Couture Ends Holdout With UFC, Signs New Three-Fight Contract

Couture Inks New Three- Fight Contract With UFC

A MATTER OF TIME? White said that he "hopes to make another run at signing Emelianenko, but not before his contract" with Affliction expires. Emelianenko is slated to fight in Affliction's third show, "likely to be scheduled early next year," but White predicted that Affliction "will exit the fight business by then, putting Emelianenko back on the market." White said of Affliction, "These guys are dying on the vine. You're not under contract if your business is not around anymore" (L.A. TIMES, 9/3). White indicated that he would "be shocked if Affliction isn't out of business by the end of the year" (CALGARY SUN, 9/3).

SUBMISSION HOLD: In N.Y., George Willis writes Couture's contract is a "tremendous victory for White and the UFC," as they "regain their popular five-time champion during a period when Affliction was earning attention with the signing of [Emelianenko] and a partnership with Donald Trump." The deal also "re-establishes the UFC as the dominate company in [MMA] and figures to discourage any other UFC fighter from trying to achieve their independence while under contract" (N.Y. POST, 9/3). While the court case between Couture and UFC parent company Zuffa LLC never made it to trial, Zuffa's counsel, Donald Campbell, indicated that the "deposition of Couture on July 7 and 8 might have been the beginning of the end." Campbell: "During the course of that deposition, I think some of his contractual obligations were illuminated. We think that following that deposition, we pointed out some things that perhaps he didn't consider or fully consider" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 9/3).

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