Vitor (photo) has plans for 'teams' in MMA. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC
“All sports win to train and compete. Why not MMA?”, this is the question that has been bothering Brazilians the most Vitor belfort.
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With a significant change in the UFC's business models since the exclusive contract for the supply of sporting equipment and sponsorship during fight weeks with Reebok, Vitor criticized the way athletes are currently remunerated and proposed a new system, aiming to get closer other sports modalities.
“Today, our sponsors were removed. They took away my sponsors. Who pays my monthly bill? I have to earn my monthly. I have a family, I have a business, I invest and I need to have a salary. The sponsor is the one who pays the bill for any sport. You need to open a category so that you can have certain sponsors and everyone can earn money to train. This is the future, and I see it very close”, said Vitor, in an interview with the “ESPN Brasil” channel website.
Furthermore, the “Phenomenon” also presented some alternatives, such as the association between a small group of athletes and specific brands, such as teams. “I have a vision for this business. Today, people are representing teams. Team owners are suffocated. They are rich men, sports lovers, but they have to open the gym to have students so they can pay the bill. And don't close the account. Without the sponsor, there is no money. The UFC had to create a space that we could sell: 'fighters who have been there for so many years are entitled to two large or four small quota spaces'. Then, with that, you can put together a team, which is my dream. I'm going to take a company, Banco BMG, for example, and we're going to set up a team with Glover Teixeira, Vitor belfort e Anderson Silva. You make a team, you have their image. This is the future of sport”, he argued.
Finally, Belfort also said that he dreams of two transformations in MMA: the return of absolute weight, with no weight limit, and the creation of a “master” category for veterans. “I was talking about creating a league of legends for 40 or 50 years, 35 to 45, 45 to 55, why not? We have many athletes who are not finished yet. You can't let others determine when it's over, that's when you feel like it's over. (…) And I am in favor of placing absolute weight. Let's see, it's from the beginning. Maybe a small one instead of a big one? I think it had to be that,” he concluded.
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