Abdel-Aziz discusses departure from WSoF
“It’s been a great run with World Series of Fighting and they amazing group. Everyone there I have nothing but love and respect for. “
WSOF CEO Carlos Silva told MMAjunkie that the company has parted ways with longtime executive Ali Abdel-Aziz. The release was described as amicable, and centered on conflict-of-interest concerns around Abdel-Aziz working as both a fight manager, and acting at points in the capacity of a matchmaker.
As the de facto director of Dominance MMA, Abdel-Aziz manages the careers of UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos, Frankie Edgar, Renzo Gracie, and a number of other fighters. The company is technically owned by his wife.
The concerns were first raised by the excellent MMA journalist Mike Russell. When the Nevada Athletic Commission was made aware, the pressure on Abdel-Aziz to choose increased. The dual role was also cited in a lawsuit against WSOF, filed by business partner WSOF Asia.
“We all sat down as a team with (WSOF President Ray Sefo) and Ali, and we made a decision together that it was appropriate to part ways amicably,” said WSOF CEO Silva to Steven Marrocco for MMAjunkie. “Ali’s got a business to run. He’s going to go back into that business 100 percent of the time and grow that business. We wish him well.”
Abdel-Aziz spoke with Ariel Helwani about the split.
“It’s been a great run with World Series of Fighting and they amazing group,” said Abdle-Aziz, as transcribed by Real Fight Stories. “Everyone there I have nothing but love and respect for. Ray Sefo, Keith Evans, Carlos Silva, Kevin [Alires], you’re always gonna be family, but I have a meeting a couple weeks ago with [Nevada Athletic Commission executive director] Bob Bennett, Athletic Commission, and he’s an amazing guy. He gave me some great advice and we talked about all this year how I got into this business managing Renzo Gracie, you know. This is what I been. Our relationship with a lot of the fighters under Dominance MMA, uh, we train together, we sweat together, you know, and become family. And I realize after three years it’s just too much for me. It’s too much for me, for my family, and I have to choose one love. I have two loves — being a promoter and being a manager, but at this moment, you know… uh… me and World Series of Fighting we talked about it and, uh… we decide I think it’s better for me just to focus on Dominance MMA Management, try to grow it.
World Series of Fighting is an amazing promotion. Many, many fighters are lucky to have him around to give guys opportunities. They mean very well, and I think they’re gonna grow and grow. World Series of Fighting is gonna move on without me, with me. It’s become a big brand. It got good people behind it like Bruce Deifik — he fund this company and given a lot of opportunity, but at this moment I talked to Nevada athletic commission, and listen, all along I feel like, you know what, uh… I never hide it. I never said ‘Oh, I’m not a manager.’ I said I’m always gonna be part of Frankie Edgar’s life, part of [Fabricio] Werdum’s life, part of Renzo Gracie’s life, Rafael Natal’s life, Khabib [Nurmagomedov’s] life. This is my family also, but I realize I cannot have two love. I have to choose one love. World Series of Fighting helped me make this decision. I’m always going to be part of Carlos’ life, Keith’s life, Ray’s life, Kevin’s life, because these people I spent more time with World Series of Fighting than my own family, and they gonna be family for life.”
Russell wrote a long-form, two-part series on Adbel-Aziz that is unlike any other written in the history of MMA.
Ariel Helwani: “I would be remiss if I don’t ask you about a couple more things. A veteran journalist named Mike Russell has written a lengthy article about your alleged past. A lot of explosive things in that [story]. What can you tell us? Is this article accurate?”
Ali Abdel Aziz: “Listen… ah… you know… um… As everybody know, World Series of Fighting have… uh… you know… uh… This cockroach, I think he’s a manager… whatever he is I don’t even want to mention his name because you have to… you know… When a cockroach you see in the street you do two things — you step on him and crush him, or you just kick away and ignore. The way, like uh… I’m not gonna worry about anybody. I’m very proud. I can tell you this — I’m very proud of everything I did in my past. If you wanna make me look like a double o… whatever… a double o seven, whatever, listen…
Ariel Helwani: Is that true, though?
Ali Abdel-Aziz: Listen… you know… maybe whatever, five percent whatever the story’s true, but listen, if people… uh… whatever I did in the past I’m proud of. I have nothing to be ashames of. I accomplished so much in my life. I come to America with $100 in my pocket. I have no help. You know. I have to sleep in a pizzeria. Everything I have I worked for. If I was a bad person you know in this management game you do not manage guys like Renzo Gracie, Frankie Edgar, Rafael dos Anjos, Fabricio Werdum — and some of these guys I’ve been working for for seven years.
“Dominance MMA Management never had a guy left except for one guy: Derek Brunson and after that after he come back for three years. He’s one of my best friends and you can ask any of these guys — 40- 50 guys — how I take care of them and how I look out for them. And these people really know me.
“Everybody else if they wanna talk about me I really do not give a shit and I don’t give a crap. But I’m very happy and I really respect the media for not talking, because a lot of these people want to talk about negative stuff. The media focus about the positive stuff I did and I am very positive person. I’m not perfect. Everyone makes mistakes in life, but everything I did in the past I’m very proud of and I never did anything in my past not to be proud of and if I’m not proud of it I always issue apology about something I did. I just want to be clear, I never said, come out there and said I’m not a manager. I said I’m involved in these people’s life. My wife and her team run the company. I was involved on a really high level, but now I’m here. I’m, you know, I’m here in front you. I probably gonna… A lot of media gonna talk to me about stuff, and I’m gonna answer, but in a way I’m here. Dominance MMA to stay. World Series of Fighting to grow, be bigger than ever. And that’s it. I’m very happy today and I appreciate the opportunity you’re giving me to tell my story to the people.”
Lastly Helwani asked about the claim that he had been a member of the Egyptian Olympic Judo team in the 90s.
Abdel-Aziz said he was on the team for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, but did not make weight.