"I'm Back On Sherdog, Bitches"

The latest shot by UFC over the bow of the MMA media was fired at the weigh-ins of Ultimate Fight Night 5 when Jennifer Wenk asked staff from Sherdog.com to leave the event claiming that cameras were not allowed in the event. I have a feeling this had more to do with a video interview the site posted following the TUF 3 finale. In the interview, a clearly impaired White gives his thoughts on the finale, the upcoming Ultimate Fight Night and the return of Rich Franklin. When I watched the video though, all I could concentrate on was giggling at a drunk Dana White and laughed out loud when, at the end of the interview, Dana put his face in the camera and proclaimed: "I'm back on Sherdog, Bitches." I can't help but think that Dana severely regrets having that video posted. Given the level of criticism that Sherdog has leveled on UFC since the ban in October, I can't say I'm suprised by his reaction. This won't be the last run-in these two have with each other.

I've been critical of the Sherdog business model in the past. Their site is so overloaded with ads that the content has become exceedingly difficult to find. Further, they now have a subscription model for much of thier content. The site was, inexcusably, the last on the web to post any information about the Pride-FujiTV fiasco. The forum is overcrowded with people who contribute nothing to discussion threads. At the same time, it's without question the best place to go for interviews and media with fighters and MMA personalities. The fight finder is the single most valuable internet tool for MMA fans and the Beatdown Radio Show is well produced and highly entertaining.

UFC however, is trying to build itself as the biggest MMA brand in the world and with the recent problems at DSE may be in a position to do so sooner rather than later. Major players in any realm of business and politics know that executing some control over the media is critical in establishing their message. The problem is, the media doesn't want to be controlled. The debate over whether or not the media should have limits has raged on for decades in arenas much larger than MMA. The relationship between UFC and Sherdog was and, to some degree, still is symbiotic. In these types of relationships there is a pendulum effect that occurs where one side needs the other more at certain times. Right now the pundulum is clearly on the side of UFC. At some point I'm sure the pendulum will swing back to Sherdog and the rest of the MMA media. Until that happens though, Sherdog is going to have accept that UFC can and will react unkindly to negative treatment. I believe that when Dana saw himself intoxicated on the front page of Sherdog Sunday he reacted. He may have gotten some heat from other people within the organization or he may have reacted alone. Remember, UFC hired Mark Ratner for the very purpose of improving their image in the mainstream as a "sport not spectacle" organization.

I'm not taking the UFC side of this incident, just explaining it. I strongly disagree with the ban UFC has placed on providing media credentials to internet MMA media. The initial reason that was given that there were too many people using the credentialing process to get free entry into events doesn't make sense. Instead of weeding out the offending parties. UFC essentially threw the baby out with the bath water and in doing so, shunned their biggest supporters during the tough times. It doesn't take a genius to realize that Sherdog.com legitimately reports on MMA news and events. Figthsport.com is a completely different story. Why is it so difficult to grant one credentials, and not the other? This has been the regular practice for NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL press credentialing for years. If this blog was about the NFL and I tried to use it to get a press pass to the next Superbowl the NFL would essentially laugh at my request and throw it away. There is no reason why MMA-Weekly, Sherdog.com, and Full Contact Fighter shouldn't be allowed to cover the sport the way they have for years. It's not as though ESPN and Sports Illustrated are taking their spot in the press area.

In the future, I can see Sherdog and UFC getting along again. Both companies are in the middle of growth and changes. Both are still highly immature in stature. Both are being a bit stubborn about this. Until there is some resolution, we as fans are just going to have to remember these incidents when reading MMA news from both sides. Keep your B.S. filter clean and working.


Will