Only 3 months into the partnership, Malki Kawa, agent for Jon Jones and other UFC stars is leaving Florida-based Authentic Sports Management (ASM). From the press release, it appears that this will be an amicable breakup.
Via Authentic Sports Management:
This move was a mutual decision that both parties amicably agree is in the best interests of the athletes they represent.
“We agree that this decision allows us to provide more focus, deeper resources and only the absolute best management services for the athletes we represent,” said (Glenn) Robinson. “This agreement is mutual and on good terms with the best intentions for everyone.”
“As managers we both agree this is the right move,” said Kawa. “We understand and respect each other and at this point I will go in a different direction. Starting today, I will resume operation of First Round Management through which I will continue my representation of UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones, Thiago Alves, Carlos Condit, Ben Henderson and other talent.”
Robinson will assume the role of president of Authentic Sports Management, which represents UFC athletes Rashad Evans, Kenny Florian, Anthony Johnson, Jorge Santiago as well as Cosmo Alexandre, Gesias “JZ” Calvacante and the superstar brothers Danillo and Yuri Villefort, and others.
Jen Wenk will maintain public relations representation of Authentic Sports Management and its entire roster of athletes including Rashad Evans through StarPR Las Vegas LLC, and effective today with a new agreement directly with Jon Jones, will continue as the public relations representative for the UFC light heavyweight champion of the world.
As you recall Wenk left the UFC PR department to start her own agency and conduct press for ASM athletes including Jon Jones.
Payout Perspective:
A very short marriage between Kawa and ASM. One would think that with the addition of Wenk, ASM would turn into a super agency for MMA fighters. It would be interesting to see how much planning the two parties did prior to entering into the partnership. Regardless, it seems clear that the parties wanted to make sure that everyone knew that the parting was mutual and amicable. Obviously, the cautious wording of the press release was to ensure their clients that everything was fine and that other agents would not poach them.
I follow Malki Kawa on twitter. He’s terrible on there. If he’s personality is as bad in the office, I could see why they parted ways.
You would think that these guys are major players on the MMA scene, but Glenn has been in this for hardly a year, and Malki is a notorious hustler. Together, they have been aproaching and poaching fighters from other managers, offereing $ in order to pry guys off their original managers. To me, they seem shallow and unethical to say the least. Takes years to build a kid, take him through his first fights, get him a big contract etc. These guys do not understand, and shoudlnt be in this sport. Dont know why a for the most part credible and serious site like MMA payout gives them so much attention. Malki Kawas name is burnt darker then coal in the industry for forever trying to pull fast ones on people, for lying, and for not paying. Glenn is a new commer, but they say that if you run around with pigs, you stink like them!
Malki Kawa is a conman the worst of the worst in MMA. He has bounced checks to fighters, told BS story after BS story posing to be some super agent. In reality he is a low level Con with a 2 year associates degree. You get what you pay for in life with this guy not much other than hot air. Malki and his henchman RIcardo brags that they can represent any fighters in the UFC under contract or not. Glenn is a good person caught on to Malki games and fired him from Authentic. Hopefully Jon Jones leaves Malki before he cons Jon into bad investment schemes and career moves. The MMA world is catching on to Malki BS and throws back to his apartment in Miami