Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports reports on the released UFC’s Code of Conduct. In light of the comments made by Matt Mitrone, the UFC revealed its Code of Conduct each contracted fighter must follow.
First, a comment on Mitrione. UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta told Yahoo! Sports:
It doesn’t mean he’ll [Mitrione] be cut, or suspended long-term, or even fined… But the UFC will review the incident and, at the very least, try to educate Mitrione about why his comments were harmful.
The UFC sought assistance from the Washington D.C. firm of Covington Burling to draft its Code of Conduct Policy. The written policy was patterned after those drafted by the NHL, MLB and the NFL.
The policy’s intent is not to punish, but to educate and prevent flippant, ignorant comments that mainly occur via social media.
Payout Perspective:
The Code of Conduct which you can see here has a provision to appeal (page 4). If a fighter does not agree with the UFC determination, it may appeal via binding arbitration. The determination of the binding arbitration as well as the proceedings will be confidential and “subject only to such disclosures as required by law.”
The other interesting note is that the fighter who engages in misconduct “may be required to undergo clinical evaluation.” If the fighter does not agree to do this, there may be a separate basis for discipline. Thus, it sounds like fighters are bound to do this “or else.”
This Code of Conduct is likely a part of the contract the fighters sign with the UFC. Obviously, if there was a negotiating unit for the fighters (the “u” word), it might be able to bargain with the UFC for some of these requirements.
The Iole article itself, is a partial editorial about the aftermath of Mitrione’s comments on Fallon Fox.
Maybe Dana and rest of the guys in the UFC should lead by example instead of forcing the fighters to adhere by rules, you can’t say anything now days without someone getting upset about it.
Dana said “you don’t need to be doing the show, your not fighting any time soon” or something along those lines, what happens when Mitrione is cut where does he go if he doesn’t have name value, his providing for his future by having his name out there.
A sport where you try to knock your opponent’s head in, blood and broken bones, and you have to tip toe through the tulips with what you can say. Especially when a guys says something that is TRUE. How about Dana being suspended when he lies!!
Hypocritical crap. Let men be men and not children!
It’s the flaw in the UFC.
UFC has a PR problem. They are trying to get deflect this so the attack goons at TMZ leave them alone. UFC liked the pro-gay PR they got with Carmouche.
Problem for UFC is 90% of their fighters agree Mitrione that it is disgusting for man to beat up a woman.
So they want to crucify Mitrione to appease the zealots in the media. But that will seriously hurt their relations with their fighters.
UFC keeps trying to expand their fanbase. But they risk alienating their core. UFC has always been about an ultimate test of manhood. That was the attraction for the fighters and the fans.
The media is overwhelmingly lefti-wing and generally hostile, if not out right bigoted, towards traditional notions of manhood and masculinity. UFC courts the press to get good PR — especially in their quest for legalization in NYC.
It looks like, for now, UFC has settled on a toothless “suspension” of Mitrione, just to get this stupid Fallon Fox pecker-chopper story out of the news cycle.
The media and the LGBT lynch mob just want a scalp. If you give them one they’ll go off screaming in another direction at someone else for some other, real or imagined, insult.
I could’nt agree more with all comments above more. UFC wants to talk conduct Dana White has the worst conduct he lies and is a foul mouth wanna be thug. He needs to be an example for his fighters. I agree with what Mitrione said Fallon is a freak and likes to beat up women.