UFC
Dana White says Greg Jackson camp is not a "family", UFC 145's Jon Jones-Rashad Evans bout proves it
Apr 19, 2012 - 3:15:12 PM Dana White says Greg Jackson camp is not a "family", UFC 145's Jon Jones-Rashad Evans bout proves it

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

UFC President Dana White has always been outspoken on the subject of teammates in fight camps being unwilling to fight one another. As a fight promoter, fighters refusing to fight one another because of friendships or camp affiliations leaves money on the table, not just for the UFC but for the fighters themselves.

The issue has been discussed a lot this week as former teammates Rashad Evans and Jon Jones square off at UFC 145 for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. The two were both part of Greg Jackson's team in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Evans left the camp after Jones broke the pact the "family" at the camp had not to fight one another.

Evans felt betrayed by that after Jackson swore to him he and Jones wouldn't fight when Jones was brought into the camp, and White says Jackson's entire "family" philosophy is simply a way to make more money from fighters.

"There is one thing that is an absolute fact, and no matter how often Greg Jackson pumps that family [expletive], Greg Jackson is a [expletive] businessman," White said in an interview with Yahoo!'s Cagewriter Blog. "The more top guys he brings in, the more money he makes. There's nothing wrong with Greg Jackson, but he's a [expletive] businessman."

White contends that fighters shouldn't be worried about fighting teammates, and need to be looking out for themselves and their own careers in what is essentially an individual sport.

"Some of these fighters, who ought to know better but don't listen to that [expletive] and don't take it for the crock of [expletive] that it is," White said. "These guys need to make the decision where they train based on where they think they'll get the best work and develop the best, and not on this [expletive] crazy idea that you're becoming a part of a family."

"Greg Jackson [expletive] told Rashad this wouldn't happen, that they're family and all that other [expletive], but look what is going on now. Look and see who is at Jackson's and who is not. Train where you think it's going to be best for you and if that's Jackson's, that's fine. Just don't buy into this family [expletive] because there's nothing to it. This is the fight business, not the friend business."

Penick's Analysis: This is one area of the sport where I've always understood both sides. It's a professional competition, and to climb up the ladder you may need to face off against someone that you're familiar with or close with, that's the nature of progressing. However, the inherently violent nature of the sport is also harder to get over for fighters who truly are close as kin. It would be really hard to have to inflict violence on someone you were really good friends with, and that's what a lot of fighters struggle with. At the same time, that costs a lot of potentially fantastic matchups from happening because of that "team" mentality. When it comes down to it, though, in order for fighters to make the most money and become bigger stars, they'll have to face off against anyone once they're in the high end of the division.