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06/08/09 - M-1 Global confirms UFC sent cease and desist letter on Mousasi
M-1 Global has confirmed that the UFC sent a ‘cease and desist’ letter regarding the promotion of a fight between Gegard Mousasi and Renato ‘Babalu’ Sobral.
Fighters Only reported yesterday that the UFC sent the letter because it alleges Mousasi was misled by his management as to the extent and value of the contract the UFC was prepared to offer him.
When contacted, Mousasi (pictured) would say only, "I am fighting in Strikeforce now and Scott has always been honest to me. I have a contract with Strikeforce and I am going to honor that."
A source close to the controversy told Fighters Only last night that the deal the UFC had offered Mousasi was substantially higher than he had been led to believe.
And today, Dana White told a UFC 101 pre-event press conference that Mousasi had been “lied to” by his management at M-1 Global.
But Mousasi’s manager Appy Echteld told listeners on the Strikeforce conference call a few hours later that this was untrue.
He referenced the comments Mousasi made to Fighters Only yesterday but the rest of his reaction to the allegation was lost in static thanks to a terrible phone line.
Echteld was asked what grounds the UFC thought it had to send a cease and desist letter but the answer was lost in a sea of white noise.
However, that the UFC saw fit to send such a letter is significant in itself. The UFC is not known for indulging itself in idle legalities and there may be more to come in this particular dispute.
John Joe O’Regan
John.fightersonly@gmail.com
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