Monte Cox Must Be Stopped

Recently, Tim Sylvia signed a contract with a new MMA promotion called Adrenaline MMA (formally M-1 Global). The president and part owner of this new organization is Monte Cox.  This normally would be simply news, nothing more, but Monte Cox is also Tim Sylvia’s agent.

With power comes responsibility. This is something Monte Cox has not exercised.  As both the president of a major MMA organization and agent for many of the sports top competitors, isn’t Cox operating under a conflict of interest?

It’s not like we don’t have a precedent for something of this nature. Back in 2001, another one of the sports leading agents, Dana White, became a partial owner and president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

At the time of the deal, White had an impressive list of clients that included (then) UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz, as well as the division’s top contender Chuck Liddell. In order to take his position atop the newly named Zuffa, LLC, White resigned as the fighters’ representative.

MMA is far from the first sport to have experienced such a situation. Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League are just a couple of major sports organizations who have seen player representatives take leadership positions within the league.

Not surprisingly, neither organization has ever allowed these potential general managers, presidents or even coaches to maintain a stable of clients. What if David Ortiz was a client of Theo Epstein? How fair would these negotiations be to David Ortiz? What if the New York Yankees wanted to via for his services?

Think about this: what if the IFL wants to offer a contract Ben Rothwell? They have to go through Monte Cox. Even if Adrenaline MMA allows Rothwell to fight outside of the organization (and they do), which organization would get priority?

What about the fighter’s perspective? Ben Rothwell is relying on Monte Cox to evaluate how much his contract is worth.  Do you think Cox will be slighted toward his organization in a negotiation? How’s would Cox react to a bidding war from a competitor? How is any of this fair for someone like Big Ben? Simple, it’s not.

Monte Cox is the agent of such fighters as Rich Franklin, Jorge Grugel and Rich Clementi, and should not be allowed to be the head of such a fight organization. While it is a good thing that fighters are being given more and more options in a lucrative free agent market, responsibility is something that shouldn’t be abused by any organization.

No one is fired up about this issue. No one seems to care. If Dana White were representing Chuck Liddell, irate fans would come out of the woodwork.

Well, now it’s time to care. Organizations listen to the forums and blogs. MMA media is in its infancy and now is the time to be heard; Monte Cox shouldn’t be allowed to do what he’s doing because it hurts MMA.

Screw Adrenaline MMA. Who cares about them? It’s MMA that I’m worried about. If fans sit back and allow anyone to do anything, the whole sport could suffer. Remember, this is the same sport that was relegated to Las Vegas and was banned from the United States. Change needs to happen in all aspects of the game.

It isn’t that people like Monte Cox are necessarily doing bad, it’s that they’re allowed to do whatever they want. The sport needs regulation and you (and I), the fan, are the only ones that can see to it that change happens.

PEACE
Brett “The Conqueror” Beverly