UFC 99: Dana White Did Unprecedented Verbal Deal With Mirko Cro Cop

When the UFC negotiates fighters' contracts, it's usually careful to make sure that all the i's are dotted and all the t's are crossed, and that nothing slips through the cracks. But in the case of Mirko Cro Cop, who a couple weeks ago agreed to fight at UFC 99 on Saturday, it was just a verbal agreement with UFC President Dana White.

When asked on a conference call Tuesday how many fights Cro Cop had on his new UFC contract, White said it was up in the air.

"Mirko and I are working on that still," White said. "Mirko Cro Cop ended up on this card last minute, weeks before the event, and this whole deal was done verbally over the phone with me and him."

Obviously, that's not how the UFC usually does business.

"I've never done this in the history of the company with anybody, ever," White said. "I respect Mirko. He knows how I feel about him and I know how he feels about me and I know what his goals are as far as the UFC and the heavyweight title. We did this over the phone. I've never done that, ever, in nine years of being in this business."

For his part, Cro Cop said White explained their agreement correctly, but he was quick to add that he's sure he'll agree to additional fights with the UFC down the road.

"As Dana explained, we talked just on the phone, we didn't meet," Cro Cop said. "But this is definitely not my last fight in the UFC. You have my word for it."

http://mma.fanhouse.com/2009/06/09/u...ith-mirko-cro/

Its Cro Cop, not only was a he cop,
but he served on the Croatian Parlament (Spell?), I don't think he is going to go bad on a verbal deal with his boss.

Thats cool of Dana though!

agreed

i really like dana white lately. i use to hate him, and think he was bad for the sport, but not anymore. putting his trust in mirko shows that he knows a good man when he sees one, and knows what being a man of your word is. that reflects on his character alot, even though he does curse like a sailor

[J.B.]

I'm sorry, but this is just hilarious.

Dana gives a "verbal" agreement, and tries to spin in it into being something awesome "because he never did it before", but in reality that only leaves him open to screw Mikro over.

Wow...

Yeah, but still, its nice of him, because he runs the risk of screwing himself.
So.... the coin has two sides.

[J.B.]

Originally Posted by atomdanger

Yeah, but still, its nice of him, because he runs the risk of screwing himself.
So.... the coin has two sides.

How does he run the risk of screwing himself?

A verbal agreement ONLY works in the favor of Dana and the UFC. Just because cro-cop says "this won't be his last fight", that don't mean crap. If he get's handled, Dana will drop him like a bad-habit.

If Mirko gets offered more money to fight elsewhere Dana can't go after him for breach of contract ethier! Plus without Paper work Mirko can claim Dana agreed to pay more than he did. So it leaves the door open for either side! Hopefully it will work out good though!

[J.B.]

Originally Posted by KENTUCKYREDBONE

If Mirko gets offered more money to fight elsewhere Dana can't go after him for breach of contract ethier! Plus without Paper work Mirko can claim Dana agreed to pay more than he did. So it leaves the door open for either side! Hopefully it will work out good though!

You are right, but if Mirko looks good on the best stage there is, he won't want to go anywhere else. A verbal agreement is ONLY in favor of the UFC, it's laughable that people would try to spin it into something else.

Dana only makes this proposition to make himself look good. If they give Mirko a big contact and he busts, they look bad, if they give him an "open ended" deal it leaves it open to say "I TOLD YOU SO!!!". Thats how Dana plays this game, it's no secret.

[Llamafighter]

If you think that the phone conversation wasn't recorded in some way, you're crazy, but I agree that this is really cool of Dana.
I can't wait to see the old Mirko cave in Al Turk's ribs on Saturday!

CRO COP!