World Series of Fighting president Ray Sefo spoke recently with Submission Radio for a wide-ranging interview.
The Reebok Deal ended up with lower fighter payouts than anticipated, and significant pushback from fighters. Sefo said he would cautiously consider a similar sponsorship deal for WSoF.
I wouldn’t say no, you know what I mean,” Sefo said. “But it’s something where I’d have to sit down with my team and talk about it and discuss, does it benefit the fighters? Does it benefit the company? So all these things gotta be taken into account and we’ll see. But it’s not a closed off matter or a ‘no’ to that.
He said further that if faced with fighter feedback like the UFC is experiencing, he would change the policy.
Personally, if I had to answer that for myself, yeah one hundred percent I would,” I would. “Because I want my guys, my team, my fighters to be happy with whatever they’re…or to be paid what they deserve. So in saying that, me personally yes, I would change it. But again, when it comes to such a big corporate decision like that, it would have to be a team decision, and again like I said earlier, I can only speak for what I can do and for what I know, but I can’t really speak too much about the other situation because I don’t know what the structure is at the UFC and how that’s all done. But yeah it’s something that obviously I want to see the fighters get paid what they deserve. So bottom line.
The WSoF recently released Melvin Guillard after a short but tumultuous tenure. The fighter complained that WSoF failed to deliver on promises.
That’s new to me because he’s never talked to me about anything,” said Sefo. “I feel like we have treated him more than fair; and again listen, I’m a fighter so I’m going to fight for the fighters first and foremost, but when you’re a fighter that’s being difficult and think you’re bigger than the sport, then I’m not gonna tolerate that at all. I don’t care who you are. And so again, it’s hard to say because sometimes fighters think they’re more than what they’re…they’re bigger than the sport, and that’s never going to be the case. You know what I mean?
“Listen, the guy is a talented fighter so I wish him the best, but at the same it’s like you gotta understand that it doesn’t matter which promotion you go to, you gotta show respect and you gotta give respect, and for you to get respect back, you gotta show them the same kind of – you know, treat people the way you want to be treated. It’s really simple.
Further, Sefo said Guillard is not banned for life from the WSoF.
I don’t think any door should be closed to a fighter like Melvin, because Melvin’s an entertaining fighter,” he said. “He’ll come to fight, but at the same time, fighting is one thing. You as a fighter, there are things that comes with it, especially in the US. Part of your job is to market yourself and promote yourself as much as we promote you, and you gotta be available to do interviews and things like that, and if you’re not, then it’s very difficult to try and market you and try to put you out there. So again, fighting is just one part of what your career is. You know what I mean? And so no, the door’s not closed to Melvin, but in saying that, he’s gotta again step up and show some respect to whoever he works with.
The UFC recently stripped Jon Jones of his title after the fighter was charged with felony fleeing the scene of an accident in which a pregnant woman broke her arm. Sefo said the UFC made the right decision, and sent a clear message.
Again, I’ve only read and heard what’s been in the social media and what I can say is, I wish him the best and I wish that he gets help and gets cleaned up and gets back, because he’s a phenomenal talent,” said Sefo. “He’s great for the sport, and so I think what UFC’s done and I think Jon Jones is kind of really given them no choice but to do what they did.
“I think it also sets the bar in terms of saying ‘guys, although it doesn’t matter if you’re champion or not, you’re representing the company as well as yourself, as well as the sport’. So I think that sends out that message and I think it’s a positive one. Again, you know I feel for Jon Jones because I’ve met him many a times and he seems….you know says hello to me and is always a great guy. So I wish him the very best and I hope that he does get cleaned up and comes back to the sport; because again like I said, he’s a phenomenal talent, great fighter, and he’s proven that time and time again. So I wish him nothing but the best.
Sefo is also a fighter, and expressed willingness to rematch with UFC heavyweight Mark Hunt. The pair fought previously under K-1 Rules in 2001, with Sefo taking a decision.
Yeah, absolutely,” he said. “I think that fight really established who Mark and I are as fighters. Although I won that fight, but everybody got to see what Mark is made of. You know what I mean? And Mark is, you know him and I are friends and I consider him a friend, I support him one hundred percent in his career. I mean like he’s had an amazing career. So we also have talked about, you know getting back in there and mixing it up, and so yeah if time presents itself and time is right then I think it could happen.
When we were in Japan the last time together – I think Brad [Tavares] was fighting and Mark was on the card as well – and we were like ‘hey, have you heard about there’s a couple of people talking about putting this fight together between you and I?’ And he’s like ‘Yeh that’s right.’ So we’re talking, going back and forth, going ‘yeah we should make it happen, yeah definitely let’s make it happen’ (laughs).
I think it would be round four from the last time. I honestly think so, because again, Mark is that type of fighter and he’s not going to take a back step and I’m not going to take a back step. So I think it’s going to go from round three to round four, and then it will just continue from there. And again, the outcome, you know in my mind it’ll be still the same, but in Mark’s mind it might be different. You know what I mean? But that’s what makes it a great fight, is because we’re both willing to go out there and put it all on the line.
