Josh Gross defends 2006 airing of TUF 4 finalists
Earlier this week, in a moment of truly unethical business rivalry, Brazil’s R7 Network released names of four members of…
Earlier this week, in a moment of truly unethical business rivalry, Brazil’s R7 Network released names of four members of the Brazilian version of TUF that they claim are the finalists (the shows are taped previously). R7 Networks had competed with and lost the rights to air TUF to Bazilian media giant OGlobo.
Given the sport’s history of false stories, the legitimacy of the names is up for some debate, but UFC President Dana White expressed outrage calling it crazy, dirty, dirty (again), and finally “Josh Gross dirty type shit.“
White’s remarks refer to then Sherdog.com Editor in Chief Josh Gross revealing the names of the TUF 4 finalists, which aired in 2006. Relations between Gross/Sherdog and the UFC head had not been genial previously, and worsened from there.
Now Gross has come on the Underground, and discusses is decision in an exchanged with several forum members.
Youabsolutelysuck
Doubt that’s really josh gross
Josh Gross
I’m using my 74th post on this. Scoreboard, my friend — “Member Since: 1/1/01.”
Edelweiss
Josh, I was reading a thread about this incident and nobody knew the details about one of the specifics — did you disclose the finalists before or after the UFC took away Sherdog’s media priveleges?
Josh Gross
After. But then they got them back and lost them again. Too hard to keep track. All MMA media outlets lost access before UFC 55. I still don’t know why. Some got back in, some didn’t.
Great read by Joe Hall (who went on to supplant me as editor of Sherdog) on the history of the site, including the credential stuff: http://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/mma-article.asp?aid=285&issid=21
PeterIrl
Why did you release the info?
Josh Gross
It was news. Season 4 winners got title fights, which meant much more than a game show contract. This was crowning No. 1 contenders. I had the names of the four guys that would compete for two title shots. I was also conscious many people would not want to know, so I reported it on a podcast and warned people to turn down the volume.
