Side note: Affliction gave away these shirts to members of the press. Yes, I do have one. The collar and bottom hem are carefully ripped. I would probably wouldn’t sport it unless it looked like Kent’s, but it is still a rather generous gesture.

A nice gesture? I guess, if you’re actually into guido-fashion Affliction tees. My first thought however was to question the motives behind shelling out $40 plus designer tees to over 50 members of the media. It could be innocent enough. But still can’t help but wonder what kind of press stories will be written on the event now with all the pencil jockeys still relishing the high of being gifted such a lovely token of appreciation.

Asked how he was doing early in the interview, Urijah Faber says he’s “ready to rock.” He’s approaching this just like any other fight. “It’s a fight between two tough ass dudes and that’s the way I’m gonna keep it,” he says.

About him talking about taking the fight to the ground in past interviews, Jens Pulver says “We’ve gotta stand to start the fight…but I’m not gonna take bad shots to take the fight to the ground.” And it’s not all about the ground for Pulver either. “The biggest thing I want to get into is the clinches.” Pulver realizes it’s not going to be an easy fight though. “Urijah is too good…”

Pulver thinks Faber isn’t going to crack under the pressure of fighting at home because of all of the support. His biggest concern with Faber is him being fast and confident. “He can get out of anything he wants to.”

“This is not an easy sport…” says Faber. The pressure of fighting at home is the same as any other sport for him. “This is not a friendly environment, it’s a dangerous environment.”

Pulver says there difference between 145 and 155 is a catch 22 for him. He’s gotta be in shape to make weight, but he’s gonna be in shape and it’s his natural weight. He’s wrestled in the low 140’s and he’s a 145 pounder naturally. He’s shown that he can be a contender at 155 and his quick win over Cub Swanson certainly shows he’s ready to take on Faber at featherweight.

As far as making weight for Faber, he says there was rarely a weight class for him when he was in the 130’s. He says he’s putting on more weight now and walks around about 154 and sometimes up to 158lbs after a big dinner.

Asked if he thought the fight was champion versus legend, Faber says yes, definitely.
Regarding the lighter weight classes, Faber says “I’m so happy we have a place now and it’s doing a lot for the sport.” “I’m so happy to be one of the lead guys and in a position…I’m going to be a pioneer in the sport.” Talking more about the legend of Jens Pulver as a featherweight and a lightweight, Faber showed the ultimate respect. “If he puts me out cold, it’s not a lucky punch because he’s done it over and over again.”

“This is the biggest moment in my career” says Pulver. He also says his fight against Caol Uno and fighting in Vegas were both big moments, but the fight at WEC 34 is going to be the biggest for him.

As far as future WEC cards, Vegas is on the map says Dropick. Other venues in Nevada, California, Texas, New Jersey, and Florida are just a few of the next locations for the WEC. Versus is doing really well for sports and Dropick is happy to be partnered with the channel with their recent growth. He admitted that dates of WEC events are driven by the television schedules and the ratings for Sunday nights are good for the WEC. “So far it’s been great for us,” says Dropick.

“To Urijah and Jens credit…they’re pros, they’re marketable and we’ve gotten major exposure” says Dropick. Versus has also done a great job of marketing and promoting the WEC, says the VP. I definitely can’t disagree there. I’ve been seeing a lot of the WEC on TV. Dropick ends with “If you look at our chart, all it’s done is gone up…”

“I haven’t been up against anyone this explosive” says Pulver. He says he fought against guys at 160, but he hasn’t been up against anybody like this.

Then it’s asks what happened between the UFC show in Sacramento and the show in Columbus. There was barely a crowd reaction of Urijah Faber at his hometown and then the crowd exploded in Columbus when he was shown on the big screen at UFC 82. Faber credits the WEC, Versus, and the sponsors for doing a great job of showing him off between the two shows.

Dropick comes back to talk about the WEC and a PPV in 2009. He says I t doesn’t make sense to do things at the wrong times. He also talks a little about some UFC crossover fights that make sense at the right time.

Faber says his fight with a legend, Pulver, motivates him more.

