Bjorn Rebney: UFC's GSP Comments: The Most Tasteless Comments They've Made in Sometime

[Swinny]

Bjorn Rebney: UFC's GSP comments 'the most tasteless comments they've made in sometime'

Bellator MMA CEO Bjorn Rebney today said the UFC hit a new low this past week when it responded to a series of statements made by former welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre.

“The UFC set the bar pretty high in terms of tasteless comments, but their recent comments about GSP are probably, in my mind, the most tasteless comments they’ve made in sometime,†Rebney said during a teleconference announcing the promotion’s Season 10 light-heavyweight tournament.

UFC President Dana White pointedly told St-Pierre to “be a man and pick up the phone†after the vacationing fighter said the promotion’s stance on drug testing was part of the reason he stepped away from the sport after narrowly defending his belt at UFC 167.

St-Pierre also said the UFC is a monopoly and fighters are scared to come forward to criticize the promotion.

White last week defended the UFC’s drug testing policies, stating that the promotion conducted mandatory testing of international fight cards and citing harsh punishments for fighters caught using PEDs.

White also cited Bellator’s corporate parent, Viacom, as evidence that the UFC isn’t a monopoly.

Rebney, who typically redirects opportunities to verbally battle with the industry-leader, said he backed St-Pierre’s right to step away from the sport and to speak out about its issues.

“I look at GSP as a guy who’s one of the greatest, most honorable champions our sport has ever seen, and in my opinion, I don’t think GSP owes us, as fans, anything, and I don’t think GSP owes the UFC anything,†he said. “As we saw based on the fallout from the last fight, he’s given us, as fans and for the organization that he fought for, he’s given us everything. I think we should all be thankful we had the opportunity to watch a guy like that fight over the past 10 years.

“It’s been our pleasure as MMA fans, and I think a lot of the issues he raises and points he makes are good points. He’s been de-facto ambassador for our game and a spokesman for the sport at a very high level for a long time, and I put a lot of credence and credibility in what he’s talking about.â€

Bellator, of course, has yet to encounter the level of drug test failures in the UFC. So far, there are only two documented cases: Doug Marshall, who tested positive for a banned substance, and Steven Artoff, who tested positive for marijuana.

According to a Bellator official, the promotion conducted 11 events from January to April in 2013, and each of the events were fully controlled and regulated by the Association of Boxing Commissions, which oversees state athletic commissions.

MMAJunkie

 

[John The Baptist]

Re: Bjorn Rebney: UFC's GSP Comments: The Most Tasteless Comments They've Made in Some

lol

Bellator putting in dat groundwork to sign another UFC outcast. Already got Couture, Tito and Rampage so why not go the whole hog.

 

[Swinny]

Re: Bjorn Rebney: UFC's GSP Comments: The Most Tasteless Comments They've Made in Some

lol

Bellator putting in dat groundwork to sign another UFC outcast. Already got Couture, Tito and Rampage so why not go the whole hog.

I hardly see how GSP is a "UFC outcast" though...

 

[Smart Marx]

Re: Bjorn Rebney: UFC's GSP Comments: The Most Tasteless Comments They've Made in Some

I hardly see how GSP is a "UFC outcast" though...

It's the same as the WWE principal. Apparently once you've worked for one company (usually considered larger one), you're not allowed to work anywhere else.

I don't understand this line of reasoning myself.

 

[Swinny]

Re: Bjorn Rebney: UFC's GSP Comments: The Most Tasteless Comments They've Made in Some

It's the same as the WWE principal. Apparently once you've worked for one company (usually considered larger one), you're not allowed to work anywhere else.

I don't understand this line of reasoning myself.

Yeah but you're not an outcast if you choose to leave and you leave as the world champion.

Not that GSP will ever actually go to Bellator anyway.

 

[Smart Marx]

Re: Bjorn Rebney: UFC's GSP Comments: The Most Tasteless Comments They've Made in Some

Yeah but you're not an outcast if you choose to leave and you leave as the world champion.

Not that GSP will ever actually go to Bellator anyway.

I don't think you're an outcast regardless of how you left. Everyone is entitled to work. The idea companies wouldn't pick up free agents is ludicrous.

 

[Swinny]

Re: Bjorn Rebney: UFC's GSP Comments: The Most Tasteless Comments They've Made in Some

I don't think you're an outcast regardless of how you left. Everyone is entitled to work. The idea companies wouldn't pick up free agents is ludicrous.

I agree, I'm jut saying at this point you can't even argue that he's an outcast.