UFC prez Dana White previously said he'd blacklist any fighter who signed up for EA's upcoming mixed martial arts game, EA Sports MMA. And now, Kotaku reports that White is willing to play nice with defectors who chose to be in EA's game -- despite his remaining distaste for the game's publisher.
When asked whether White would still ban those fighters participating in EA's game, he told Kotaku he would not. Even with EA being the bigger company, White isn't willing to just roll over and submit. "But believe me this is still going to continue to be a battle," he said. "...they're the me-toos. The UFC game is the original game."
White even had some choice words to say about trying to get EA to make a mixed martial arts game. He apparently talked with them in the past about doing one, but EA told him "it's not a real sport" and refused to even take a meeting. So, obviously, White has a bit of a chip on his shoulder -- something we'd say could easily be corrected through a stiff arm bar.
Reader Comments (44)
Posted: Mar 31st 2010 3:04PM RudyHuxtable said
I wouldn't mind putting Riccitiello in a nice triangle choke.
I was gonna say rear naked but I just KNOW someone would make a comment.
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I was gonna say rear naked but I just KNOW someone would make a comment.
Posted: Mar 31st 2010 3:07PM Captain Planet Planeteer Power said
Where you at Michael Jackson?
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Posted: Mar 31st 2010 3:16PM Ballistic H said
I don't think JR was at EA when White wanted a UFC game.
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Posted: Mar 31st 2010 3:19PM Ballistic H said
But we should be glad JR is back at EA as CEO because EA was as bad as Activision is now.
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Posted: Mar 31st 2010 3:10PM aristokrat said
Waa waa waa. Dana White's a total douchebag, and it's not surprising that EA wasn't willing to make a game years ago when MMA wasn't all that popular. Even if it was, it wouldn't surprise me if they'd wanted nothing to do with him anyway. He super-misogynistic, and treats his fighters like crap to once he uses them up. There's a reason everyone only knows one boxing promoter's name (Don King), and it's the same reason we know White's: he's a self-promoting asshole.
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Posted: Mar 31st 2010 3:30PM Brother Unit No 4 said
You just hit one of the more important points. What would be the point of making a game for UFC if it wasn't popular? Now maybe EA could've tried exercising some foresight, but it's hard to fault them for not wanting to take the risk in the past.
New EA seems a little more willing to take those risks, so it's not surprising that they're making their own MMA game. Maybe next we'll get extreme frisbee. I think I'd rather like that.
Oh and I could use another SSX.
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New EA seems a little more willing to take those risks, so it's not surprising that they're making their own MMA game. Maybe next we'll get extreme frisbee. I think I'd rather like that.
Oh and I could use another SSX.
Posted: Mar 31st 2010 3:46PM aristokrat said
I'm not talking shit about MMA, just Dana White. Check out his "sweet" rant about a female reporter: calling people f a g s because they "didn't have the balls to be quoted" about controversial topics and calling the female reporter all kinds of things because she's a woman. Classy face for the sport.
And check out his pursuit of Fedor, who he desperately wanted but couldn't get, and now he goes around talking all kinds of shit about Fedor as if he was the biggest joke fighter on the planet, which is simply not true.
Or look at the fighters who quit because of him, like Rampage Jackson. They all say the same thing: White's an arrogant prick who takes all the money for himself, all the fame for himself, etc.
If that's the kind of guy you want to defend, then you're probably wearing a TAPOUT shirt right now, and there's no point in arguing with you.
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And check out his pursuit of Fedor, who he desperately wanted but couldn't get, and now he goes around talking all kinds of shit about Fedor as if he was the biggest joke fighter on the planet, which is simply not true.
Or look at the fighters who quit because of him, like Rampage Jackson. They all say the same thing: White's an arrogant prick who takes all the money for himself, all the fame for himself, etc.
If that's the kind of guy you want to defend, then you're probably wearing a TAPOUT shirt right now, and there's no point in arguing with you.
Posted: Mar 31st 2010 4:59PM zero2dash said
@ aristokrat
"There's a reason everyone only knows one boxing promoter's name (Don King), and it's the same reason we know White's: he's a self-promoting asshole."
Really? All I hear the guy talk about is the fighters under the Zuffa banner and how much they impress him. Never once have I heard Dana White say "I could beat this guy" or "I could beat that guy".
"And check out his pursuit of Fedor, who he desperately wanted but couldn't get, and now he goes around talking all kinds of shit about Fedor as if he was the biggest joke fighter on the planet, which is simply not true."
