UFC fighters fired for not signing away game image rights

by Alexander Sliwinski { Nov 21st 2008 at 11:43AM }

Update: Fitch caved in and signed the contract. Thanks to Scott for reading MMAJunkie.com.

Original Story: The Ultimate Fighting Championship has released welterweight crown contender Jon Fitch for refusing to sign his image rights away for a lifetime to UFC-based games being made by THQ. Fitch stated he thought it was "crazy" to sign "anything away for your lifetime." Fitch isn't the only one kicked out, as many of his teammates from the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose have been dismissed for refusing to submit.

We'll take this to mean that Fitch won't be appearing in THQ's UFC 2009 Undisputed expected in May '09. We know, all 10 of you out there who were going to buy the game and cared are devastated.

[Via Eurogamer]

Tags: jon-fitch, thq, ufc

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Phylicus @ Nov 21st 2008 11:58AM

Good for him. Bad for UFC.

Scott Brooks @ Nov 21st 2008 11:51AM

This is non story now. Jon Fitch already signed the videogame likeness deal and has returned to the UFC...

http://mmajunkie.com/news/13299/report-jon-fitch-will-sign-videogame-agreement-returns-to-ufc.mma

nightmare452 @ Nov 21st 2008 11:52AM

DAMN your GOOOOD!!!!

xFenixKnightx @ Nov 21st 2008 12:28PM

It's all about bloodyelbow.com and cagepotato.com!!!

Best MMA Blogs on the net!

ihateemo @ Nov 21st 2008 4:02PM

Correction: he signed A deal. It's likely that he signed something with different terms, given how quickly it was settled (that and the fact Fitch met with Lorenzo Fertita over the issue and not Dana White).

In any case, I wouldn't have signed because the game is going to be lousy. :)

nightmare452 @ Nov 21st 2008 11:51AM

Nobody should ever sign something for a "lifetime" but maybe this might have been his only chance at a videogame...

Weird news day eh.

Duke @ Nov 21st 2008 12:26PM

For a lifetime seems a little extreme to me. I am thinking a lawyer could find an argument that the contract was too onesided in the future and try to get him out. Likely not, but still worth arguing.

SlimPickinz96 @ Nov 21st 2008 12:33PM

Your right, and its very weird.

God forbid a team besides THQ makes a really good MMA game featuring "Rock'em Sock'em Jonny"(generic fighter) and others.

Lifetime contract is too much. Oh well.
QQ

Dirty @ Nov 21st 2008 1:09PM

Just think about how hard it is to bring back sports game because of licensing. I would like to have an xbla version of NBA Jam, but its never going to happen.

Lavat @ Nov 21st 2008 11:52AM

I am not a big fan of men holding down each other to the floor all day...The sport is stupid...It was hardly noticeable 12 years ago and suddenly people are interested...

But anyway...here you go...A example of Video Games ruining peoples lives and careers.

Scott Brooks @ Nov 21st 2008 11:54AM

You clearly know nothing about the UFC or MMA in general. It's a lot more than men holding each other to the floor. You clearly haven't got a clue so why even comment?

tpof78 @ Nov 21st 2008 12:24PM

Well there fat ass..

as an avid MMAer (if I can say that) myself. This IS a sport. Not only is it great, but its also the fastest growing sport out there.

Its also heavily regulated and requires alot of skill. Its like like boxing where you pound each others face in for 12 rounds, or like basketball, where you call foul ona slap in the hand. As far as men "Hugging", you should thank you single mom for playing dress up with you as a child and wihing you were a daughter. There couldn't be anyone else to blame for you insecurities..

MMA---its here to stay..Fuck pro sports...Theres nothing pro about them

ronEbear @ Nov 21st 2008 12:28PM

Could not have said it better myself, well, i`d check my spelling first ;)

Professor Lario @ Nov 21st 2008 12:38PM

While I greatly prefer boxing, MMA is most definitely a sport.

The thing I most dislike about MMA is that it is currently controlled by the UFC. Fighters aren't free to seek a promoter and sign the best fights for them.

sinai @ Nov 21st 2008 12:45PM

if anything, mixed martial arts is the purest of sports. no padding, no helmets, no teammates. just balls.

seriously lavat, just because you get a secret boner when two men are playing jiu jitsu doesn't make it gay. you wouldn't last 2 minutes with a blue belt.

