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In a strongly worded statement put out today Road FC's CEO Moon Hung Jung has described Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) as being "like a cancer of Korean MMA."
He is presumably unhappy about seeing his Bantamweight champion Kyung Ho Kang sign with the world's leading mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion immediately after winning a 135-pound Grand Prix at Road FC 8: "Bitter Rivals" this past summer.
The man behind Korea's biggest MMA promotion, which already shares fighters such as Soo Chul Kim and Bae Young Kwon with other organizations in the ONE FC network, is clearly unhappy about seeing one of his best fighters sign exclusively to the UFC without Road FC receiving any compensation.
Given that Jung made his feelings about the Kyung Ho Kang situation clear a couple of months ago (Road FC chief lashes out at UFC for being "cheap") it is quite possible that the UFC might have signed another yet to be announced Road FC fighter.
The full press release is below:
ROAD FC's CEO Mun Hong Jung: "UFC is like a cancer of Korean MMA"
ROAD FC's owner and its CEO, Mun Hong Jung has seen it is deplorable that UFC acquire fighters without any dealing or negotiating with the other promotions. Of course, UFC is NOT acquiring fighters by force though UFC contacts the fighters who are even in the contract with ROAD FC and start negotiating with them.
Mr Jung claimed that,"it's just like a robber."
If UFC want to globalize MMA, UFC must clarify the sports is professional or amateur. For example, in the pro footballleague, when a player transfers to other team, there will be the negotiation between the two teams which the player transfer from and to and there will be a transfer fee too.
UFC has excluded the existed system/standard, just solely acquired fighters and tried to globalize itself. To snatch a star fighter who is been produced by other promotions with their efforts is not professional and even doesn't deserve armature level. Just a vulgar way to get the fighter.
Mr Jung, as a conclusion, emphasizes that UFC is killing each nation's own promotions like ROAD FC.
"If ROAD FC is beaten by UFC, then there will be no improvement in Korean MMA and much less opportunities for fighters will lead less produce of good talents at all. As a result, with a long term perspective, UFC's business style has bad influence on not only Korean MMA but also bad for the improvement of most countries' MMA."
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