I thought for a year or two “Killin’ Me Softly†was a Lauren Hill/Fuggee’s song. Even after I was informed of Roberta Flack’s original, I still thought Hill’s “Killin’†was better. You gotta love remakes. Especially when your target audience doesn’t even know it’s a rehash.
Randy Couture as the beloved old champion; A great history with one company, dabbling with others but ultimately coming back. Still the most cheered, even in his twilight; Carrying the banner for the flawed empire that is his home. Announcing. Speaking engagements. Fighting. Interviews. All for UFC.
Dana White as the brash young executive. The man who won the power grab, said he could move a mountain, and came out and did it. Often the loud mouth, teetering on that border between brilliant forward thinking businessman and slave-driving, oppressive, self-indulgent, drunk with power, owner. The stakes, always so high, and hovering above the eyes of a new, young, hungry, and observant media. But now, the two men are at odds. The lovable old man has taken all he can take. Respect is brought up. The Businessman scoffs at him. Money becomes and what it’s symbolic and real value is becomes a central issue. The people passionately react. How can this happen? Who can fix this? “We need our hero!†the fans scream, but he’s gone, and the man in the suit makes it easy to blame him.
I like this story. The characters are great. The progression and drama are all there. It’s compelling. I liked it the first time I watched it too. When Randy Couture was played by Ric Flair.
Before all self-proclaimed hardcores reach for your mouse to click on another site, please stop and open your minds. Don’t give me that “what’s wrestling got to do with this†crap. Shut up and listen. I have a point. I live in the Northeast. I could give a F$%K about NASCAR and racing in general, but I know there’s a parallel story in racing’s story too. I turn on ESPN Classic some days and find a lot to relate to in a sport I have no interest in. It’s all in how the information is packaged for you. So I encourage you to humor me and read on, because this isn’t a “how lowly dirty pro wrestling and the misunderstood beautiful beast of MMA are the same†article. It just so happens that the biggest story in MMA happened in pro wrestling a decade ago, and you might be interested in the results.
Eric Bischoff was a Minnesota salesman turned second-string wrestling announcer when he shocked co-workers by gaining power in Ted Turner’s World Championship Wrestling. The organization, which had its heritage in Mid-Atlantic, Georgia, Mid South, and Florida territories, was Southern Rasslin’ to WWF’s Primetime Broadway. Vince McMahon had the larger then life Hulk Hogan, and when Bischoff took the helm in 1993 WCW had Ric Flair.
Flair, who had the love of the fans in much of the country, particularly the Carolinas, was as great a bad guy as he was a good guy. They loved him for being good, but they really loved him for being bad. Regardless, Bischoff never saw the value from the moment he entered. Flair had left WCW once already and come back, and it was Bischoff’s aim to run him off again. He paid Hogan, Randy Savage, and anyone who had wrestled in North America for Vince McMahon in the 1980s anything they wanted to come wrestle for him. He paid old WCW wrestlers like Sting, Lex Luger, and the Steiner Brothers near a million dollars to show up sometimes and wrestle when they felt like it, even after expanding the live TV broadcasting to five hours weekly. Through all of this, Flair remained loyal. He’d be given an embarrassing storyline, and he’d do the task. He’d be booked to do small shows in nothing towns while his contemporaries sat at home faking injuries. He did it. He was constantly embarrassed, disrespected, and mocked on WCW TV, and still, Flair was a professional.
The final straw came in three quick points. Bischoff told Flair to disband his famous faction, The Four Horseman, who were a beloved and marketable franchise to the company. Bischoff went on a tirade in a locker room meeting, claiming only three men in the room had ever made money for any company (“draw†is the phrase he used), specifically not mentioning Flair as Flair sat feet away. And finally, after Flair had given notice to the office he would be attending his son’s national amateur wrestling tournament (while sitting at home and not being used), he was fired when they insisted he fly to Florida that week. For what? Even they didn’t know.
