Josh Koscheck flyttade nyligen från UFC till Bellator efter över ett decennium i den förstnämnda organisationen. Han säger sig nu vara lycklig över att kunna säga vad han vill och han riktar bland annat kritik åt UFC:s avtal med Reebok.
Efter att ha varit en del av UFC:s företag sedan den första säsongen av ”The Ultimate Fighter” så valde den förre titelutmanaren i weltervikt Josh Koscheck att under förra veckan gå över till Bellator. Trots att Koscheck förlorat fem raka matcher så säger hani en intervju med MMAjunkie att han själv ville byta organisation. Detta främst för att UFC under en lång tid tvingat honom att hålla tyst om flera saker, främst lön men även det nya avtalet med Reebok som Koscheck anser missgynnar fighters grovt. Han säger även att de nya kläderna från Reebok är förskräckliga:
”Finally, I get to take off my handcuffs and I don’t have to be tied to the UFC rules, restrictions and underground rules. Like, ‘Oh, we’ll take care of you if you do what we say.’ Yeah, I went along with the game just like all these fighters are now. I got some good bonuses, absolutely, but some fights I thought I deserved a bigger bonus, or a better bonus for stepping up on short notice. Sometimes those bonuses were sh-t. I can finally just say what I want and not have any repercussions because they don’t own me anymore.
Reebok deal had a big part to do with it; this Reebok deal is not good for the fighters and the media knows it, the fans know it, and the fighters know it. The only thing this Reebok deal is good for, in my opinion, is the UFC. I don’t even know if it’s going to be good for them. I saw them posting stuff today regarding the Reebok deal and showing some of the designs. I left at the right time, that’s for sure, because those designs are hideous. That Reebok deal, in my opinion, is bad.
I don’t think it supports the fighters and the fighters need to stand up and say, ‘Sorry, we’re out. We’re going to fight our contracts out and get the hell out of this.’ Or at least be able to negotiate. My suggestion for all fighters, all these UFC fighters out there and all fighters in general – fight your fights out, fight your contracts out, because you’re never going to know your market value until you fight your fights out and become a free agent.
I’ve had my fair share of good days in the UFC, and I’ve had my fair share of bad days in the UFC; that’s just part of it. I appreciate the UFC and what they did for me. It was time for me to move on. It was time for me to grow as a fighter, grow more into business and by no means am I going to talk sh-t about them. They were good at times, they were bad at times. There were times where I had to bite my tongue and just eat it. At this point in my career I’m happy I get a new chance in life with Bellator, Spike TV and Scott Coker”.
