Bjorn Rebney on the way out?

"It appears that Bjorn Rebney may be on his way out of Bellator. Randy Couture will be the new 'face' of Bellator, but Viacom/Spike TV will continue to call the shots."

http://www.middleeasy.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10865:the-sunday-morning-rumor-mill&catid=34:organizations

Good move by Viacom if this is true.

Good.
Zuffa take note.

Any more news on this?

Why Randy?

I really don't want to see a TRT & HGH elephant as the spokesman for a company I respect. Bellator is becoming a lot more like the UFC everyday. I'm getting very turned off.

Sweet Pea Is My Mom wrote:Why Randy?

He signed a deal with SPIKE to be a coach on their reality serie plus he´s a huge name in america. Bjorn has a bad rep from all the shit Alvarez said.

Sweet Pea Is My Mom wrote:Why Randy?

I really don't want to see a TRT & HGH elephant as the spokesman for a company I respect. Bellator is becoming a lot more like the UFC everyday. I'm getting very turned off.

M-1 is the future for MMA

PRIDE FC wrote:

Sweet Pea Is My Mom wrote:Why Randy?

He signed a deal with SPIKE to be a coach on their reality serie plus he´s a huge name in america. Bjorn has a bad rep from all the shit Alvarez said.

Randy is no saint either, though.

I'm sure Randy can be just as easily shammed as Bjorn. Bjorn didn't do anything wrong with Eddie - nothing the UFC wouldn't do themselves - but the thickheaded UFC sheeple believed every word Dana said and never looked at the situation without their trademarked UFC spectacles. If people can hound Bjorn out of a job, then they'll certainly be sharpening their knives for Randy...

True, the zuffa zombies still see Randy as a UFC Hall of Fame HW Goat so that could be what Viacom is looking at. Zuffa will not waste any time of giving out all the dirty details about Randy to the press if Randy takes Bjorns spot.

PRIDE FC wrote:True, the zuffa zombies still see Randy as a UFC Hall of Fame HW Goat so that could be what Viacom is looking at. Zuffa will not waste any time of giving out all the dirty details about Randy to the press if Randy takes Bjorns spot.

If Randy is to take a figurehead/promoter role, I wonder if he is willing to sling mud back at Zuffa? Dana has dirt on Randy, but I'm sure Randy also has a lot of dirt on Lorenzo, Dana & Frank...

Could get interesting.

Sweet Pea Is My Mom wrote:

PRIDE FC wrote:True, the zuffa zombies still see Randy as a UFC Hall of Fame HW Goat so that could be what Viacom is looking at. Zuffa will not waste any time of giving out all the dirty details about Randy to the press if Randy takes Bjorns spot.

If Randy is to take a figurehead/promoter role, I wonder if he is willing to sling mud back at Zuffa? Dana has dirt on Randy, but I'm sure Randy also has a lot of dirt on Lorenzo, Dana & Frank...

Could get interesting.

Old timers like Randy probably have a lot to tell. If Liddell wasn´t so punch drunk it would be interesting to hear his story as well.

Sweet Pea Is My Mom wrote:Why Randy?

I really don't want to see a TRT & HGH elephant as the spokesman for a company I respect. Bellator is becoming a lot more like the UFC everyday. I'm getting very turned off.

when did Randy get busted for TRT or HGH?

PRIDE FC wrote:

Sweet Pea Is My Mom wrote:

PRIDE FC wrote:True, the zuffa zombies still see Randy as a UFC Hall of Fame HW Goat so that could be what Viacom is looking at. Zuffa will not waste any time of giving out all the dirty details about Randy to the press if Randy takes Bjorns spot.

If Randy is to take a figurehead/promoter role, I wonder if he is willing to sling mud back at Zuffa? Dana has dirt on Randy, but I'm sure Randy also has a lot of dirt on Lorenzo, Dana & Frank...

Could get interesting.

Old timers like Randy probably have a lot to tell. If Liddell wasn´t so punch drunk it would be interesting to hear his story as well.

Dana knows a lot about Chuck's addiction to recreational drugs - cocaine & possibly Adderall being his drugs of choice - and Chuck has a cozy position with the company.

Shame he can't tell us the full story.

Heretic wrote:

Sweet Pea Is My Mom wrote:Why Randy?

I really don't want to see a TRT & HGH elephant as the spokesman for a company I respect. Bellator is becoming a lot more like the UFC everyday. I'm getting very turned off.

when did Randy get busted for TRT or HGH?

You don't get "busted" for TRT. It's either granted or it isn't. You get busted for elevated testosterone, which may or may not be because of improper use of a TRT exemption.

