UFC President: EA Sports doesn't care about MMA
- July 13, 2009 16:23 PM PST
- Email this!
UFC President Dana White announces his company is at war with EA, making it clear to fighters that sign on with EA Sports's new MMA title: work for the competition, and you're out of a job.
READ: GamePro Sports' impressions of UFC 100
Get ready for a fight: UFC and EA Sports are officially going to war in the MMA market. Ultimate Fighting Championship and THQ's success with UFC 2009 Undisputed (over one million copies sold in a single month) has generated some competition in EA Sports, who recently announced their own mixed martial arts title, appropriately titled EA Sports MMA. UFC President Dana White is not happy with the developer, who reportedly refused a previous partnership.
In a expletive-laden interview with MMA Junkie, Dana White lambasted EA Sports for attempting to cash-in on MMA's newfound popularity after the company refused prior approaches to a video game deal. According to White, EA Sports said to the UFC that mixed martial arts was "not a real sport," and that the company wanted nothing to do with them. However, EA Sports is now directly challenging THQ and the UFC, having announced EA Sports MMA during a press conference at this year's E3 show.
Dana White's message to his UFC fighters is clear: Sign up with EA Sports, and you could be out of a job.
"It's easy to sit on the other side of the table and judge me on how I react to stuff like this," White said. "But let me tell you what -- I've been in the trenches for almost 10 years, and I've been dealing with all these businesses, and EA was one of them."
"We put our asses on the line, THQ and the UFC, to make a video-game deal in the worst economy in the world," White said. "We go out there and do this thing, and it's successful, and now [expletive] EA Sports wants to do a video game. Really? That's not what you told us a year-and-a-half ago.
"You told us you'd never be in business with us. They wouldn't even take a meeting because mixed martial arts disgusted them. This wasn't a real sport. Boy, they got over that real quick, didn't they?"
With UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture and former UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia already announced as headliners for EA Sports MMA, Dana White is already drawing a line in the sand for the rest of his roster. Sign up with EA Sports and "You won't be in the UFC."
Yikes, when Dana White's talking business, he definitely goes for the throat. While I can't blame EA Sports for wanting to cash in on the MMA bandwagon, this could really suck for mid-card fighters that don't make a lot of money to begin with. Besides, turning a profit as an MMA fighter is tough enough, and video game rights can generate a good paycheck.
More Top GamePro Stories
Comments [28]
-
- Jump To Page:
- [ 1 ]
- 2
- 3
- 3
-
- Jul 13 2009 at 02:38:58:PM PST
-
good for him taking a stand against money hungry assholes who will do anything to make a profit
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +9
- report user
yeah i agree with dana white here.screw ea sports mma lol its gonna suck anyway and be like every other ea sports game !
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +0
- report user
Dana means business and I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I mean, he certainly wants to and has a right to protect his product and his company, but like others have already said, mid-card fighters could use the extra cash from video game royalties and it might not be fair to forbid that from them. I guess if they value their careers they better not sign on that line.
If you're interested in GamePro Sports' thoughts on UFC 100 head here. You can also watch Henderson's ridiculous knock out over and over for as long as the video stays up on YouTube!
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +2
- report user
Double Standard by EA, for them to make those comments, then to turn around and do something else, to take advantage of the recent success UFC is having, by creating a MMA Game of there own when they was against it in the first place
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +2
- report user
He defintely keeps his pimp hand strong but EA would probably make MMA watered down compared to how THQ made it.
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +0
- report user
I fully support Dana, despite how he always has to have his way. But EA had their chance, they said "no", so fuck them. And theres no way they could make a better game than the one THQ made. That game is awesome.
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +4
- report user
And Dana White delivers a huge jab to EA right in the face, and EA looks like it's struggling to get back on its feet, this is not the way anyone expected the match to go!
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +1
- report user
