UFC president confirms war with EA, blacklisting fighters

by Majed Athab on Jul 13th 2009 2:00PM

UFC President Dana White threw off the gloves at Saturday's UFC 100 event, making heated comments about Electronic Arts and its upcoming title, MMA. White stated that he was literally "at war" with the game company and confirmed the rumored plan to ban/blacklist fighters from UFC if they choose to make appearances in EA's new game.

White's anger toward EA stems from accusations that the gaming giant was originally "disgusted" with the thought of making a mixed martial arts title. Said White to MMAJunkie.com: "EA Sports told us, you're not a real sport. We wouldn't touch this thing. We want nothing to do with this." According to White, EA's reversal and attempt at an MMA game is a huge slap in his face and to the fans. "You know what the difference is?" White rhetorically asked. "I'm in the mixed martial arts business. EA isn't. EA doesn't give a [expletive] about mixed martial arts. They made that very clear."

It sounds to us like UFC 101 will get an extra match on the card. EA's John Riccitiello versus UFC's Dana White. We'd pay top dollar for that.

[Via Kotaku]

Source

Tags: dana-white, ea, Electronic-Arts, mixed-martial-arts, mma, sports, ufc, ufc-undisputed-2009, ultimate-fighting-championship

Reader Comments (118)

.. and then they end up rolling on the floor for 15 minutes with a dissapointing finish.

ZING!! my thoughts exactly. and just for the record to those who watch: just because you watch doesn't make you a fighter and/or expert on MMA and doesn't make you a hard ass, but the UFC game wasn't half bad this time...

Oh oh I got it

THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!!!!

I'm sorry

sick burn!

obviously, you're not familiar with dana white's boxercise background...

Well this is not a real sport

Solid argument you got there. I'm sure you will make a great lawyer.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury my client is innocent. Defense rests your honor."

WOW Everybody thinks they are comedians!

btw Cletus just so you know, that was clearly not a argument.

While I'm not a fan of Mixed Martial Arts, I can certainly understand the anger here. And it's obvious what's going. EA, with all their marketing genius [/sarcasm], now sees that they can be making some respectful dough of a game in this genre and they want in. It IS a slap in the face to the business and the fans, and I think that true-blooded UFC fans should avoided whatever EA throws out all all costs.

They just have to have their hands in every type of sporting event that's out there and their hunger can't be satisfied.

But what if it's actually a great MMA game?

EA may not care, but that doesn't mean whoever they hand it off to develop it doesn't care. I can understand the anger here, but business is business. Blacklisting fighters certainly isn't any more fair to the fans.

@Snowblind

Eh, that didn't stop them from threatening to ban fighters if they didn't sign their likeness away to the UFC for LIFE a few months ago.

The UFC's idea of being good to the fans is threatening to ban all their fighters for everything.

This is just Dana White getting mad because this is someone threatinging his monopoly of MMA. Because WHEN EA's MMA game comes out it will give some much needed steam to the NON-UFC promotions....and that scares Dana.

"EA Sports told us, you're not a real sport"

Well, last I checked cockfighting and dogfighting isn't so why should UFC be? Eh what the hell, we call everyone athletes and everything sports nowadays anyway, the term's lost its meaning.

I can't wait for the new Extreme Ironing 2010 to come out! I'm going to iron while climbing Mount Everest!

@tmacairjordan87

I could explain to you exactly why you're wrong but I'd be wasting my time so I'm just going to get straight to it...

YOU ARE AN IDIOT!!!

That is all.

It's easy to say that when you have nothing else to say. Please, do explain to me how human cock/dog fighting is a sport.

It isn't, because humans are not involved. MMA is a sport because it involves two people competing in something. Logthrowing is a sport, wood-chopping is a sport, MMA is a sport.

Otherwise, you might as well say that Boxing isn't a sport either.Or olympic wrestling (not the WWE stage drama nonsense).

I agree completely with you, Tmac. Just because something is fun to do or entertaining to watch and there is some sort of competition involved, doesn't neccesarily make it a sport.

The definition of "sport" is a bit blurry. I don't really think racing cars is a "sport". Don't get me wrong though, I love racing and I give props to all the drivers and all and it's not something that anyone can just do, but I just wouldn't define it as a sport.

depends if you see boxing or wrestling or karate or taekwon do ect as sports or not. notice that these are in the olympics and i beleive they are true sports.

now i get that athlete has changed over time that poker players eating contest people and video gamer start using the name. I don't beleive this is the case. I say it is a sport. it requires are high level of fitness and combining a multitude of known martial arts with a decent scoring system.

sport (spôrt, sprt)
n.
1.
a. Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.

