Welcome to IF I DID IT where we analyze and solve PR kerfuffles from the world of MMA and beyond with Eugene S. Robinson, author of Fight: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Ass-Kicking but Were Afraid You’d Get Your Ass Kicked for Asking and attorney and author Alexei Auld and me, Kid Nate. Alexei is here to grill us with some PR stumpers from the world of combat sports.
Today’s puzzlers include:
- You’re the UFC. UFC Fight Night Dublin headliner Joseph Duffy gets concussed in sparring last Saturday and pulls out of his bout with Dustin Poirier. Poirier declines a fight with Norman Parke who offered to “step up.” What do you do?
- You’re the UFC. Conor McGregor offered to ‘save’ the UFC Ireland card by replacing injured Joe Duffy, “I’ll take the gate. It’s my gate anyway. A cool 7. Cash.” You publicly ignore, but what do you do privately given the “my gate” “A cool 7” comments?
- You’re Reebok. You released a “UFC Ireland” t-shirt emblazoned with a map of Ireland, minus Northern Ireland, with the phrase, “Show your UFC territorial allegiance.” Conor McGregor’s coach, John Kavanagh, who recently signed an exclusive deal with Reebok for his SBG gym, blasted you for a “incredibly insensitive stupid divisive idea.” How do you make amends?
- You’re the UFC. A report on your finances claims you pay 16% of your total revenue to your fighters. Major league soccer pays 35%. MLB, NBA, and NFL pay at least 40%. How do you respond?
- You’re the Nevada State Athletic Commission. The White House petition requesting lifting Nick Diaz’s 5 year ban exceeded the 100,000 vote limit and received mainstream press and celebrity attention. Do you respond?
- Plus a surprise curveball!
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