Bas Rutten gives his take on the Golden Glory situation, explains why they insist on being paid by the promotions

MMA legend, Bas Rutten has shed a little light on the situation surrounding Golden Glory and they way they go about paying their fighters, explaining it’s more to do with looking after their fighters best interests and making sure they get paid rather than ripping them off and below the table deals being struck.
Posting via his Twitter, Rutten said:

“Many people have been asking MY view on what happened with StrikeForce and Golden Glory. Finally, after hearing from the fans and fighters involved, I thought to write what I though. First thing we heard was: “Dana said that it was the problem from GG management, that they don’t want the checks directly to go to the fighters”. But then there is suddenly a picture from Marloes Coenen’s check on the Internet with her name on it, a check that she cashed herself.”

“Some will ask, “Why does GG do business like this?” Well, it’s for their own protection of course, but it probably started because some checks from Japan started to bounce from some organizations. And if they didn’t bounce, the fighters would be able to get them cashed 6 or 8 weeks later. Since fighters want their money right away, and GG loves their fighters, they said “No problem, we pay the fighters from our OWN money, pay their trainers and sparring partners, and then when the money comes in, we simply deduct everything from the check that is paid, this way everybody get’s paid”. I know for a fact, 100% true, that they STILL need to get money from some organizations. The fighters got paid, but GG didn’t because they paid the fighters out of their own money. And some people say that they are crooks? Please explain this to me, who else, what management, give me one name, does this?”

“As a fighter, this would be something really cool, but even more for the trainers, because, ask trainers how many times they get paid by their fighters? You will be amazed with how many do NOT. I know fighters who became World champion in big organizations, even the UFC, and they never, yes, you read this good, NEVER, paid their trainer (OK, I might be wrong 1 or 2 times from the at least 10 or 15 times, but I am pretty sure I am not wrong). It sickens me and I would love to mention names, but out of respect of their coaches, I won’t. I hope those fighters read this, so they know that I know. Anyway, these problems don’t exist at GG, at least not when the management is taking care of this.”

“So we know now why GG does this. And of course when GG heard that the UFC wanted to pay their fighters directly, and that they otherwise didn’t want to do business, GG right away said “OK, no problem”. And that’s why you saw that check from Marloes Coenen popping up. So what is the real reason then that they let the fighters go? Well, because we don’t have an answer now, I started speculating and thinking about everything, that’s something you do when you don’t have answers. The truth is, I don’t exactly know, but what I DO know is that Alistair Overeem was in a beautiful spot. When he would win the tournament, his contract would be over and that would put him in a really good spot.”

Overeem was subsequently cut from the Strikeforce roster and stripped of his heavyweight crown, something that has angered a good number of fans who blame the management for not making sure “The Reem” had the full compliment of fights on his contract needed to complete the heavyweight grand-prix. Stay tuned in the coming days for an EXCLUSIVE interview with Overeem as he visits the UK for a special seminar tour.