From time to time we will hear about the bad blood between Tito Ortiz and Dana White. This video found on MMA Blips shows how bad it is, at least from Tito’s perspective. Tito reminds me of a class I took in college about dealing with unions. The whole reason that unions were started (way back in the day) is because of what Tito is talking about. He feels like he (and other fighters) work so hard, get out into the ring, take risk, and then they get just a small portion of the take that the UFC makes from each event. Tito calls on other fighters to boycott the UFC for a couple of events so that they can get it to change. I am all for fairness in the sport, and people getting what they deserve for the risk that they take. Tito doesn’t bring it up in the interview (and I don’t know if he acknowledges) the risk that the promoters and owners of the UFC take in preparing a show like the upcoming UFC 98, May 23rd. Is the risk physical? No. But there is substantial financial risk, that can totally ruin people. The biggest problem with his argument, to me, comes back to economics. There are up and coming fighters all over the world who want a shot at the UFC. Most of them will do almost anything for that shot. Many of them have never made the money they can make for one fight in the octagon. This does not include the endorsements that they can make by fighting. As long as those guys are out there, and they are willing to fight for what the UFC pays, and as long as the UFC is the biggest show in town, it is going to be hard to force the change. I suspect the reason that Dana White is so hard nosed, and hard to deal with is because he feels like he holds all of the cards. I also suspect that with all of the fights and success that Tito has had, he is not doing to bad off financially. Should Tito have gotten paid more, a larger cut of the action for his fights? I don’t know, but I applaud him for taking his stand, and walking away, when he did not feel like he was getting his fair share.