Is Donald Cerrone the First Domino to Fall for MMAAA?
Only a week after the announcement of the Mixed Martial Arts Athletes Association, Donald Cerrone begins to step away.
When the MMAAA (which I think we can all agree should be pronounced “double M triple A”, akin to “N C double A”) was announced last Wednesday, the world of mixed martial arts came to a halt. Three former champions, one title challenger, and a seasoned vet stood together to demand for better working conditions. They immediately drew controversy when Bjorn Rebney, the famed Bellator founder and former president, became their figurehead.
They drew further controversy when the Professional Fighters Association and the Mixed Martial Arts Fighters Association both stood in opposition to the MMAAA. While both of these certainly didn’t help the MMAAA’s cause, neither seemed quite as dooming compared to what happened this past week.
Just a couple of days ago, Donald Cerrone pulled back on his commitment to the MMAAA. He claimed he was unaware of his status as a board member. He is even going to discuss his involvement in the association with Dana White over dinner.
What does this mean to the cause of the MMAAA? Most importantly, it shows a glaring lack of awareness amongst those involved. For Donald Cerrone to be unaware that he is a board member of what is arguably the most influential fighters association out there can only mean one of two things. Either a) he signed on without knowing what he was getting into, or b) those who asked him to come on board didn’t fully disclose what his position would pertain.
Frankly, it’s unknown which is worse. If he signed on ignorantly, this makes you wonder if the MMAAA is bringing on the best fighters for what they’re trying to accomplish. What does the MMAAA want? Pensions, equal shares of revenue, and healthcare – namely. To achieve this, they need the smartest of the smart and best of the best they can get. Is that what they have?
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What’s scarier is how quickly Cerrone retreated on his alignment. Not even a week passes before he seemingly buckles under the pressure of Uncle Dana. What happened in this past week causing this dissension? Was it discord with the MMAAA or pressure from the UFC? Either way, this is not a good sign.
If one fighter is all but out the door a week later, why would a new fighter join? Strength in numbers is never more important than in a union or association. Without numbers, a burgeoning employee protection group will be decimated by the thriving enterprise.
Donald Cerrone may not have had the strongest gripes against the UFC. After all, he’s a self-proclaimed company man. He steps up for the UFC to save fight cards time and time again. However, this is about more than just one fighter. Rather, this is about all fighters. He may not have meant to, but what Donald Cerrone has done is set off a chain of events that may cause the end of the MMAAA before it even begins to get its feet off the ground.
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