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By: Tony Becerra, MMATorch Contributor
Welcome to another edition of "Becerra's Top 5." This week I am looking at 5 reasons the Bellator-Eddie Alvarez public contract dispute is good for the fans.
5) Beyond the cage doors
Do you ever wonder what happens after the fight is over and the lights shut down? No? Well over the years there have been stories filled with controversy, allegations and truths that give the fans a well-rounded perspective of the business behind mixed martial arts. When a contract dispute like this one between Eddie Alvarez and Bellator is made public, it allows fans to see the ebb and flow of the business behind MMA that many don't get to see. There can be a lot of politics involved in the organizations and as fans it behooves us to understand that there is more about MMA than what happens in between the bells.
4) Who is Eddie Alvarez?
You ask many casual MMA fans who Eddie Alvarez is and the typical answer is “never heard of him." Or maybe you follow the sport more closely, and you have heard of him and know of him well. He is arguably one of the best lightweights in the world, a top 10 fighter according to the latest MMATorch rankings (see here) and yet some fans still have never heard of him. When disputes such as this come to light, if you have never heard of the fighter or organizations you'll probably research more about them. The fact that Eddie Alvarez has been public about his struggle not only introduces him to causal fans, it also brings to light that side of MMA that fans seldom ever see.
3) Contract Dispute – Pro Business
Whenever there is a contract dispute its difficult to be Switzerland, and in most occasions a side a chosen. Many side with the fighter and others with the business. With outspoken fighters like Rampage Jackson and Tito Ortiz who have had public disputes with Dana White over their contracts, its easy to think that fighters are getting a bad deal, but are they asking for more than they are worth? This is a business after all and how does a business grow? By making sure they properly handle their finances to avoid foreclosure or bankruptcy. Again, with the Bellator-Alverez dispute fans are able to have their own opinion of the situation and evaluate who is really taking advantage of whom.
2) Contract Dispute – Pro Athlete
Tailoring off of the last point, what if you are pro athlete? After all these fighters are risking their lives every time they step into the cage, it's only right that they are compensated for it. Eddie Alvarez recently released documents (see here) that showed Bellator-Viacom attempted to change the wording of their matching term in Alvarez's early release letter. Whether you are a pro business or pro athlete, this dispute being brought up to light gives an inside look to the MMA fans of the type of negotiations that go on between the fighter and their employer.
1) When you think MMA you think UFC
When you hear the word “MMA” you think of the word “UFC” and Dana White and co. have done their best to take the organization to the very top making it synonymous with the word MMA. Many casual fans only know of the UFC, but there are many more organizations out there like Total Combat, King of the Cage, Cage Warriors FC, and Bellator to name a few. Now Bellator is often written about on the site, but if it weren't would you know about it? Unless you are an MMA enthusiast you probably haven't heard of the few aforementioned organizations. Therefore, this public contract dispute between Bellator-Alverez is good for the fans because more eyes are tuned in to an organization other than the UFC, which will expand the knowledge of the casual MMA fan and allow more eyes to watch the talent that many of these organizations hold.
There you have it fight fans! Check back regularly on MMATorch for all of your MMA news and updates by the best team of columnists in the game!
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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