He talks shit about Fedor because of M-1 Global. If Fedor didn't have anything to do with M-1 Global, and Fedor went on his own like Mousasi has done, Fedor would be in the UFC by now. Because of M-1 Global and their co-promotion and other demand BS, Dana White talks shit about them.
"Or look at the fighters who quit because of him, like Rampage Jackson."
Rampage came back, just like everyone knew he would. Rampage likes money, he'll sign another contract larger than his last one after he beats the piss out of Rashad - bank on it.
"They all say the same thing: White's an arrogant prick who takes all the money for himself, all the fame for himself, etc."
Not once have I heard anyone say anything bad about Dana White except Tito, and Tito IS a "self-promoting asshole". And lookie there! Tito's back too! (And whining about injuries after he loses a fight, just like always.)
"If that's the kind of guy you want to defend, then you're probably wearing a TAPOUT shirt right now, and there's no point in arguing with you."
Sorry, I don't own any TAPOUT gear.
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"There's a reason everyone only knows one boxing promoter's name (Don King), and it's the same reason we know White's: he's a self-promoting asshole."
Really? All I hear the guy talk about is the fighters under the Zuffa banner and how much they impress him. Never once have I heard Dana White say "I could beat this guy" or "I could beat that guy".
"And check out his pursuit of Fedor, who he desperately wanted but couldn't get, and now he goes around talking all kinds of shit about Fedor as if he was the biggest joke fighter on the planet, which is simply not true."
He talks shit about Fedor because of M-1 Global. If Fedor didn't have anything to do with M-1 Global, and Fedor went on his own like Mousasi has done, Fedor would be in the UFC by now. Because of M-1 Global and their co-promotion and other demand BS, Dana White talks shit about them.
"Or look at the fighters who quit because of him, like Rampage Jackson."
Rampage came back, just like everyone knew he would. Rampage likes money, he'll sign another contract larger than his last one after he beats the piss out of Rashad - bank on it.
"They all say the same thing: White's an arrogant prick who takes all the money for himself, all the fame for himself, etc."
Not once have I heard anyone say anything bad about Dana White except Tito, and Tito IS a "self-promoting asshole". And lookie there! Tito's back too! (And whining about injuries after he loses a fight, just like always.)
"If that's the kind of guy you want to defend, then you're probably wearing a TAPOUT shirt right now, and there's no point in arguing with you."
Sorry, I don't own any TAPOUT gear.
Posted: Mar 31st 2010 5:20PM aristokrat said
"Really? All I hear the guy talk about is the fighters under the Zuffa banner and how much they impress him. Never once have I heard Dana White say "I could beat this guy" or "I could beat that guy"."
Did I say he thought of himself as a fighter? Neither he nor Don King want to fight, but they do want fame. That's the comparison I was making. Of course he talks up his own fighters, in order to PROMOTE them (what was Don King again?). He's not gonna say that one of his own is a loser to the media, no matter how true that may be.
Do you really think he cares about these guys when he threatens to blacklist them over the rights to their likeness? That'd be like the NFL saying that no players could do ads for Nike. You know how ridiculous that is? Of course he had to back down on that threat, because it would have made him look even more ridiculous than he already does. His career is full of retractions (see again the female reporter story) because he's a dick at heart, but his business people tell him that he's going to lose money/etc. if he doesn't apologize, because otherwise no one will do business with a crazy man.
And M1 global is why he said that Fedor isn't even in the top 5 of the sport, despite a sizable percentage of the fanbase thinking he's the best? Right.
The guys an OK business man for helping bring MMA into the mainstream, I'll give him that. But he's still a dick, and is now hurting the sport in a lot of ways by continuing on with his childish antics.
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Did I say he thought of himself as a fighter? Neither he nor Don King want to fight, but they do want fame. That's the comparison I was making. Of course he talks up his own fighters, in order to PROMOTE them (what was Don King again?). He's not gonna say that one of his own is a loser to the media, no matter how true that may be.
Do you really think he cares about these guys when he threatens to blacklist them over the rights to their likeness? That'd be like the NFL saying that no players could do ads for Nike. You know how ridiculous that is? Of course he had to back down on that threat, because it would have made him look even more ridiculous than he already does. His career is full of retractions (see again the female reporter story) because he's a dick at heart, but his business people tell him that he's going to lose money/etc. if he doesn't apologize, because otherwise no one will do business with a crazy man.