Pulver says that he never wanted to fight at the higher weights, especially 170, just to be in the UFC in the past. He’s happy with the lower weights and representing wrestlers at 155 pounds and lower.

If the WEC is pushed off TSN in Canada due to game 7 of the NBA championship, the card will be broadcast on the alternate TSN channel.

Asked if they have anything else in the works aside from WEC Wreckage and the countdown shows on TV, Dropick says “it is the obvious next step.”

There will also be a preview lead-in show. Check the WEC website for more information.

The competitors thus far are:

HEIWA DREAM.1 Lightweight GP 2008 Opener
Date: March 15th, 2008
Place: Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan

LW GP 1st Round Fights:
J.Z. Calvan vs. Shinya Aoki

LW GP Participants:
Andre Dida
Mitsuhiro Ishida
Tatsuya Kawajiri
Caol Uno
Joachim Hansen
Gilbert Melendez
Luiz Azeredo
Artur Oumakhanov
Koutetsu Boku
Jung Bu-Kyung
Kazuyuki Miyata
Luiz Firmino

The schedule for these GPs are:

DREAM 2008 Schedule

March 15th - HEIWA DREAM.1 Lightweight GP Opening

April 29th - OLYMPIA DREAM.2 Middleweight GP Opening

May 11th - HEIWA DREAM.3 Lightweight GP 2nd Round

Mid June - OLYMPIA DREAM.4 Middleweight GP 2nd Round

July 21st - HEIWA DREAM.5 Lightweight GP Finals

Late September - OLYMPIA DREAM.6 Middleweight GP Finals

It should also be noted that Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic has made the jump to DREAM, as Brandt DeLorenzo noted here.

If you would like to see the Press Conference it is up at the Yarennoka!! website streaming here. You just need to click on the blue box that says 前編 - 中篇 - 後編 towards the side of the page to view the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd part of the press conference respectively.

(Thanks to Nightmare of Battle for card and schedule)

Dana White, Lorenzo Fertitta, and UFC CFO John Mulkey

Report by Brandt D. and Johnny P. of MMAOpinion.com

JOHN MULKEY (UFC Chief Financial Officer)
He gives a statement on Couture’s earnings from UFC this year. Here’s the breakdown:

UFC 68:
250k fight and 250k fight bonus
$900k based on 500k+ buys

UFC 74:
250k purse
485k buys
787k extra based on ppv buys
1.072M total

Regarding Couture’s claims of not being paid all the money from UFC 68, Mulkey claims Couture was paid 5 separate checks, and all but 17k has been cashed.

The term off the books was used a lot by Couture, Mulkey says that the money is taxable.

Dana White Statement
Dana said Couture wanted 500k signing bonus
White says Couture called him. Couture wanted back in w/ a signing bonus of half a million dollars. He explains the UFC’s concerns. They decided to give him 250 K up front, and 250 K after as his signing bonus, NOT the fight bonus.

Dana claims Couture was 436 K off on after-fight bonus. His tone showed frustration, though e was trying to be as factual and non-slanderous as possibly. I’d say he was looking to come across as sympathetic.

He explains how they cut fight bonuses after w/o having to do so contractually. Says nothing is “off the books”. Was upset over Randy calling the UFC a monopoly.

Q and A with Dana and Lorenzo Fertitta:
L. Fertitta says the company would operate same way if it was publicly owned or private.

Amazed any athlete would hand a contract to a reporter to be printed. He felt that his conversation with Randy the day before his Press Conference was good, or so he thought.

“Grossly inaccurate” - Lorenzo on Randy’s facts. “I feel like he damaged us” - Lorenzo on Randy’s Press conference statements.

Fertitta says that meeting at time of UFC in Anaheim went well in his opinon. It was actually a breakfast in Vegas. They addressed his (Randy’s) concerns over rumors and his concerns about others being paid more.

Dana White jumps in and says Randy “jumped us” that day when accusing them of issues he’s outlined (his pay, fighting Fedor, non-fighting issues). Felt that Randy never gave them any time to address his situation “We’ve never said no to him”.

Dana doesn’t feel Fedor is the number 1 star (journalist asks about losing Fedor as # 1 and Couture at #2). “Fedor is a farce” said White. “Randy Couture is the number one heavyweight”.

