[Dan2theK]

Jon Fitch, who last competed at UFC 87 in August against welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre, has been released from his contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, as confirmed to MMAWeekly.com by members of Fitch's camp.

According to sources close to the situation, Fitch was in negotiations with the UFC about a lifetime contract for likeness rights for their upcoming video game release and future video games. An agreement could not be reached and the Indiana native was subsequently released from his fight contract.

During his time with the UFC, Fitch went 8-1 while in the promotion with his only loss coming at the hands of St. Pierre, as previously mentioned.

There were rumors that he was set to return in January to fight Japanese fighter Akihiro Gono, but all that came crashing down with the news of his release on Wednesday.

Other fighters including Christian Wellisch have also been released as a part of this contract negotiation of likeness rights, but at this time Jon Fitch is the biggest name that has been confirmed as being cut by the promotion. Speaking anonymously with MMAWeekly.com on Wednesday, a source said more names could follow in the coming days.

Stay tuned to MMAWeekly.com for more news on this breaking situation as it happens.








Fitch Now Back in UFC and agrees Game deal. Please read post 24

[Syner]

That sucks but I still don't understand exactly what happened.

[TriGGz]

wow........

[AdamBomber]

Originally Posted by Syner

That sucks but I still don't understand exactly what happened.

Fitch didnt agree to give dana eternal rights to his image, so Fitch got fired, basically

[Storm]

yep, it is for the up coming video game.

this part "While the full details are a little murky at this time, Fitch was apparently approached about the issue when he turned in his signed bout agreement to fight Akihiro Gono at UFC 94: “St. Pierre vs. Penn 2″ on January 31. And when he and his representatives attempted to negotiate the video game deal it was all or nothing."

makes it seem like Fitch is trying to get something out of it.

Dream or Affliction will pick him up, no worries. i just hope ProElite doesnt get a hold of him.

[apslick]

Here's the full story guys...

Wednesday, November 19, 2008
by Greg Savage (greg@sherdog.com)

15235
Jon Fitch, who went five rounds with UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre in August, received notice Wednesday that the UFC has released him.

Fitch told Hardcore Sports Radio’s “Sports Rage” on Wednesday that he was cut from the promotion after he’d refused to sign an agreement that would have relinquished his likeness rights for a UFC video game.

Fitch said he submitted a signed bout agreement Tuesday to fight Akihiro Gono at UFC 94 on Jan. 31, but the UFC terminated it, along with his promotional contract.

“I had two fights left on my contract, but they always put a clause in the contract that if you lose a fight, they’re able to release you at any time after a loss,” Fitch told “Sports Rage” host Garbriel Morency. “That’s pretty standard with any organization, but it’s pretty incredible that they’d go to those lengths for something like this, over a video game.”

Fitch, a Purdue University wrestling standout, said his refusal to sign the agreement for a UFC video game -- set for release by THQ in 2010 -- wasn’t based on compensation.

“The video game agreement that they have that they wanted us to sign was basically we don‘t get anything for it,” he told Morency. “We get free publicity and promotion from the game, which is great, no problem. The problem is it’s a lifetime exclusive contract. That means we would never ever be able to work with any video game companies other than the one the UFC provides.”

Fitch told Hardcore Sports Radio he was not adverse to the contract necessarily, but in the way it was presented to his management.

“They basically kicked the door open, guns blazing, pointed it in our face and said, ‘Sign this or you’re going to pay,’” Fitch said.

Fitch said that, to his knowledge, UFC President Dana White had given his representatives the ultimatum to sign or be scrapped even though the fighter’s reps tried to negotiate a five or 10-year deal for the video game rights.

In an interview with Yahoo Sports on Wednesday, White said the UFC would no longer do business with the American Kickboxing Academy, Fitch’s San Jose-based fight team.

“We’re looking for guys who want to work with us and not against us, and frankly I’m just so [expletive] sick of this [expletive] it’s not even funny,” White told Yahoo Sports. “Affliction is still out there trying to build its company. Let [Fitch] go work with them. Let him see what he thinks of those [expletives]. [Expletive] him. These guys aren’t partners with us. [Expletive] them. All of them, every last [expletive] one of them.”

Christian Wellisch, an AKA teammate of Fitch, was also released on Wednesday, said Fitch. Wellisch had also received an agreement for a pending bout that was later retracted.

“They cut him from the organization first, I think as kind of a scare for me and [Josh] Koscheck and Cain [Velasquez],” said Fitch. “I guess Cain Velasquez wouldn’t sign under his contract and they we’re saying that after his fight he was done and they weren’t going to re-up his contract. I think the same thing goes for Koscheck. I think they would drop him right now too, if he wasn’t fighting on the 10th, if he wasn’t headlining that show –- so they can’t drop him.”

Koscheck faces Yoshiyuki Yoshida at UFC “Fight for the Troops” on Dec. 10 at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, N.C.

Fitch had won eight straight fights before dropping a gutsy decision to St. Pierre. His undefeated run tied Royce Gracie’s for the most consecutive wins in the UFC.

With his dismissal, Fitch said he will likely lose 75-80 percent of his sponsorship monies. Earlier this year, Fitch and other AKA fighters were asked by the UFC to sign a separate merchandising agreement in perpetuity. Many of the squad declined the offer.

“I never wanted anything more than to fight in the UFC and be a UFC champ,” said Fitch. “I put in a lot of blood and guts and sweat and tears into this and this is my reward I guess.”

by Greg Savage (greg@*****.com)
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Wow Dana is such a douche.

[Project 86]

mma video games suck anyways how about you just don't put him in the game LOL no lets release him

[Sunfish Hero]

God damn Dana is such a greedy little punk. 10 years is a long fucking time and Danae STILL was unwilling to cooperate. He's like a spoiled child. Whatever, UFC's loss, Fitch vs GSP was fucking fight of the year in my opinion.

The entire AKA? Is he stoned? Kozcheck is crazy popular, god damn. I still can't get over how damn greedy Dana is getting.

[Black Gerbil1]

“We’re looking for guys who want to work with us and not against us, and frankly I’m just so [expletive] sick of this [expletive] it’s not even funny,” White told Yahoo Sports. “Affliction is still out there trying to build its company. Let [Fitch] go work with them. Let him see what he thinks of those [expletives]. [Expletive] him. These guys aren’t partners with us. [Expletive] them. All of them, every last [expletive] one of them.”

lol @ the expletivs

[REDRUM]

Yeah, it sounds like Dana is getting worse all the time. WTF?