And M1 global is why he said that Fedor isn't even in the top 5 of the sport, despite a sizable percentage of the fanbase thinking he's the best? Right.
The guys an OK business man for helping bring MMA into the mainstream, I'll give him that. But he's still a dick, and is now hurting the sport in a lot of ways by continuing on with his childish antics.
Posted: Mar 31st 2010 11:04PM Wet Bandit said
Umm, Rampage is still fighting. He fights Rashad Evans in UFC 114, on May 29th. Stick with facts please.
http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=news.detail&gid=79371
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http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=news.detail&gid=79371
Posted: Apr 4th 2010 1:48PM Martin C said
Honestly, I love Dana White *because* he can be a dick. I like the idea that there is someone in that promotion where the buck stops, and everyone knows it. I like the idea that it's his way or the highway and he has no problem telling you so.
He's a businessman, and it is his business. He and the Fertittas continue to put good fight cards together, and as long as they do that I really don't care about the other stuff.
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He's a businessman, and it is his business. He and the Fertittas continue to put good fight cards together, and as long as they do that I really don't care about the other stuff.
Posted: Mar 31st 2010 3:15PM Freddie Mercury said
seriously, this game needs Jason David Frank
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Posted: Mar 31st 2010 6:29PM Freddie Mercury said
It's not called EA Sports MMA? I'm pretty sure UFC is the other game
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Posted: Mar 31st 2010 3:31PM nonstoPRObot said
dana white is just pissed because he knows EA will make a better game
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Posted: Mar 31st 2010 3:38PM Spike Spiegel Humble Bounty Hun said
Just a shame that 90% of MMA fights are grapples, choke holds, and rolling on the ground together.
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Posted: Mar 31st 2010 3:45PM Spike Spiegel Humble Bounty Hun said
I just love the pre-fight interviews. "Yeah I know Tae-Kwon-Do, Kick Boxing, Krav Maga, etc" and never see any of those styles utilized. I'd much rather watch boxing.
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Posted: Mar 31st 2010 3:56PM romy said
You're all right. The only guy I'd pay to watch at a UFC is Anderson Silva. He's the only guy that looks the part of a master when he fights. You get a few entertaining 1900's style bare knuckle boxing looking matches, but the other 90% just roll on the floor the whole time.
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Posted: Mar 31st 2010 4:17PM aristokrat said
Ha, krav maga made me think about the most recent Simpson's episode (I know it's blasphemy to watch anything since Marge vs. the Monorail, but it's still better than a lot of stuff on TV).
"Quit going for my groin."
"No groin, no krav maga!"
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"Quit going for my groin."
"No groin, no krav maga!"
Posted: Mar 31st 2010 4:50PM (Unverified) said
Just because you don't understand the martial art being used when the fight goes to the ground doesn't mean its not legitimate. There's a reason the sport is dominated by wrestling and brazilian jiu-jitsu. They work.
As soon as I see a kung fu fighter or a tae kwon do fighter who can actually win in the cage, I'll change my mind.
And groin shots haven't been legal since like 1996.
And for the record, Dana White is a dick.
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As soon as I see a kung fu fighter or a tae kwon do fighter who can actually win in the cage, I'll change my mind.
And groin shots haven't been legal since like 1996.
And for the record, Dana White is a dick.
Posted: Mar 31st 2010 4:52PM Spike Spiegel Humble Bounty Hun said
@Angry Robot
Not saying they aren't effective styles. It just gets old and boring seeing it all the time. I don't consider wrestling mixed martial arts.
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Not saying they aren't effective styles. It just gets old and boring seeing it all the time. I don't consider wrestling mixed martial arts.
Posted: Mar 31st 2010 5:06PM Boffo the Sock said
True wrestling may not be the most entertaining form of fighting to watch, but it is every bit the combat art (if not more so) than kickboxing or jiu-jitsu. The dictionary definition of "martial art" is actually a translation of the Japanese word "bujutsu" and apparently it traditionally refers to Asian fighting styles. By this definition, Krav Maga, Sambo, BJJ, and several other fighting styles are not technically "martial arts." Regardless, your inability to be entertained by wrestling does nothing to tarnish its utility in hand-to-hand combat situations.
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Posted: Mar 31st 2010 5:10PM Spike Spiegel Humble Bounty Hun said
The term martial arts now refers to any sort of system involving practices for combat. Albeit krav maga, wrestling, or whatever. But to have a sport called MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) where martial arts are 90% of the time not mixed is just unjustifiable. Wrestling is not mixed martial arts. It's simply wrestling.
