UFC 2009 Undisputed News Post

Dana White: "EA Doesn't Give a **** About MMA"

08:26 PM - July 13, 2009 by Steve_OS

Quote:


	"In what started out as an internet rumour, UFC president, Dana White, confirmed after Saturday's UFC 100 that anyone appearing in EA's MMA title would not fight in the UFC. MMAjunkie are reporting that White stated that he was at "war" with EA Sports and insisted that they didn't throw the first punch. "EA Sports told us, 'You're not a real sport,'" White said. "'We wouldn't touch this thing. We want nothing to do with this.'" "We put our asses on the line, THQ and the UFC, to make a video-game deal in the worst economy in the world," White said. "We go out there and do this thing, and it's successful, and now ******* EA Sports wants to do a video game. Really? That's not what you told us a year-and-a-half ago." "You told us you'd never be in business with us. They wouldn't even take a meeting because mixed martial arts disgusted them. This wasn't a real sport. Boy, they got over that real quick, didn't they?"

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Member Comments

# 1 WeLLWeLL @ 07/13/09 08:34 PM

For the first time in a while I actually agree with Dana White. If what he says is true than how could you not support that.

# 2 TreyIM2 @ 07/13/09 09:02 PM

Woooww, so much for the politically correct statement from the UFC, eh? Lol. The way he sounded, I almost completely believe him because to be honest, I don't actually like MMA. It's a bit barbaric "compared to boxing" and I really didn't think much of the sport making it this far so a bit of what EA was thinking, so was I. It's fun to play as a video game but actually watching it is brutal, at times. I loved the UFC 2009 demo but not enough to buy it.

As for how he feels, I don't blame him being angry at EA and now that they see that the UFC is really doing well, these days, they want to NOW get a piece of the pie. I dunno how long THQ has the license for but once it expires, Dana may wanna re-think his position. For now, it's OK and so is his stance but at the end of the day, it's business, so if I were him, I'd let both EA AND THQ split the license, and whoever else wants in because it will definitely pay off lovely.

# 3 Heelfan71 @ 07/13/09 09:17 PM

go Dana ! Doesn't surprise me EA said all that .

# 4 Wet Bandit @ 07/13/09 09:24 PM

Co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta made similar comments at the UFC Fan Expo over the weekend:

"...when we had the opportunity to go out and build a video game who do you think the first people we called was? EA Sports… We sat in the room with them and I would have cut a worse deal just to be with EA Sports. I wanted them so bad. They looked at them and they told us they didn't think MMA was a sport. This was three years ago. They said the UFC was irrelevant and that we were wasting their time. So we went down the street and did a deal with THQ and they thought MMA was a sport. So we stick with the guys who stick with us. Now the UFC video game has been a massive success with three million copies sold. And guess what EA wants to do? They want to do an MMA game now…"

# 5 TracerBullet @ 07/13/09 09:39 PM

I don't get why poeple say it's not a port or it won't catch on. Even a few years ago the UFC was growing pretty fast. Sucks EA missed their chance but it's their own fault if these statements are true (which I think they are). They treated the UFC just like ESPN does, talk about how its just chaos and there's no skill to it. Sad. Oh well though maybe EA can still maek a good game and hopefully THQ continues to build their already promising franchise.

# 6 aholbert32 @ 07/13/09 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ufgators253


	I don't get why poeple say it's not a port or it won't catch on. Even a few years ago the UFC was growing pretty fast. Sucks EA missed their chance but it's their own fault if these statements are true (which I think they are). They treated the UFC just like ESPN does, talk about how its just chaos and there's no skill to it. Sad. Oh well though maybe EA can still maek a good game and hopefully THQ continues to build their already promising franchise.

ESPN showed a lot of love to the UFC this weekend.

# 7 RaychelSnr @ 07/13/09 09:59 PM

Well, we know that EA won't be getting THAT license anytime soon

# 8 SouthernBrick @ 07/13/09 10:54 PM

Lmao. I'm going to love to see how this turns out. If I was a fighter I wouldn't be in the game anyway. There all already rich and theres already a UFC game so I wouldn't be in another one. I respect Dana for what he's doing because, if someone told me what I did for a living was a joke and then wanted to make money off of it once its doing well then I wouldn't want them having anything.

If the fighters of the UFC have any pride about what they do for a living then they will not be in EA's game since EA didn't care about the sport enough to even have a meeting about it. Money talks though so its going to be funny to see how this turns out.

# 9 elgreazy1 @ 07/13/09 11:27 PM

I'm sure Dana White might change his mind down the line when EA shows up with stacks of cash as they did with the NFL license. Regardless, you have to give the man some props for telling it like it is. It's his dream and his baby that has become a huge success and he does what he needs to in order to keep it strong and alive.

THQ did an amazing job with the first installment of UFC, and with their track record with the WWE series, I have no doubt they'll continue to do the same. EA Sports, on the other hand, has only been doing well due to licensing purchasing & hype. Only until this last year did they start putting effort back into their game development.

# 10 bowdown2shadi @ 07/13/09 11:55 PM

# 11 LingeringRegime @ 07/13/09 11:58 PM

Good for Dana and the UFC. EA is all about the money, and I am so happy that White sees right through them.

