Cuban, the owner of HDNet Fights, had filed suit against the UFC in Dallas district court to get a declaratory judgment concerning the contractual status of Couture.
The 44-year old Couture signed a four-fight, 18-month contract with the UFC in January 2007. In addition to the fight contract, Couture had previously signed an employment contract. He resigned from the organization in October 2007, and as part of the deal, he can’t work for a rival promotion for a full year from that date.
“The existence of an actual contract between HDNet Fights and Couture is believed to be key to the company’s action in Texas,” Swift reported. “Without it, it is unlikely that the court would find an actual controversy ripe for adjudication.“
Couture and HDNet Fights contend that the UFC hall-of-famer is free to compete outside the organization once that October date comes since his fight/promotional contract, they allege, expires in July. However, the UFC contends that the fight contract stays valid indefinitely under a special “retirement clause.“
In the court filing, HDNet Fights called the clause “illegal” and contends that such indefinite employment restrictions are illegal in Texas.
HDNet Fights launched in 2007 and has hosted two shows to date. However, using the all-high-definition cable station HDNet, the organization has signed deals to co-promote shows with some of the sport’s top fight promotions, including the International Fight League, Strikeforce, SportFight and the Canadian-based Maximum Fighting Championships.
Emelianenko is currently signed to a non-exclusive contract with M-1 Global.
The 44-year old Couture signed a four-fight, 18-month contract with the UFC in January 2007. In addition to the fight contract, Couture had previously signed an employment contract. He resigned from the organization in October 2007, and as part of the deal, he can’t work for a rival promotion for a full year from that date.
“The existence of an actual contract between HDNet Fights and Couture is believed to be key to the company’s action in Texas,” Swift reported. “Without it, it is unlikely that the court would find an actual controversy ripe for adjudication.“
Couture and HDNet Fights contend that the UFC hall-of-famer is free to compete outside the organization once that October date comes since his fight/promotional contract, they allege, expires in July. However, the UFC contends that the fight contract stays valid indefinitely under a special “retirement clause.“
In the court filing, HDNet Fights called the clause “illegal” and contends that such indefinite employment restrictions are illegal in Texas.
HDNet Fights launched in 2007 and has hosted two shows to date. However, using the all-high-definition cable station HDNet, the organization has signed deals to co-promote shows with some of the sport’s top fight promotions, including the International Fight League, Strikeforce, SportFight and the Canadian-based Maximum Fighting Championships.
Emelianenko is currently signed to a non-exclusive contract with M-1 Global.
Couture and Cuban. Two assholes that are going to ruin MMA.
ReplyDeleteHi Dana. Still doing good?
ReplyDeleteYou fucking guys are really lighting my "Fuck Randy, that lying, cowardly, money grubbing asshole," fire.
ReplyDeleteI never really agreed 100% with Greg's accusation of Randy ducking Nog. Well, that is up until this whole shitstorm rose up from the bowels of soap opera.
Either Randy fights Nog, or he is a fucking coward. Plain and simple.
And fuck Fedor too. He is just as bad.
Oh, and fuck Cro Cop, just because.
Thanks Juji,
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything you said.
It's all about the money and capitalizing on the MMA community's buzz about Fedor/Couture to see who is the best Heavyweight in the world.
If Randy was to fight Nog and lose then Randy's requested fight would never happen against Fedor if he was no longer the UFC HW Champ because it would have no relevance to the MMA community.
Fedor's handlers are to blame for the folks he's been lined up to fight and also why he is not signed with the UFC.
Apparently, Dana wanted to sign Fedor with the understanding that he could never leave the UFC as the reigning Champion which, is a legal form of fighter slavery which is why Fedor's crew wanted to have the control instead of walking into another mess that Couture is currently battling.
I would like nothing more than to see Couture and Fedor fight so we can shift our focus back on to what matters in MMA instead of a circus side-show/pissing contest between the two fighters that has nothing to offer other than bragging rights and of course, the biggest fighter payday in MMA History.
But for Couture as he said, it's about the respect and not the money and also, he says it's what the fans want to see - LOL
The biggest winner in all of this is going to Mark Cuban's HDNet if he can legally swipe Couture from the UFC to make this fight happen.
Cro Cop is too damn stubborn to evolve in MMA which is why he is having difficulty adapting not to the UFC brand of MMA but rather, MMA that exists today as opposed to that of 2-5 years ago.
I also made mention of Matt Hughes and Rich Franklin as well as my favourite tool, Tito Ortiz doing absolutely nothing to evolve in mixed martial arts and now we are seeing the results of their lack of MMA evolvement.
- From my prison cell in a maximum security facility somewhere beneath the ancient glaciers of Antarctica on a 28.8 baud connection... Greg :)