YOU CAN go check the numbers but your career will suffer as a result.

Exactly.