"The Natural" talks about his experience with testosterone replacement: http://www.mmaweekly.com/randy-couture-went-about-trt-the-natural-way

When Couture was fighting in the early 2000s, HGH was non-detectable. But anyone who takes an interest in drugs cheats knows Randy was a HGH cheat. The size of his head with respect to his body is clear evidence of his HGH abuse during his reign as UFC LHW champ, and possibly up until his return to HW.

Randy was never "busted" for HGH because there were no tests. Of course, I can't prove Randy was a HGH cheat - but this is like saying Dana White & Lorenzo Fertitta haven't used steroids in the past. Dana's fluctuating weight is a surefire sign.

I gotta say granted TRT is cheating imo. Henderson and Vitor look like roided monsters nowadays.

PRIDE FC wrote:I gotta say granted TRT is cheating imo. Henderson and Vitor look like roided monsters nowadays.

I agree, PRIDE FC.

I saw a video months ago (can't find it now) of Vitor hitting the mitts like a raging bull AFTER he had violently KO'd Michael Bisping. This is not normal! He should be relaxing. But he is pumped full of so much juice he has to work it off or he'll lose his cool.

Sweet Pea Is My Mom wrote:

PRIDE FC wrote:I gotta say granted TRT is cheating imo. Henderson and Vitor look like roided monsters nowadays.

I agree, PRIDE FC.

I saw a video months ago (can't find it now) of Vitor hitting the mitts like a raging bull AFTER he had violently KO'd Michael Bisping. This is not normal! He should be relaxing. But he is pumped full of so much juice he has to work it off or he'll lose his cool.

Hendo was a Roided beast when he fought Fedor as well. I know you think that was a legit win for Hendo but I didn´t like the finish to the back of the head plus the TRT.

PRIDE FC wrote:

Sweet Pea Is My Mom wrote:

PRIDE FC wrote:I gotta say granted TRT is cheating imo. Henderson and Vitor look like roided monsters nowadays.

I agree, PRIDE FC.

I saw a video months ago (can't find it now) of Vitor hitting the mitts like a raging bull AFTER he had violently KO'd Michael Bisping. This is not normal! He should be relaxing. But he is pumped full of so much juice he has to work it off or he'll lose his cool.

Hendo was a Roided beast when he fought Fedor as well. I know you think that was a legit win for Hendo but I didn´t like the finish to the back of the head plus the TRT.

I didn't like the back of the head shots either. I think Fedor was knocked unconscious, but to hit the back of his head when you're already pumped full of testosterone is just disgusting. It sickens me.

Hendo would be nothing without TRT. His cardio is laughable already, even with the drugs.

Imagine Fedor on TRT. I´m 100% sure Fedor has never cheated in his life, he´s not that kind of athlete/person.

Sweet Pea Is My Mom wrote:

PRIDE FC wrote:

Sweet Pea Is My Mom wrote:Why Randy?

He signed a deal with SPIKE to be a coach on their reality serie plus he´s a huge name in america. Bjorn has a bad rep from all the shit Alvarez said.

Randy is no saint either, though.

I'm sure Randy can be just as easily shammed as Bjorn. Bjorn didn't do anything wrong with Eddie - nothing the UFC wouldn't do themselves - but the thickheaded UFC sheeple believed every word Dana said and never looked at the situation without their trademarked UFC spectacles. If people can hound Bjorn out of a job, then they'll certainly be sharpening their knives for Randy...

If Bjorn did get pushed out he's being used as a scape goat for the bad press related to ignorance of legal contracts & the law.

The judges ruling in the case said that Bellator, Bjorn, Viacom, Spike, nor anybody there did anything wrong. He said that they lived up to every single legal requirement of the Alvarez contract and the legal requirements for the matching clause in it. Alvarez with Zuffa behind him is appealing the judges decision.

If people think that Bellator et al is being shady then it's the US Judge & the US court system that is being shady not them. All this other bashing Bellator & friends is a joke really and flies in the face of logic. Though I've never really questioned the IQ level of the average UFC-only or 'virtually only' MMA fan.

IMO - It's how Zuffa makes their contracts that fucked Alvarez if that's what he thinks is happening. They almost NEVER have any guarantees up front for fights or purses nor guaranteed PPV appearances & guaranteed PPV pay. Especially for non-UFC champions or first time UFC fighters. Prime evidence of this is Mamed Khalidov turning them down because of this. They gave Eddie a relatively big signing bonus but evidently no guarantees of PPV appearances or PPV pay. As well their contracts are written as such that the UFC can terminate their contract at almost anytime as we've seen. They have no requirement as far as I know to buy out the fighters contract.

