In professional sports, the body of an athlete is a type of prized “item” that should be protected at all cost. The big name fighters and champions that fight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship bring in millions upon millions of dollars through pay per view buys, live gates, and other types of revenue streams. Because of that fact, the UFC needs to take steps to protect these individuals, not only from risks from the outside, but from themselves. Jose Aldo injured himself during a “minor” motorcycle accident that wasn’t “minor” enough to prevent calling off what could have been one of the biggest main events of the year. The UFC must act, but the way it does so is crucial.
In a time where the idea of throwing around blame has become popular among mixed martial arts media, fans, and even promoters, it’s interesting that criticism wasn’t directed towards Aldo for wrecking a major moment in the sport. Aldo’s fight with Frankie Edgar was a bout that had been anticipated for the last two years, and was met with near-universal excitement by the masses when it was announced. Now that those hopes have been dashed, the UFC has scrambled to find a way to fix the main event, and do so in a way that keeps the fans’ attention.
At the same time, the UFC has to figure out a way to keep this from happening in the future. Professional athletes in other sports have clauses in their contracts that keep this kind of injury from happening. Sports stars are often not allowed to participate in dangerous activities for as long as they are under contract. The repercussions from failing to meet those obligations are often harsh. For example, NBA players Monta Ellis and Jay Williams were both heavily fined after moped and motorcycle accident injuries forced them to miss time with their respective teams. NFL wide receiver Dez Bryant has a number of restrictions under his contract, including not being allowed to attend parties in certain establishments, to keep him out of trouble. These athletes are so valuable that their teams have placed them under mandates that many people would scoff at. But when you are worth millions to your employer, it is well worth their time to figure out ways to preserve their investment.
Should the UFC strip Aldo of his title? Probably not, although they have taken similar action in the past with Frank Mir, though his injury was much more serious, and it was believed that he would never fight again. However, they should take some sort of action against Aldo. Perhaps placing an interim title on the line for Edgar and a new challenger would be a start. Or even financial repercussions, like deductions from his next fight purse, would be in order. Either way, something needs to be done to make sure he and other fighters understand that this type of risky behavior isn’t appreciated by the organization.
While it may be unfair, keeping fighters and other professional athletes from enjoying activities such as motorcycle riding, surfing, skiing, and other reckless behaviors, is just another facet of the business side of professional sports. If mixed martial arts fighters want to be considered a part of the mainstream sports world, they should be ready to be governed under the same standards.
