‘Babalu’ still waiting to get paid by Metamoris

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Wild

Zi Nazi
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Dec 31, 2014
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Metamoris has put on more than 40 grappling matches in three and a half years of existence, but some competitors are still waiting to get paid.

Rising black belt A.J. Agazarm openly criticized the promotion in the past for not getting paid for a match with UFC veteran Karo Parisyan last August, and MMA Fighting has learned that Renato Sobral, who grappled against Chael Sonnen at Metamoris 6, in May of 2015, also haven’t received his money yet.

"I think (Metamoris founder Ralek Gracie) started great, helping jiu-jitsu and grappling grow with awesome matches, creating a great platform for athletes, but he wasn’t correct by not paying even with contracts signed," Sobral told MMA Fighting. "He could have done the same event even without paying anyone, just don’t promise anything. People pay to compete in (jiu-jitsu) tournaments, but when you promise something and don’t do it, you’re acting like a swindler, don’t you agree?

"I think he has good intentions, but my grandmother always said that hell is full of good intentions. He rose, and he drowned. With all due respect to him and his family, he made a huge mistake. I don’t recommend anyone to fight there if you want money. Fight without expecting getting paid, like in any other tournament. I wish him luck, and I hope someday he gets to clean his reputation in the jiu-jitsu world because it’s not looking good."

MMA Fighting reached out to Ralek Gracie for comments, and he promised to pay the fighters.

"The Metamoris mission has always been to elevate the sport of grappling in both production value and pro-grappler compensation," Gracie said. "This very concept has set us apart in the industry as well as represented our biggest challenge. It has been a difficult trail to blaze since the inception of Metamoris, and few have known this until our more recent public failures. We have made many mistakes, one being that we have been unable to pay our athletes in a timely manner. We faced major piracy issues particularly over the past two events, setting us back tremendously. We have been transparent with the athletes we owe as to our challenges and our plans to remedy them. We will pay all of our debts and if things go according to plan it will be shortly after this next event."

LINK: ‘Babalu’ Sobral still waiting to get paid by Metamoris
 

Robbie Hart

All Biden Voters Are Mindless Sheep
Feb 13, 2015
49,703
50,709
Could part of this be related to the fact that you have no live audience? What does this do in pay per view numbers because that is what we're talking about, right? It's pay per view.

How can you hold a live event without an audience? You might as well hold the event in your class.
 

Wild

Zi Nazi
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Dec 31, 2014
85,004
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So they're hoping they make enough money on the next event, to pay guys for previous events? I could be wrong, but that doesn't seem like a very sound business model.
 
Nov 21, 2015
9,140
12,443
So they're hoping they make enough money on the next event, to pay guys for previous events? I could be wrong, but that doesn't seem like a very sound business model.
Wow... Just crazy. Really makes you wonderf if all the stuff Edgie Brah was saying about Halek is actually true
 

mysticmac

First 1025
Oct 18, 2015
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Don't they get a fat check from the UFC for contributing content to Fight Pass?
 
M

member 3289

Guest
Lol salaries are contingent upon having a next event.

Gonna suck for the guys who compete in the final one
 

Jehannum

TMMAC's Most Handsome Artist
Jan 26, 2016
12,756
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Metamoris changing the game. Instead of lowballing their athletes, they simply don't pay them at all.

take note ZUFFA, this is the business model of the future
 
C

Ceiling Fan

Guest
On the one hand I want athletes to stop competing in Metamoris because they're going to get screwed by Ralek. On the other, I want them to keep holding events because they're usually pretty solid.
 

SuperPig

Enjoy yourselves
Aug 7, 2015
30,979
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Metamoris changing the game. Instead of lowballing their athletes, they simply don't pay them at all.

take note ZUFFA, this is the business model of the future

It's the best way to get all previous competitors to hype the upcoming events. Make their salaries contingent upon how future events do. Quite revolutionary.
 

SuperPig

Enjoy yourselves
Aug 7, 2015
30,979
51,737
So they're hoping they make enough money on the next event, to pay guys for previous events? I could be wrong, but that doesn't seem like a very sound business model.
It pretty much worked for Bernie Madoff until it didn't.
 

Kingtony87

Batman
Feb 2, 2016
6,515
8,902
On the one hand I want athletes to stop competing in Metamoris because they're going to get screwed by Ralek. On the other, I want them to keep holding events because they're usually pretty solid.
Bravo has ebi and isn't cheal getting into promoting grappling events now?
 

Wild

Zi Nazi
Admin
Dec 31, 2014
85,004
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Bravo has ebi and isn't cheal getting into promoting grappling events now?
Yes, and Chael is using Eddies rule set. I may be wrong, but I think Eddie & Chael are collaborating on things a bit...just basing that on Chaels comments on The MMA Hour.
 
C

Ceiling Fan

Guest
Well I know Chael is running his own separate promotion now, but I don't know how much he's working with Edgie Brav. I thought the rules were the same at least, and the lineup is solid. The main event is Shields vs Bendo? Count me in.
 

Kingtony87

Batman
Feb 2, 2016
6,515
8,902
Well I know Chael is running his own separate promotion now, but I don't know how much he's working with Edgie Brav. I thought the rules were the same at least, and the lineup is solid. The main event is Shields vs Bendo? Count me in.
going to be good scrap
 

Yossarian

TMMAC Addict
Oct 25, 2015
13,489
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If you have guys like Babalu waiting for their check, you have a problem. Will this high profile talent come back for the next event? Also, this business model is unsustainable, obviously. Live events without audience? How can they even expect to be taken seriously.
 

Jehannum

TMMAC's Most Handsome Artist
Jan 26, 2016
12,756
14,077
If you have guys like Babalu waiting for their check, you have a problem. Will this high profile talent come back for the next event? Also, this business model is unsustainable, obviously. Live events without audience? How can they even expect to be taken seriously.
sounds worse than WSOF. much worse