Z-Files #32 - Good guys don't always finish last
Fighters aren't the only ones who get nervous - July 11, 2008
Fighters aren't the only ones who get nervous when they step out on their
own in a big way. For them it's putting on the gloves, slipping in the
mouthpiece and getting under the spotlight for their chance at glory.
Behind the scenes, there are others. They don't get punched or kicked, and they don't get their hand raised in victory, but at same time they are fighting a different fight. Someone like Gerardo Torres is in a fight on an almost daily basis trying to get the best deal for his fighters. And in Torres's case, he went from having the backing of a big name and big name-company to stepping out on his own in search of new challenges.
Formerly the right-hand man to longtime MMA agent Ken Pavia, Torres has
began to carve out his own niche in representing fighters such as MFC
lightweight contender Ben "Smooth" Henderson and Lemont Davis who will make his MFC debut at Hostile Takeover on July 25 at the River Cree Resort and
Casino.
"I was pretty nervous going out on my own," offered Torres, one of the most
likeable guys you'll come across in the dog-eat-dog world of contract
negotiations. "I went from working at a big agency with some of the biggest
names - UFC guys at the top of the sport and fighting in the main event - to
working with up-and-comers. They are the guys who really need the help and
the guys that I want to work with and it's going really well."
Around 15 fighters make up Torres's stable at Maximus Fighting Managementwhere he and his fiancée Denise tackle all the tasks of fighter contracts and sponsorships with companies such as Chrome Soda, We Cry Havoc and Heavy Hitters. It's a much different scene than how Torres used to operate.
"It all started with five guys in a living room," recalled Torres of his past working for Pavia. "It was tough to leave something that I thought I helped grow but it was time to leave. I had outgrown it and I was ready to help fighters who needed it. It was the best decision I ever made.
"I appreciated what I learned there but it was just unbearable after a while - the feeling of being underappreciated. I never had any problem with any of the fighters - they were all great guys. It was just time to start working with new guys and creating things for them. It was the right time to leave."
And now out on his own Torres has huge game plan laid out for himself. It's
ambitious for certain and when you're out on your own there's no one to fall
back on for support but it's a test that Torres hopes to pass with flying colors though he's well aware it won't be sprint - it's a marathon.
"I want to become the best agent there is," he said. "I'm not into all the glory stuff, I just want to make my fighters happy and get them what they deserve. I see how they train and the blood, sweat and tears they put into it and they're not being recognized for it yet the way the boxers are.
"But there are guys out there that you watch on TV and the way the fight you
wonder how they can get paid that much. The kids that I have, I just hope one day they get paid what they deserve."
It can't be easy especially when you have the reputation that Torres does.
How do you play hardball tactics when you're the kind of guy that most people would rather sit down and have dinner with?
"The No. 1 thing I tell my clients is that I have seen the seedier side of sports and what they have to do is stay true to themselves and be honest. That's the way I live my own life. I believe I'm a good person and if I work hard things will pan out.
"Sometimes people mistake kindness for weakness. If you're truthful, people
will respect you and good things will happen for you and those you represent."
GOOD GUY PT. 2: It wasn't the easiest of assignments for him and I was
picking with my heart but I'm very glad with the recent result of Patrick Cote topping Ricardo Arona by split decision. And with all the changes going on in the UFC's middleweight ranks (Anderson Silva heading up to 205) could we be that far off from a long-awaited rematch between Cote and Jason MacDonald? Put it all together - Cote has beaten Arona and if MacDonald beats Maia then they square off. Making it all the better would be if Silva departs permanently for 205, Cote beats Yushin Okami and then it's J-Mac vs. The Predator for the title. That would be something special.
LITTLE DYNAMITE: Right now the MFC has to feel good about the chances of
filling its vacant lightweight title by year's end. The number of quality contenders in the running at 155 is getting better and better and I figure that the likely champion is going to come from the group who are involved at MFC 17. The inside track probably belongs to Jason Maxwell who is probably the most dangerous striker of the bunch but he'll have his hands full with Donald Sanchez at Hostile Takeover. Sanchez is one of Carlos Condit's main training partners and what I like about him is his willingness to attack. He doesn't sit around and wait - when the opportunity is there Sanchez goes for it. The Maxwell-Sanchez tilt has show-stealer written all over it. I like what Ben Henderson can do - the package is there, it's just a matter of letting himself fire on all cylinders against Ricardo Tirloni who you know is going to be pretty slick on the ground coming out of the ATT camp in Florida. The two Ryans - Machan vs. Heck - should be an interesting matchup as well. Machan is faring much better now that is under the tutelage of Jason MacDonald and Heck has the ground game but needs to show he's picked up his stand-up which cost him dearly against Mike Maestas. If you're looking for a longshot who's probably four fights away from getting a good long like at the belt, it's Evan Sanguin - another student of "The Athlete."
I'm not sure if this really counts as going out on a limb but I'm going to throw out there that Sanguin becomes a legit contender before 2009 is up.
CONTROVERSY CREATION: After all the years I've spent in the business of
reporting and communications it never ceases to amaze me how true the old
saying of "there's no such thing as bad press" is really true. A little controversy went a long way in the past few weeks - all started by the whole ordeal of Drew Fickett's dramatic exit from the MFC welterweight title picture. The MFC has always been very happy about the coverage it has received especially from the mainstream media - everything from the Adam Braidwood/Mike Maurer pro fighting debut to Sportsnet's behind-the-scenes look at the light heavyweight title fight to signing with HDNet. Not only did the mainstream media jump on the Fickett situation but the breach of contract-voicemail exchange launched the biggest Internet/MMA-exclusive media barrage in the organization's history. I still hope that one day Fickett and Ford collide. With all that's gone on that eventual showdown would be massive.
mouthpiece and getting under the spotlight for their chance at glory.
