UFC President Dana White's comments on Wednesday about welterweight Jon Fitch's dismissal from his company perked up more than a few ears in the industry.One party interested in Fitch's services: Tom Atencio, Vice President of Affliction Entertainment. White named the "t-shirt guys" as a potential home for the American Kickboxing Academy fighter in the wake of his unemployment.
MMAInsider spoke to Atencio Thursday afternoon, where he confirmed Fitch would be welcome to fight for Affliction.
"Yes I am," Atencio said of his interest. "Does that mean we're going to get him? Don't know."
Atencio commended Fitch for standing up to the proverbial 800lb. gorilla.
"I think if you don't agree with something, than you should stand up for what you don't agree with," he continued. "And I've got to give it to him, he's got balls for doing it."
Though he admits Affliction's welterweight division is thin at the moment, he says the problem can soon be fixed, and Fitch could sign a non-exclusive deal with the company.
"We're still working both ways," Atencio said of Affliction's contracts. "There's some guys that want to fight in Japan and want to fight in Canada. Until we get going full bore and get 12 fights a year or whatever we'll end up doing, it's really hard for us to hold these guys to anything and make them sit on the bench. If they're not making money, they're not paying their bills. If they're not fighting, they're going to get ring rust. I don't want to do that to them."
As the number two ranked welterweight in the world, it's likely Fitch will soon have several suitors.
"I think he's a great fighter," Atencio said. "He's at the top of his game."
3 comments:
Dana White thinks he is Don King."My way or the highway"
That only works when you are the only show in town. The world of MMA has changed. Mr White cannot dominate fighters because now there are other venue's.
Dana Wite is a fucking piece of shit!! Seriously, i have always supported Whatever he has done, no matter his public perception. But this is just fucking ridiculous. Over a motherfucking VIDEO GAMMEEEE!!!Dana thinks he can do and say anything he wants because he "built MMA" into a mainstream sport, or so he says. WRONG! the fans built it and were the ones giving him fucking money. FUCK THAT im not shelling out my cash to a dictatorship that does this kinda shit no more. I mean this kid (fitch)is ranked NUMBER 2 at Welter!! NUMBER TWO!!! and he gets fired because he wont sign away his face and name to a video game 4ever. One day, 5, 10 , maybe 15 more years will go by and Dana going to be in an MMA World he doesnt own no more and when that day comes... fighters, promoters, the media, writers, and fans are going to spew the most venomnous backlash possible at this man. And hes gunna be sitting there crying like a baby thinking to himself.... Maybe i should have acted like a fucking human being!
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