The most lucrative star in UFC history, lightweight champion Conor McGregor, watched as the Mixed Martial Arts Athletes Association publicly debuted in November. A number of prominent figures publicly supported the effort including Georges St-Pierre, Cain Velasquez, Tim Kennedy, TJ Dillashaw, Donald Cerrone.
However, another one of them was not like the others. Bellator founder Bjorn Rebney spent two years working on establishing a fighter organizing effort. At some point he partnered on it with CAA, the Pepsi to new UFC owner WME-IMG’s Coke. The group’s stated intention is to get the UFC to acquiesce to a fighter’s union in exchange for an anti-trust exemption, like that enjoyed by the NFL. The union would then seek to increase the fighter’s share of revenue to around 50% from what they report is about 8%.
The group’s president Tim Kennedy said the public inclusion of Rebney was a mistake.
“He has no authority and he has no position within the Mixed Martial Arts Athletes Association and he has no vote,” said Kennedy. He’s never been a part in a sense that he has any authority or ability to affect anything. The only people that can vote are board members and the only ones people that can be board members are fighters.”
Still, Rebney founded the group, and appears to be its architect. McGregor watched the group’s debut, listened to GSP’s plea that he come on board, and was not impressed.
I’m watching this union thing, it like a press conference, and I’m like, what the foo* is going on here? said McGregor during the recent PPV Q&A, as transcribed by Shaun Al-Shatti for MMA Fighting. They’re standing up, they’re all wearing the same t-shirt. They’re saying, ‘Conor, please. Conor, please, you know what’s right. Help us out, Conor.’ And Georges is saying, ‘Conor’s a good person. I know he gets paid well, but he doesn’t get paid enough.’ And I’m like, what the foo* are you talking about?
The only reason you’re standing in the middle of that union is because you couldn’t get the deal you want. You’re the fakest of everyone up there.
As fighters, as a person who’s dedicated everything, and as a person who can retire now comfortably, I look at situations that my peers are in and people who are signed to the promotion, there needs to be something.”
There needs to be something, but that wasn’t it. That was a bunch of… I don’t know what that was. That was like a failed promoter, your man what’s-his-name — that was like a failed promoter, Georges was up there angry because he couldn’t get the deal that he wanted. It was just the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.
There needs to be something, I just don’t know what it is. I’m focusing on me. I’m focusing on my family’s security, my family’s financial security. That’s all I can do. So I when I saw that, I just thought it was the biggest, fakest load of s*** I’ve ever seen in my life. So, I don’t know. I wish everyone well, but you need to focus on yourself. You need to stop putting your hand out. Everyone’s hands are out, everyone wants things for free. You’ve got to put in the work, you’ve got to grind, you’ve got to go through the struggle, and you’ve got to get it.
You deserve it, go get it. Don’t complain, don’t cry. Get the foo* up and go get it. And a lot of people don’t do that. A lot of people cry and complain and put their hand out and beg, and it never goes well. So, I don’t know. There needs to be something. I just don’t know what that is.