Behind the scenes, there are others. They don't get punched or kicked, and they don't get their hand raised in victory, but at same time they are fighting a different fight. Someone like Gerardo Torres is in a fight on an almost daily basis trying to get the best deal for his fighters. And in Torres's case, he went from having the backing of a big name and big name-company to stepping out on his own in search of new challenges.
Formerly the right-hand man to longtime MMA agent Ken Pavia, Torres has
began to carve out his own niche in representing fighters such as MFC
lightweight contender Ben "Smooth" Henderson and Lemont Davis who will make his MFC debut at Hostile Takeover on July 25 at the River Cree Resort and
Casino.
"I was pretty nervous going out on my own," offered Torres, one of the most
likeable guys you'll come across in the dog-eat-dog world of contract
negotiations. "I went from working at a big agency with some of the biggest
names - UFC guys at the top of the sport and fighting in the main event - to
working with up-and-comers. They are the guys who really need the help and
the guys that I want to work with and it's going really well."
Around 15 fighters make up Torres's stable at Maximus Fighting Managementwhere he and his fiancée Denise tackle all the tasks of fighter contracts and sponsorships with companies such as Chrome Soda, We Cry Havoc and Heavy Hitters. It's a much different scene than how Torres used to operate.
"It all started with five guys in a living room," recalled Torres of his past working for Pavia. "It was tough to leave something that I thought I helped grow but it was time to leave. I had outgrown it and I was ready to help fighters who needed it. It was the best decision I ever made.
"I appreciated what I learned there but it was just unbearable after a while - the feeling of being underappreciated. I never had any problem with any of the fighters - they were all great guys. It was just time to start working with new guys and creating things for them. It was the right time to leave."
And now out on his own Torres has huge game plan laid out for himself. It's
ambitious for certain and when you're out on your own there's no one to fall
back on for support but it's a test that Torres hopes to pass with flying colors though he's well aware it won't be sprint - it's a marathon.
"I want to become the best agent there is," he said. "I'm not into all the glory stuff, I just want to make my fighters happy and get them what they deserve. I see how they train and the blood, sweat and tears they put into it and they're not being recognized for it yet the way the boxers are.
"But there are guys out there that you watch on TV and the way the fight you
wonder how they can get paid that much. The kids that I have, I just hope one day they get paid what they deserve."
It can't be easy especially when you have the reputation that Torres does.
How do you play hardball tactics when you're the kind of guy that most people would rather sit down and have dinner with?
"The No. 1 thing I tell my clients is that I have seen the seedier side of sports and what they have to do is stay true to themselves and be honest. That's the way I live my own life. I believe I'm a good person and if I work hard things will pan out.
"Sometimes people mistake kindness for weakness. If you're truthful, people
will respect you and good things will happen for you and those you represent."
GOOD GUY PT. 2: It wasn't the easiest of assignments for him and I was
picking with my heart but I'm very glad with the recent result of Patrick Cote topping Ricardo Arona by split decision. And with all the changes going on in the UFC's middleweight ranks (Anderson Silva heading up to 205) could we be that far off from a long-awaited rematch between Cote and Jason MacDonald? Put it all together - Cote has beaten Arona and if MacDonald beats Maia then they square off. Making it all the better would be if Silva departs permanently for 205, Cote beats Yushin Okami and then it's J-Mac vs. The Predator for the title. That would be something special.
LITTLE DYNAMITE: Right now the MFC has to feel good about the chances of
filling its vacant lightweight title by year's end. The number of quality contenders in the running at 155 is getting better and better and I figure that the likely champion is going to come from the group who are involved at MFC 17. The inside track probably belongs to Jason Maxwell who is probably the most dangerous striker of the bunch but he'll have his hands full with Donald Sanchez at Hostile Takeover. Sanchez is one of Carlos Condit's main training partners and what I like about him is his willingness to attack. He doesn't sit around and wait - when the opportunity is there Sanchez goes for it. The Maxwell-Sanchez tilt has show-stealer written all over it. I like what Ben Henderson can do - the package is there, it's just a matter of letting himself fire on all cylinders against Ricardo Tirloni who you know is going to be pretty slick on the ground coming out of the ATT camp in Florida. The two Ryans - Machan vs. Heck - should be an interesting matchup as well. Machan is faring much better now that is under the tutelage of Jason MacDonald and Heck has the ground game but needs to show he's picked up his stand-up which cost him dearly against Mike Maestas. If you're looking for a longshot who's probably four fights away from getting a good long like at the belt, it's Evan Sanguin - another student of "The Athlete."
I'm not sure if this really counts as going out on a limb but I'm going to throw out there that Sanguin becomes a legit contender before 2009 is up.
CONTROVERSY CREATION: After all the years I've spent in the business of
reporting and communications it never ceases to amaze me how true the old
saying of "there's no such thing as bad press" is really true. A little controversy went a long way in the past few weeks - all started by the whole ordeal of Drew Fickett's dramatic exit from the MFC welterweight title picture. The MFC has always been very happy about the coverage it has received especially from the mainstream media - everything from the Adam Braidwood/Mike Maurer pro fighting debut to Sportsnet's behind-the-scenes look at the light heavyweight title fight to signing with HDNet. Not only did the mainstream media jump on the Fickett situation but the breach of contract-voicemail exchange launched the biggest Internet/MMA-exclusive media barrage in the organization's history. I still hope that one day Fickett and Ford collide. With all that's gone on that eventual showdown would be massive.