# 12 bkfount @ 07/14/09 12:15 AM

I have to laugh at the comments about EA only being out for the money, what do you think the UFC is in business for? So what if EA didn't think a UFC game would be viable a year or two ago? Things change and many of the corporations/media the UFC is getting interest from probably thought the same at some point. The UFC's primary viewers are quite a marketable demographic, so of course EA flipped their stance.

blacklisting fighters because they sign with EA shows he doesn't really give a crap about the MMA industry either, just the UFC's merchandise. There are some great fighters outside of the UFC right now, and freezing them out of the top organization isn't done to make the sport stronger.

# 13 bronco92 @ 07/14/09 12:50 AM

This made me laugh.

# 14 Cusefan @ 07/14/09 01:21 AM

Since I actually know Jason Miller, I may have to pick This Title up.

Personally I love Dana White, i think he is a awesome personality and knows how to run this sport. EA had their chance, they said screw you, move on. Unless EA's title is absolutly perfect, I cannot see how it will sell.

# 15 The Chef @ 07/14/09 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bkfount


	I have to laugh at the comments about EA only being out for the money, what do you think the UFC is in business for? So what if EA didn't think a UFC game would be viable a year or two ago? Things change and many of the corporations/media the UFC is getting interest from probably thought the same at some point. The UFC's primary viewers are quite a marketable demographic, so of course EA flipped their stance. blacklisting fighters because they sign with EA shows he doesn't really give a crap about the MMA industry either, just the UFC's merchandise. There are some great fighters outside of the UFC right now, and freezing them out of the top organization isn't done to make the sport stronger.

Give me a break. Dana and the Fertitas stuck with the UFC back when they were so far in the hole that it was almost a countdown until they had to close shop. Dana and them believed in the sport and continued to dump their own money into it to get it going. They are the reason that MMA is even relevant today and I cant blame Dana for protecting his brand. THQ stuck their neck on the line, some reports say they basically put their entire company on the line to support the UFC game, and I have absolutely zero problems with him standing beside them instead of running to where the money is.

So, in your opinion, Dana should not only help EA while hurting the one company that went all in with the UFC in THQ but then he should reward the fighters who also helped in doing this by offering them a contract?

# 16 judgejudy @ 07/14/09 02:17 AM

it's funny everybody bitches about EA "taking" the nfl license and leaving no choice in the football gaming world, but the second somebody tries to do the same to them it's the greatest thing ever.
this happened a year and a half ago, things change. EA wasn't interested in, what everybody keeps pointing out as a company that was on it's last leg and putting everything on the line for the game. what a shocker. I for one can't wait to see what they do wit MMA based on Fight Night alone, I'm sure the striking/blocking/countering will be miles ahead of anything THQ comes up with.
also, I'm not even sure why this article is even newsworthy. Dana White is a man sized baby, and anytime he doesn't get his way, he gets pissed. Of course he hates EA now, they turned him down. He's like that guy who gets shot down by a girl at the bar and goes around talking ish about her the rest of the night. that's all this is.

# 17 dat boi Q @ 07/14/09 02:20 AM

ea sports would just put out a bad game anyway so this is good news for gamers. they cant even get football right and look how long they have been making madden and ncaa.

# 18 dat boi Q @ 07/14/09 02:24 AM

and why make or worry about a ea sports version anyway thq's mma is very damn good better then fight night 4 and i have both

# 19 The Chef @ 07/14/09 02:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by judgejudy


	it's funny everybody bitches about EA "taking" the nfl license and leaving no choice in the football gaming world, but the second somebody tries to do the same to them it's the greatest thing ever. this happened a year and a half ago, things change. EA wasn't interested in, what everybody keeps pointing out as a company that was on it's last leg and putting everything on the line for the game. what a shocker. I for one can't wait to see what they do wit MMA based on Fight Night alone, I'm sure the striking/blocking/countering will be miles ahead of anything THQ comes up with. also, I'm not even sure why this article is even newsworthy. Dana White is a man sized baby, and anytime he doesn't get his way, he gets pissed. Of course he hates EA now, they turned him down. He's like that guy who gets shot down by a girl at the bar and goes around talking ish about her the rest of the night. that's all this is.

Yeah, why should he be mad? I mean EA basically told him that MMA wasnt a sport and wasnt worth their time but suddenly they see dollar signs and are more then willing to release a game even though apparently MMA wasnt worth their time 3 years ago. THQ had faith and showed it, Dana, if anything, seems to be extremely loyal so it doesnt surprise me that he would stick by THQ until the end and his comments about EA only further support this. Ohh, and your comparison to EA taking the NFL license makes no damn sense at all. UFC doesnt have some monopoly on MMA games, EA can go ahead and make one if they want, but Dana isnt going to let his fighter help with it. EA could still easily make a game using a mixture of fighters from Affliction and Strikeforce if they wanted so this is completely different.

# 20 judgejudy @ 07/14/09 02:35 AM

it does make sense, because that's the only thing anybody ever seems to hold against EA. "they took the nfl license away and have made terrible football games, i hate everything they do because of it" just look at the posts made here about how they can't get football right, or their games have sucked until recently anyway. it just shows that people want to hate EA for anything possible.
if so and so wouldn't have played it because it was an EA game, then why does it even matter that they said no? they're a business just like every other game company. do you really think THQ went with the game because they love mma so much? no, they "saw the dollar signs" as you said. if anything, I'd say it worked out better for everybody, since nobody would have even given EA a chance based on the responses I see here, and if they had said yes, everybody would be up in arms about Dana selling out to EA.

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Dana White: "EA Doesn't Give a **** About MMA"