There’s something to be said for people who gain power in major companies and make big moves. Usually they share similar traits to politicians you know from your TV or newspaper. A wise person once told me, “If you want to be president, and your willing to do what it takes to win that election, you probably aren’t someone who should get the job”. Eric Bischoff, meet Dana White. Sympathetic ol’ Randy Couture, please hold on the line for a Mr. Flair.
Certainly all situations have there own unique details. This is not a carbon copy, nor is it perfectly analogous. But I think you see where I’m going. We’ve reach a point that has been silently built towards for a few years. Like an arms race, the walls went up fast, and once they do, we get… Well, dueling press conferences after the wrestler (Couture in this case) ambushes White (the promoter in this case) with a resignation/retirement/I don’t like you letter while Dana is in a meeting. Oh yeah, from another continent. And some people call backboard when they play HORSE?!
Much like Bischoff some ten years ago (Spring of 1998), telling anyone who would listen he’d sue Flair into bankruptcy, we get Dana’s newest press conference today. Couture is a liar. He works for UFC. “I got him†when it comes to ever fighting again. We get some really ill feelings made public, and quite a contractual mess.
The thing is, this isn’t just Dana’s fault. Couture, by his own admission could have fought Fedor in Bodog for three million. He chose to re-sign with UFC. No one forced him to sign his contract. Fedor, if he wanted to fight Couture, could have taken a very generous offer from the UFC. He chose his comfort and his country (and got the money too), which is admirable, but was his decision. No one is innocent. This is not a black and white issue. But it’s also not going to result in the quick fix of UFC contacting M-1 for a super fight anytime soon.
Get any delusions of Couture vs. Fedor cross-promotional superfight out of your head. To even sit down and discuss it goes against the entire business model and principles that Dana White and the Fertitta’s have set forth. They are nothing if not consistent since taking the lead in the MMA business race. Their press conference was no different.
It looks ugly right now. The press conference today only muddied the waters more as they provided supposed documentation of Randy Couture lying at his press conference. The fact you actually heard Lorenzo Fertitta speak in and of itself meant something. But this is still nothing a few days of mediation won’t solve. Randy still wants to fight, and the way that everything was conducted by the UFC Three, they still want Couture to be their guy. They actually played this surprisingly well considering Dana White was in front of a microphone for an hour Tuesday.
Once Randy figures out he can’t go anywhere else, gets in the gym with his guys and gets the urge, he’ll make the call. It won’t be this year, but he’ll make the call. And Dana White will be standing there with open arms ready to quietly reach some demands. More Money? No problem. More leverage. Sure, for the year or so you have left. Can you get over not fighting Fedor? Well, I guess that’s why you called in the first place. Mind announcing again while you get ready for the next fight? Thanks champ.
In all, I think you’ll be hearing the big announcement after the interim title match takes place in February on Super Bowl weekend. Then, or in the spring of 2008, when Couture and Dana inevitably bump into each other in Vegas, and White becomes charming again, as ex’s tend to be after a few drinks.
Flair, by the way, was all ready to walk out into the open arms of the WWF. Bischoff said he’d violated his contract. Flair had been sued and he counter-sued. And in early September of 1998, half a year after it started, the bad blood came to its natural conclusion. They settled out of court. Flair signed a new deal with WCW and returned to work. And he was treated like a loser until the company was bought in 2001. The massive insecurity of the most talented people, no matter how loved, is overwhelming sometimes. It is about more then respect, Mr. Iole. You just haven’t realize how much. Couture just wants to know he’s loved, and in the end, that he’s welcome home.
E-mail John Philapavage at johnnyp@mmaopinion.com
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October 31st, 2007 at 3:04 am
Actually, this is the most tortured analogy I’ve read all day. You’re not really serious with that digg counter there, are you?
October 31st, 2007 at 10:00 am
Tortured? I’m so stealing that. I like it. I’m not serious or joking about a Digg counter. It’s the sites decision, not the writers. Thanks for the feedback, Kev.
October 31st, 2007 at 7:07 pm
Sorry, I forgot to Digg this before. Done!