Randy Couture has thrown some serious shade at Dana White and the UFC, accusing them of letting their big ego get in the way of something fans would love to see — a cross-promotion championship fight.
White has a blanket policy against it and has always laughed off the idea. Couture’s statement is hard-hitting, but coming from a legend and former champion, it’s definitely stirring up conversation.
The UFC is by far the biggest MMA promotion in the world. It does not need any other promotion to put on a show with over 600 athletes on its roster and almost all of the biggest names in MMA.
Therefore, from White’s point of view, the reluctance to put on an event with another promotion seems rational. The UFC does not have much to gain, but the organization with which it partners will see all the upside.
However, it is robbing fans of some great fights that do not sit well with Couture. In a recent interview, he said-
“Maybe we can create those champion vs. champion fights. I know the UFC’s got too big an ego to let that happen. I don’t see the champ in the ufc ever getting a shot at fighting the champ from PFL or any other organisation for that matter, and that’s unfortunate. That’s a shame that the fans are never going to get to see those type of matchups”
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Couture added that this was why he could not fight Fedor Emelianenko back in the day. He stated that M-1 wanted to get the fight done between the two men, but White wanted no part of it. While other promotions might have been closer to the UFC back in the day, today, it is not even a fair comparison.
White reveals the total cost of the upcoming UFC event
Just to give readers an idea of what the UFC is capable of, White and his team are gearing up for their first-ever event at the Sphere. The newly opened venue in Las Vegas is set to host a live sports event for the first time, a UFC event. The UFC has already pumped $20 million into the event to achieve that feat, even before a single punch has been thrown.
Such is Dana White and the UFC’s financial firepower, know-how, and power. Unfortunately, given the UFC’s current situation, it makes absolutely no sense for Couture to have a cross-promotional event with any other promotion, as it only benefits the other organization.