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Posted: Mar 31st 2010 4:31PM MarkezJM said
Reminds me of this fella, WAAAR MACHINE!!! Unfortunately, buddy and I went to a different local watering hole than this one for wingdings.
Or maybe that was for the best...
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/mar/31/former-ufc-fighter-arrested-after-pb-bar-brawl/
WAAAAR MACHINE!!!
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Or maybe that was for the best...
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/mar/31/former-ufc-fighter-arrested-after-pb-bar-brawl/
WAAAAR MACHINE!!!
Posted: Mar 31st 2010 4:40PM The Albatross said
In the thread, watch all of the UFC guys get upset if anybody dares criticize Man-God Dana White.
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Posted: Mar 31st 2010 5:23PM bradmeyerlive said
If EA does to MMA games what they did to the NFL, I will take this mess anyday.
RIP Madden
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RIP Madden
Posted: Mar 31st 2010 6:21PM (Unverified) said
Just cause you know nothing of the UFC does not mean you can sit there and talk down upon it. "It used to be cool" What is that about? You watched a sport cause you thought it was the "cool" thing to do? Go back to the end of the line and follow something else, cause you obviously have no idea whats going on. Nobody is going to buy this game, UFC has total control of all MMA, I dont care what you say, or if Dana is a prick. He does his job no matter what it takes, it is working right? The FASTEST GROWING SPORT IN THE WORLD?? Does that ring a bell????
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Posted: Mar 31st 2010 10:06PM thesillyoldbear said
How is it that such a hard arse can come off like such a whining baby?
"Waaaah, I hate pirates!"
"Waaaah, anyone who goes to EA is banninated!"
"Waaaah, O.K. I can't do that but I'm still cwanky!"
Seriously, he even looks like he's about a half second away from a bottom lip quiver in the promo shot above.
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"Waaaah, I hate pirates!"
"Waaaah, anyone who goes to EA is banninated!"
"Waaaah, O.K. I can't do that but I'm still cwanky!"
Seriously, he even looks like he's about a half second away from a bottom lip quiver in the promo shot above.
Posted: Apr 1st 2010 2:43PM iceveiled said
I love the UFC and Dana White, but I think somebody else making an MMA game is good for competition.
I still think that the complexities of modern MMA make it impossible to realistically convert to video game controls and gameplay, but we'll see what EA can come up with.
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I still think that the complexities of modern MMA make it impossible to realistically convert to video game controls and gameplay, but we'll see what EA can come up with.
Posted: Apr 1st 2010 2:47PM iceveiled said
"As soon as I see a kung fu fighter or a tae kwon do fighter who can actually win in the cage, I'll change my mind."
Uh yeah dude. Lyoto Machida. A Karate black belt who wins most of his fights standing up. Current light heavyweight champion in the UFC and undefeated in his MMA career. Next time don't talk about shit you don't know.
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Uh yeah dude. Lyoto Machida. A Karate black belt who wins most of his fights standing up. Current light heavyweight champion in the UFC and undefeated in his MMA career. Next time don't talk about shit you don't know.
Posted: Apr 1st 2010 6:50PM (Unverified) said
"Uh yeah dude. Lyoto Machida. A Karate black belt who wins most of his fights standing up."
More like "wins most of his fights by running away." Now, I know he's not really running away, but it sure seems like it sometimes. It makes for boring fights, but it can be a great strategy to wait and counter instead of attacking.
YES, Dana White is a dick, prick, asshole, whatever else. But, as has already been stated, he is a GREAT business man and has done a LOT for MMA. If not for him, MMA and UFC wouldn't be half as popular as they are now. Dana White has done his job.
As far as UFC or Zuffa owning fighters likenesses, yes it's a bitch for the fighters, but if they want to go elsewhere they can. For a LOT less money, promotion, exposure, etc.
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More like "wins most of his fights by running away." Now, I know he's not really running away, but it sure seems like it sometimes. It makes for boring fights, but it can be a great strategy to wait and counter instead of attacking.
YES, Dana White is a dick, prick, asshole, whatever else. But, as has already been stated, he is a GREAT business man and has done a LOT for MMA. If not for him, MMA and UFC wouldn't be half as popular as they are now. Dana White has done his job.
As far as UFC or Zuffa owning fighters likenesses, yes it's a bitch for the fighters, but if they want to go elsewhere they can. For a LOT less money, promotion, exposure, etc.
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