RiccochetJ @ Nov 21st 2008 1:35PM

I like the UFC because it ensures that you're not going to get someone who's 22 - 0 who's only fought powder puffs and their promoter will duck anyone who has any modicum of talent.

However, I hate how these guys in the UFC get treated.

aristokrat @ Nov 21st 2008 2:16PM

The way they get treated is the price you pay for trying to make it in an emerging sport. Look at MLS, same perceived problems. You've got to make some sacrifices if you want to be paid for what you love, when it isn't a fully established entity. Additionally, the control UFC puts over its fighters at least guarantees some quality, unlike the terrible EliteXC (with its pitting Kimbo Slice against retirees until he accidentally caught a real punch).

And toss off with your "purest" of sports prattle. By that logic, running is the purest of sports because it requires none of that other stuff, in addition to no training (as in special knowledge). Every one can run if they put their mind to it, not everyone can fight MMA. Those kind of comments piss me off as much as the crew guys who thought that crew was the best team sport, because they had to work in such unison. All this my sport is the [meaningless adjective]-est comes from people who play fringe sports and feel the need to justify them against the big leagues. I like MMA; WEC is (/was since its joining UFC) my league because it comes on after hockey games (my favorite sport) on VS. Yet I can also appreciate all other manners of sports without having to rank them by how legitimate/tough/whatever they are. Hell, I've even gotten lost watching curling for a couple of hours whilst in Canada. Sports are fun*, leave it at that.

*Except ultimate frisbee. So lame.

Lavat @ Nov 21st 2008 5:08PM

When I see Ken Shamrock lose within one minute by being held down by a mexican with blonde hair named Tito or some crap I consider that sport a failure ...Everyone who thinks they are cool feel need to watch this...But people really to find another way to get off other than watching this.

bm @ Nov 22nd 2008 8:49AM

I have nothing against MMA, but it's fucking hilarious how its fanboys so violently defend it, they're even worse than videogame fanboys.

Maybe you're the ones who are insecure? ;)

ronEbear @ Nov 21st 2008 11:52AM

"We know, all 10 of you out there who were going to buy it and cared are devastated."

Just goes to show how out of touch you are with the world of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts to the uninitiated)and how its popularity has exploded within the last few years. And here you are, making John McCain-ish statements.

The Dark Wayne @ Nov 21st 2008 11:55AM

I think they were more referring to the inevitable suckitude of a game from THQ

nightmare452 @ Nov 21st 2008 11:55AM

I dont mean this in a bad way, but...

Are YOU gonna buy the game????
I love mixed martial arts and watch UFC on regular intervals, but I would never buy a game of it!.

ronEbear @ Nov 21st 2008 11:58AM

Why not?

9600baud @ Nov 21st 2008 12:00PM

Because THQ sucks, not because we dont like MMA

acefondu @ Nov 21st 2008 12:01PM

It's THQ. They're fighting games sucked when they got rid of AKI. Actually, they've never had a good game since AKI left unless you like the Sponge Bob games, lol.

The Dark Wayne @ Nov 21st 2008 12:12PM

well okay, they do have some good games like Saints Row 1 and 2 and uhhh
well there was....

SHAZAM! @ Nov 21st 2008 12:48PM

...Dawn of War, Company of Heroes and STALKER.

Although, it is true that THQ love their money, so mainly deal in licensed kids stuff.

They did Destroy All Humans too...I never played it, so is that good?

anthony @ Nov 21st 2008 12:02PM

This is the second reason I wouldn't want to work in the UFC. The first reason, of course, is that I would have to routinely take brutal beatings.

Dirty @ Nov 21st 2008 12:16PM

Better than boxing, at the end of your career you dont talk like corky.

skyfire @ Nov 21st 2008 11:57AM

10 people only? right do your research properly and stop being lazy.

bvhj @ Nov 21st 2008 12:37PM

Yeah, how hard is it to type 5 instead of 10?? Goddamn idiots!!!!

D_Average @ Nov 21st 2008 11:59AM

I really enjoy MMA but Dana White (UFC Pres) is a little prick. This is just one of many examples where he throws his underpaid fighters under the bus.

xFenixKnightx @ Nov 21st 2008 12:00PM

C'mon Joystiq, this whole thing started YESTERDAY morning and was resolved by the afternoon. You're slippin! Fitch is back with the UFC.

xFenixKnightx @ Nov 21st 2008 12:06PM

BTW, DO WANT!!!!! So pumped for that game! I just hope they catch the realism of Goldy and his fine moments while calling the fights...

on Travis Lutter

Mike Goldberg: "He's like the Michael Jordan of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu!"

