Hard lessons a constant in reaching UFC 200

The financial success that UFC 200 is expected to become Saturday night is rooted in some trial and error, including a recent media relations controversy.

UFC Chairman Lorenzo Fertitta and President Dana White provided the Los Angeles Times an extended interview Tuesday in Fertitta’s office here, elaborating on many topics with the exception of ongoing talks with potential investors.

Fertitta greeted an opening question about the subject by cracking, “Let me tell you exactly what’s happening with that…” and noting that such sensitive financial talks are harmed by public discussion.

White later sought to rebut rumors that a UFC sale was a foregone conclusion: “We own the UFC. We did not sell the UFC. We own it.”

Reporting about a possible sale and separate scoops by MMAfighting.com reporter Ariel Helwani about Brock Lesnar’s return for UFC 200 and a Conor McGregor-Nate Diaz rematch, confirmed for UFC 202 in August, have spotlighted the tension between the UFC and the mixed martial arts media.

White said the Lesnar report was upsetting because negotiating the fighter’s appearance away from his contractual duties as a WWE performer required a deal that was compromised by the scoop.

At the exact time UFC was to broadcast a UFC 200 promotional video that included Lesnar’s surprise appearance at the end, WWE was going to issue a news release on the subject, explaining the matter to its fans and stockholders.

White was so angered that the reporter and website published the scoop without providing a heads up that he missed a June 4 championship fight at UFC 199 at the Forum to ban Helwani and two co-workers from future UFC coverage.

A storm of criticism followed and the company retracted the decision.

Reports indicating a UFC sale are imminent have also provoked Fertitta and White.

“[Some reporters] are legitimate. They have a protocol, they have to answer to editors and they don’t just throw things out there,” Fertitta said. “There’s a difference between the [legitimate news organizations] and the National Enquirer, who don’t have the same standards. [Some websites] don’t have the same standards.”

Said White: “We listened to [one reporter’s] podcast and it was like, ‘He’s literally making [stuff] up now.’ We asked, ‘How can he do this?’ Well, he can do it because he has a website and a podcast.”

Fertitta said “the world’s changed dramatically” with the rise of click-bait reporting.

“They’re not doing this to get under Dana’s skin. They’re doing it for their own economic benefit,” Fertitta said. “If [someone] thinks he can break news before an announcement, it creates more traffic to him. [Another guy] came over to a new website, reports something and now everyone has heard of… whatever that thing is. It’s not done for altruistic purposes.”

Not that it’s hurt UFC’s business.

Fertitta said as projections show record sales for UFC 200, he’s proud of the advances the sport has made since main-event fighter Jon Jones and co-main heavyweight Lesnar participated in UFC 100 in 2009.

“We jumped in headfirst on the drug testing and I think that surprised a lot of people with the obvious negative ramifications that have come, but it was the right thing to do for the long term,” he said.

“We instituted insurance for fights and training… it cost millions. It’s not cheap. Try to get insurance for 500 ultimate fighters… that’s a fun conversation.

“And being [televised] on Fox, Globo [in Brazil], BT [in Britain], Televisa [in Mexico], in China … the spectrum and brand of the sport has come a long way.”

Fertitta said he took heart in hearing that powerful boxing manager Al Haymon modeled his 200-fighter Premier Boxing Champions after the UFC.

“To see boxing follow that direction is a good thing,” Fertitta said. “We have a lot of respect for Al Haymon, to try to do something different and create value for him and his athletes, willing to put up his own money … you get shots, lawsuits, everything that can be done to stop him because the guy’s a credible guy. He has a vision and he’s trying to do something different for the sport while the other promoters are trying to do the same old thing.”

Asked about regrets, Fertitta said he could’ve been “more efficient in getting on TV,” and would’ve been wise to follow Haymon’s own purchase of television time.

“We would’ve bought our way on TV, and in a matter of time — six months, nine months — we would’ve flipped that into a profitable television deal,” Fertitta said. “We kind of wasted four, five years. We didn’t know.

“Really, that’s the fun part of the story — three guys [counting Lorenzo’s brother, Frank] with no background in sports, no background in the business of sports. I had never negotiated a media deal. Dana was a trainer and manager.”

White, interestingly, said he had no regrets.

As for criticism connected to various state commission reports on low guaranteed UFC purses, Fertitta said he’s confident that his fighters are content because of undisclosed pay-per-view and sponsorship money they receive.

“We’re the leaders in every way, shape and form, including fighter pay,” he said. “Our top-end fighters, they’re not calling the L.A. Times saying, ‘Look, I’m not happy with my pay.’ These guys are represented by top agencies. It’s not like we’re dealing with the guy’s brother-in-law.

“We’re dealing with CAA, agents with some of the biggest athletes around — sophisticated people. And the top-end athletes are making millions on top of millions of dollars. Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey are both on the Forbes’ list of richest athletes. Middle- and bottom-tier fighters make significantly more than our competitors — [rival MMA company] Bellator has significantly more resources [backed by Viacom]. They should pay them more. They do not.

“And if you have success in the UFC, you move up the ladder pretty darn fast.”