It’s still morning in some pacific island, so everyone take it easy. The Sunday Morning Rumor Mill is here and it’s filled with a lot of stuff for your eyes to scan over. It’s our weekly thing, people like it, so we continue to do it. This Rumor Mill is dedicated to the revolutionaries in Libya. Enjoy.
- Go back a few months when we were all told that ZUFFA nearly acquired the G4 network. Apparently the discussion between the two companies sped up negotiations with UFC and FOX. G4 still wants to get into the MMA business, however. In fact, back in 2007 I was told by someone close to the deal that G4 nearly purchased Pride FC. They were just a few days late, however.
- As I mentioned on Twitter, shortly after the UFC on FOX deal, a CBS executive called me and said the most remarkable thing behind the deal was Ari Emmanuel brokered everything. I’m sure he also got a substantial cut.
- Judging from Spike TV press releasing the end of The Ultimate Fighter just minutes before the UFC on FOX announcement, it’s safe to say they’re not taking the new UFC on FOX dealt well. Spike TV executives appeared at yesterday’s Bellator 48 show. Also, a couple days before the event Spike TV placed a few graphical inlays promoting Bellator 48. If Bellator to Spike isn’t a lock by the beginning of 2012 (or even the end of 2011) I don’t know what is.
- Spike TV isn’t the only network agitated at the recent UFC on FOX announcement. Apparently NBC Sports is bitter at being contractually obligated to essentially promote the same product on another network in the UFC on FOX.
- At some point this year, ESPN and UFC nearly approached a deal. It’s even rumored that ESPN’s content partner, Sherdog, was also attached to the deal in order to provide some form of pre-fight/post-fight television (and internet) broadcast. Both companies even agreed on a name for the new show. Things went horribly sour, however and the deal fell through. Sherdog was banned from all ZUFFA events in the fallout. The disdain is evident by Dana White’s recent ‘F*** ESPN’ tweet from this Friday.
- There’s a rumor going around that the Brazilian organization, Rio Heroes, is coming to the US.
- According to Dave Meltzer, prior to Alistair Overeem’s release, Bas Boon requested that Overeem be transferred to the UFC and receive a cut of the PPV in his UFC debut.