Joe Rogan: "No, he's not"

Mike Goldberg: "Larry Bird?"

Joe Rogan: "Uhm, no."

Mike Goldberg: "Kobe Bryant?"

Joe Rogan: "..."

Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up they would pound each other behind the barn!"

Mike Goldberg: "He's got him in some kind of strange choke I've never seen before!"

Joe Rogan: "That's a rear naked choke."

Dirty @ Nov 21st 2008 12:13PM

Yes Goldie is pretty awesome sometimes, and Joe continues to show up to fights looking like he just spent the last 2 weeks knee deep in hookers and cocaine and woke up that day in a gutter and threw on a shirt.

Mir is also pretty funny on WEC.

xFenixKnightx @ Nov 21st 2008 12:32PM

Mir = GIANT DOUCHE on TUF.

Dirty @ Nov 21st 2008 12:43PM

Mir will get whats coming to him. He has seemed rather douchey, and really douchey on the commercials for the transporter 3.

But his commentary is funny. Migel Torres is fighting in a few weeks, Im sure Mir will do the color for it.

Sackolantern PSN ID: johnnynumber5 @ Nov 21st 2008 1:53PM

I really like Mir & Shamrock as commentators on WEC & Strikeforce. I am so pumped about this game because it looks very technical andtrue to the sport. The roster of fighters is going to be amazing.

I can't believe Dana White would threaten to release Jon Fitch from the UFC for not wanting to sign his likeness away. He is the best welterweight in the world not named Georges St.Pierre.

Anyone who has not familiarized themselves with this games needs to watch a few videos to see the quality and the uFC brand that THQ ia trying to capture. This is not just a quick cash in.

Check These Out ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKVozn8j4ZU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tA6IZhyoSGg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puyUQ0upDQE

Sackolantern PSN ID: johnnynumber5 @ Nov 21st 2008 1:58PM

Joystiq needs to get a blogger that enjoys sports games. It can be frustrating at times because it seems like they are pretty much frowned upon and insulted on this site. It's a huge segment of the videogame market and allot of users on this site enjoy sports games. I'm not really being critical of Joystiq here but it would be nice to have some special details and attention on the genre.

D_Average @ Nov 21st 2008 2:16PM

I've rooted for Mir for a while since the crash, wanting to seem him fully recover. However, he does come across as a total douche on the show while Noguera comes across as the complete opposite.

kbomb1upc @ Nov 21st 2008 2:45PM

Thank you Sackolantern...
I thought I would never see a positive sports game comment on this website except for the occasional NFL 2K5 is better Madden comments from people who probably never even played 2K5. Some of us actually do like Madden/NCAA (but now NFL Head Coach). I played college ball bout 2 years back and this is the best way I can get my football fix without you know twisting an ankle or tearing an ACL....... Man were was I..... Oh yes, thank you Sack for your comment. Which sports games do you play?

xFenixKnightx @ Nov 21st 2008 2:54PM

Agreed John

Not everyone hates sports games here. NBA 2K9 is the shite! Waiting for a pricedrop to snatch it!

kbomb1upc @ Nov 21st 2008 5:59PM

@xFenixKnightx
Are you getting that for the PS3 or 360.

Sackolantern PSN ID: johnnynumber5 @ Nov 21st 2008 9:18PM

Well I always play Madden every year. I had it for the 360 but I sold my 360 yesterday so I will be picking it up for the PS3 after a price drop. I also purchase MLB XX The Show every year (picked up 2k8 a few years but prefer the show) on PS3. Up until this year I had also purchased 2kX basketball games every year but this is the first year I haven't done so. I will wait for a price drop as well before purchasing it on the PS3. Honestly I also usually by EA's NCAA football game very year to import the rookies into madden (usually play 5-6 seasons in franchise mode) but seeing as how I sold my 360 I won't be buying it this year.

So the to long didn't read version would be ...

Madden (every year) PS3 .. but I have to re-purchase it
MLB: The Show PS3 (every year)

Next year will probably go back to buying all of them when EA releases that season pass for $20.00 that allows you a nice discount on each EA sports game purchased that year. In reality I'm a huge sports nut and hockey is really the only sports game I don't play anymore. Selling the 360 has put a dent into those plans for this year. I wanted to get Prize fighter (Don King) b/c I love boxing but it looked crappy.