Now try to pull all of that shit on other major league professional athletes. They get guaranteed contracts that pay them while they are training, practicing, and playing regardless of whether their team wins or looses that game, week, year, season, etc. They cannot be cut without their employer buying out their contract and fulfilling all terms of it. The employers can also trade the player by having another team or league or whatever purchase the players contract. Either way the player is guaranteed work for the term of the contract and it's pay structure from a new team... or he get's payed out his wages for the contract early by the original employer. Most times both sides agrees to a satisfactory number that may not be the number in the contract.

This whole thing is a UFC oppressor robber baron is issue. If they would have offered Alvarez actual quantifiable PPV dollars and guaranteed fights (no caveats), guaranteed contract term pay (no caveats), and guaranteed PPV fights (no caveats), and guaranteed PPV $$$ (no caveats)... then there would be no story here. Bellator would not match that kinda money and Alvarez would already have his first fight booked.

It's the UFC setting the precedent for fighter contract here not Bellator. Actually the UFC is setting the precedent for all of MMA and it's sad. These kind of very one-sided very little guaranteed contracts where run out of pro sports in the 1950's.

Dagwood wrote:This whole thing is a UFC oppressor robber baron is issue. If they would have offered Alvarez actual quantifiable PPV dollars and guaranteed fights (no caveats), guaranteed contract term pay (no caveats), and guaranteed PPV fights (no caveats), and guaranteed PPV $$$ (no caveats)... then there would be no story here. Bellator would not match that kinda money and Alvarez would already have his first fight booked.

THIS!

Dana needs to stop saying Viacom won't pay Eddie what he's worth! THEY PAID EDDIE WHAT THE UFC WAS GOING TO PAY HIM. It was the UFC that lowballed Eddie and tried to weasel their way out of a matching period by expecting the loophole of "PPV MONEY" to snatch Eddie up for cheap.

Why didn't they give him a Lombard contract? Bjorn is on record saying he "wouldn't match that kind of money." It's because the UFC failed miserably with Lombard, bought into his hype and are now trying to cut their losses by getting Eddie on the cheap.

Lombard was also given PPV money - but why has he only been on 1 PPV in a shocking performance against Tim Boestch? It's because there's no guarantee in his contract that he HAS to fight on PPV - it's just that when he is, he gets a cut. The UFC can throw him on fuckin' Facebook if they so choose!

This is the real story. Anyone who has a clue knows what's going on here. Zuffa is an ant to VIACOM money. Zuffa cannot defeat Viacom in a court of law, so they try to win the hearts of the fans by appealing to their irrational sensibilities - saying Eddie can't feed his family and such. Good thing UFC fans aren't the sharpest tools in the toolshed, and this works to the UFC's advantage.

If Zuffa would have won in court no other promotion would ever be able to match a zuffa contract that includes a PPV. It was a great win for mma in general because now other promotions can match a Zuffa contract and fight the "monopoly".

Did you listen to my interview with Bjorn Rebney, recorded Thursday, May 9? He did not sound at all concerned with whatever rumors, with no sources listed, are coming from the pro-UFC 'media' sites.

The only thing he could not discuss much was the Eddie Alvarez situation because of the legal crap, and there was nothing new there anyway when we spoke.

He sounded like a guy who plans to be around in Bellator a long, long time.

You can play or download No Holds Barred at http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/entry/2013-05-09T13_14_04-07_00 and http://archive.org/details/NoHoldsBarredBjornRebneyOnBellatorMmaSummerSeries. If one link does not work, please try another.

nhbnews wrote:Did you listen to my interview with Bjorn Rebney, recorded Thursday, May 9? He did not sound at all concerned with whatever rumors, with no sources listed, are coming from the pro-UFC 'media' sites.

The only thing he could not discuss much was the Eddie Alvarez situation because of the legal crap, and there was nothing new there anyway when we spoke.

He sounded like a guy who plans to be around in Bellator a long, long time.

You can play or download No Holds Barred at http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/entry/2013-05-09T13_14_04-07_00 and http://archive.org/details/NoHoldsBarredBjornRebneyOnBellatorMmaSummerSeries. If one link does not work, please try another.

Yup, probably just more bull shit propaganda.

nhbnews wrote:Did you listen to my interview with Bjorn Rebney, recorded Thursday, May 9? He did not sound at all concerned with whatever rumors, with no sources listed, are coming from the pro-UFC 'media' sites.

The only thing he could not discuss much was the Eddie Alvarez situation because of the legal crap, and there was nothing new there anyway when we spoke.

He sounded like a guy who plans to be around in Bellator a long, long time.

You can play or download No Holds Barred at http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/entry/2013-05-09T13_14_04-07_00 and http://archive.org/details/NoHoldsBarredBjornRebneyOnBellatorMmaSummerSeries. If one link does not work, please try another.

MiddleLazy was the first one I saw to list that rumour. Hardly a credible source of news, especially when you have cretins like Bauzen writing for them (if he is still writing for them). That site is, has been and always will be a joke.