MMA falls into that category. Dictionary always wins!

I hear boxing isn't a sport either. Or Taekwondo. Or Judo. Or Karate.

What rules? Everytime I see it the ref only serves to pull the guy up when the other guy is about to die...kinda like cockfighting.

Same way boxing is a real sport.

Same way wrestling is a real sport.

Same way several martial arts are real olympic sports.

I could go on and on here...

While we're debating what does and what does not constitute as a "real sport", should I mention Nascar? Is THAT a real sport? How about the Strong Man competition? Shoot, some people don't think golf is a real sport. How about poker for crying out loud?

Moral of the story: There is no such thing as a "real" sport. It is all for entertainment and competitive value.

The only real sport was Gladiator fighting
now its all child's play

tmac,

There are most certainly rules in MMA, including UFC. In general, the fighters are very aware and respectful of these rules, therefore the ref doesn't have to jump in very often. If you recall (or pay attention), Lesnar was pulled off of Mir in their first fight due to Lasnar (accidentally) hitting Mir in the back of the head. This separation is what arguably cost Lensar the fight.

You don't see refs jumping in much in boxing or Olympic wrestling either, does that mean they don't have any rules?

@TMAC - your comment regarding the sportworthiness of MMA or boxing just highlights your ignorance regarding the sports. Do some research, read some history, study boxing and grappling theory, and then we'll talk again.

I know all I need to know about cockfighting, more than I wish I knew.

@ Spartacus: The guy switched his name two times within two sentences?

...and the "Ignorant Comment of the Day" award goes to...

TMAC! For his unparalled disregard for things like "details" or "facts"

Congrats d-bag.

wait, all of us are talking about MMA and he's talking about cock fighting. tmac, are you drunk and/or high?

How the hell do you people still fall for this guy's shenanigans

Everything that I don't personally enjoy or like, is de facto, without merit and undeserving of any respect. Regardless of any amount of the facts that I dislike and won't pay attention to.

dbags generally like attention zkey, get with it.

You're right, I don't respect human cockfighting and I don't respect its boss who acts like an asshole publicly all the time because he can't handle the fact that he has a girl's name, so he's always overcompensating.

Ease up, tmac. It's starting to look obvious.

@Mystile

Uh, what? Did I miss something?

Just a little bit. I made a bit of fun at the fact you spelled the guy's name 3 different ways.

Mystile,

Holy crap! I had to re-read my post several times before I caught that! Good eye...

Way to open your mouth about stuff you know nothing about, tmac.

Congratulations on getting the 'uneducated comments of the day' award.

You go look at a boxer vs a guy who's been fighting in regulated MMA for 5 years and tell me which guy can still spell his name correctly.

http://www.stanford.edu/~sehealey/sport.html

Fighting is fighting, not a sport

Ski, anything with an opening as pathetic and pretentious as "Amongst the unwashed masses, there is a persistent epidemic of lexical ignorance." deserves no respectable consideration, get lost.

SKI, why does that article consider tennis a sport but not table tennis? not enough "locomotion"? it's difficult to take such an arrogant and condescending article seriously.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoM3gz02zIE

Seriously, grow the fuck up and make some money.

Eh, I'd give them the benefit of the doubt and feel flattered that they've now decided to embrace the concept.

BATTLE OF THE EXECUTIVES...

BEEEEEEEEGIN!!!!!!!!

I think Dana might be a little worried that EA's MMA game won't suck as hard as UFC Undisputed.

Really that's the only justifiable reason he would have to "go to war" with EA. If MMA is good if not better than Undisputed he may end up losing his own game franchise and being owned by EA (just like the NFL license).

Plus I'm sure EA saw the level of interest in Undisputed and decided that a game based on MMA was a viable project, leading to their so-called 'change of heart'.

But this guy is taking things WAY too seriously. Either he's that in love with the sport (which is awesome) or he just hasn't gotten a good enough paycheck from EA (which means he's a douche).

He's not in love with the sport, he's in love with making money and especially in love with holding complete power over everything he does. In a legitimate business, he would either crash and burn or get taken down for anti-competitive behavior (luckily for him, sports tend to be given a little more leeway in that department).

I HIGHLY doubt anyone remotely connected to EA told this douche that "MMA isn't a real sport", probably they said "we are not interested at this time" OR the more likely thing would be that EA said "No thanks, that is an outrageous amount of money to want for your name" then they went around him and he is upset about it.

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UFC president confirms war with EA, blacklisting fighters

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