Dana says he doesn’t know what he did wrong. A lot of things Randy was saying at the meeting weren’t about fighting. His concerns were mostly non-fighting.

White wouldn’t have paid Fedor millions and doesn’t think Fedor is top 5 Heavyweight. He only wanted to sign him to give Couture his fight.

Dana never thought he’d be “here” with Couture. Felt the relationship with Couture was good since TUF 1.

Dana says Randy didn’t tell truth at his press conference, but if he and Tito Ortiz can work things out, they can with Randy.

Dana says today is the last day you’ll hear he and/or Lorrenzo Fertitta talk about this. They will pass out info to media at conference with the facts (a check cashed by Randy with the amounts he was paid). L. Fertitta says “Randy said things to hurt us”. Brought up Couture handing Kevin Iole of Yahoo his pay stub saying “add it up”. When you add up the real pay, Fertitta says, it’s just under 3 million.

Dana says they want Couture to live up to the contract.

Dana discusses previous disputes with Couture. The Maxim photo shoot where Couture wanted to be paid for the shoot and Dana felt he should have done it for the good of the company.

Lorenzo Fertitta feels Couture has always been given a shot at the title and promoted. Dana says the same thing.

“I think it’s from his puke Hollywood agent who got in his ear” - Dana on where the dispute started with Couture.

Dana has no idea where this is going or what’s the “end game”, but they feel Couture is in the wrong.

Dana says several times they consider Randy Couture the heavyweight champion. will offer him a fight this week, most likely with Noguiera.

Dana has no idea if Couture has been made offers, and says maybe what you said makes a lot of sense to reporter who presents the idea in a question.

Dana feels if Randy turns down the fight he’s retiring, and they’ll take the next two challengers in line for a Heavyweight championship match.

Dana says fighters don’t want the terms of their contracts out. “I hate talking about money (in public).” Dana feels Randy must be mad at him personally. Quites Randy. Says he called him tons of times, can’t get him on the phone. Finally got him on the phone, thought they had a good conversation, and the next day was the press conference. “I’m not a bad guy”

Dana says they’ll do everything in their power to make sure Couture honors the contract.

A reporter who is identified from TIME MAGAZINE asks how much UFC makes since fighters make less then other major sports. Dana brings up PGA pay. says after Woods and Mikelson it drops far down. Some guys make “only 77 K”. Says most guys make a lot of money outside the Octagon.

Dana says they UFC has 100 employees and has a large infrastructure. They are run as a business, not a singular boxing promotion.

Randy wanted a piece of the back end, “which is smart”. Dana says alot of guys bring in more PPV buys then Randy.

2 fights plus salary means Randy will make 2.9 million in 2007 (this year), paid 10 days after UFC gets money from PPV companies.

More clarification of the money/contract issues. You can’t resign from a contract, you retire. “I can’t believe I’m here right now!” in response to Dave Meltzer asking specifics.

“You will never see Lorenzo Fertitta at a press conference again” Dana when asking for final questions.

Question on stance on sports betting: Lorenzo says they are fine with legal betting. Think it’s good for the sport.They’ve never taken a bet on UFC at a Stations Casino (Fertitta owned).

On talks w/ M-1 to send Randy there, Dana says they haven’t and won’t do that. Lorenzo says starting with the UK, the UFC wants to expand globally, and wants to expand to Canada and then Mexico.

Dana says “Fedor would have never made more then Randy Couture”. Says Randy doesn’t even know what he was getting (referring to his press conference).

Dana says he’s never felt there was a big problem with Randy, and only problems were small business. Says he liked Randy, and feels this was motivated by Randy’s agent. Lorenzo shocked the way this went down.

Dana says we decided not to sign with HBO. The Couture situation has been the worst of HBO, Fedor, and Couture.

Asked if this is part of growing pains of sport: “It’s part of the business”. Tito Ortiz feud is brought up. Lorenzo brings it back to buying UFC in 2001 and how they’ve paid
everyone and propped up the fighters/business. He says they’d know they made it when they could pay a fighter 1 million dollars for one fight.