Fri, Nov 21, 2008 | 09:28 GMT
UFC fighter dropped after refusing to sign game agreement
According to this Sport Illustrated story, UFC fighter Jon Fitch and several others from the American Kickboxing Academy have been dropped from the championship for refusing to sign over lifetime likeness rights for use in games based on the sport.
“We thought that was kind of crazy,” Fitch said. “Why would you sign anything away for your lifetime?”
Quite. The choice was made simple, apparently. When Fitch didn’t deliver on the “favour” of signing, he said he was told “either you’re in if you sign this, or you’re getting cut.”
More through there.
2 comments
#1
mightyhokie
21/11/08, 3:52 pm
As an illustrator i would never, ever sign any rights away for life. Fitch is right, that is stupid as hell.
Dana White should know better. They could have made a deal where they signed the rights away for this game, but for life? No…fucking…way.
Fitch is a star in the UFC and just lost the championship bout to George St. Pierre. Kind of stupid to let your stars go like that. Then again, they are the UFC. It would be like a pro-wrestler refusing to do something for the WWE…Vince McMahon would not put up with it.
Oh, well. Sorry to hear about this for Fitch
#2
Vahn16
21/11/08, 4:59 pm
He actually ended up signing after all. I imagine the terms of the deal were changed to something more reasonable, but details haven’t been given. http://mmajunkie.com/news/13299/report-jon-fitch-will-sign-videogame-agreement-returns-to-ufc.mma