Comments on: Pat Miletich on WAMMA, the UFC, and Unionization

By: Urijah Faber wants a fighter’s union - Fightlinker - MMA, UFC, and other funny fight crap

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:57:14 +0000

[...] something shiny distracted him. Past that, the only people talking about a union are disgruntled former UFC fighters and the occasional blogger on a slow news day. But now check out Urijah Faber’s latest [...]

By: Samus Aran

Samus Aran — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:29:11 +0000

Danny Ocean: Miletich: “Look, a lot of organizations have belts, and that’s fine. But MMA needs an undisputed belt. People need to understand that being an organizational champion in no way, shape or form makes you the undisputed world champion. It’s very important for fans to understand that. The athletes need to understand this, too. It’s to everyone’s benefit.” Then, later on in the interview What are you most proud of in your fighting career? “Holding the title for 3 and a half years” Think about that… He’s proud of holding “the title”. The UFC title. He held it for 3.5 years, great! Except that he lost 3 times as champion and never lost his title.

It does state up top that the phone interview was edited. Pat may well have said "the UFC title", and simply had it edited out to that. Unless the interviewer or editor comments, we can't know that. As for that simply being his big thing, what's wrong with that? Holding a UFC belt is no small feat.

By: Miletich Talks WAMMA, Sports Agents, UFC Gyms | MMA Videos, UFC Videos | MMA moz

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 10:31:27 +0000

[...] Miletich is going to have problems being taken seriously). Pat recently sat down with SportsAgentBlog to talk about his role with WAMMA as well as a host of other issues, some business related: [...]

By: mattman

mattman — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 04:37:40 +0000

First off the UFC has done so much for the sport and has been around way before WAMMA was even a thought. To hold anything against the UFC for not wanting to join WAMMA is utterly ridiculous and stupid. The UFC didn’t ask for WAMMA. The UFC has no obligation to join WAMMA.

Also there will never be a belt you can call an undisputed belt. That is just a talking point they are using trying to sell their idea. Every country has different rules and regulations for fight promotions. Some countries don’t even regulate it at all the promotions pretty much regulate themselves. Every fight organization in the world would have to agree to a set of unified rules before you could even began to discuss if an “Undisputed” belt would be possible.

What is wrong with just accepting each organization has it’s own champion? I got no problem accepting the DREAM Champions as just that. I got no problem accepting the UFC Champions as just that UFC Champions.

As for WAMMA the only thing I have seen from them is that WAMMA is looking at it more like what they can get out of the sport more so than what they can put into the sport. Example being their major priority is getting their “Disputed” WAMMA belts on people so that they can sell the naming rights to those belts to make money. WAMMA isn’t doing any of the other good stuff on their website they are claiming they were invented to do. Of course they don’t have to because the one organization they try to vilify the most in the UFC is doing most of that good stuff they claim they were invented to do. Such as getting MMA regulated in all states.

By: Danny Ocean

Danny Ocean — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 01:28:59 +0000

Miletich:

“Look, a lot of organizations have belts, and that’s fine. But MMA needs an undisputed belt. People need to understand that being an organizational champion in no way, shape or form makes you the undisputed world champion. It’s very important for fans to understand that. The athletes need to understand this, too. It’s to everyone’s benefit.”

Then, later on in the interview

What are you most proud of in your fighting career?

“Holding the title for 3 and a half years”

Think about that… He’s proud of holding “the title”. The UFC title. He held it for 3.5 years, great!

Except that he lost 3 times as champion and never lost his title.

By: Keith

Keith — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:28:09 +0000

Nice interview with a great champion. However, the WAMMA title remains illegitimate until the UFC gets involved just as the UFC title will never be a world title either.

Lets hope that one day we will see cross promotional fights involving the UFC.

By: Katrina @ theultimatefemalefighter.com

Katrina @ theultimatefemalefighter.com — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 20:18:11 +0000

Good interview. Nice to hear from a fighter who’s strong and smart on so many levels. I think part of the issue with WAMMA is trust on the part of people who have been in the MMA industry. It’s hard to trust any new venture. Pat’s involvement will certainly go far to legitimize this organization, as this interview intimates. Would like to hear more!

By: kamander @ MMA Ratings.net

kamander @ MMA Ratings.net — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:11:10 +0000

Nice interview. Despite Tim Lee’s anti-WAMMA op-ed (http://blog.mmaratings.net/2009/01/dr-mmas-column-my-problem-with-wamma.html), I always supported what WAMMA is trying to do, and don’t understand why so many others in the MMA media don’t do the same.