Another forum had some interesting info about the contract disputes between the UFC and Coutore:
Apparantly, Randy hasn't really signed a new deal. He's agreed to abide by the terms of his old contract. He had a three fight deal before, and he has a three fight deal now. His pay wasnt' changed.
The old contract had stipulations in it that he could only break contract while holding a title if it was stripped by the UFC or he retired permanantly. Hence Noqueira being the interim champion. If they stripped Coutore, he'd be free and clear.
Here's the info from dave meltzer:
From Dave Meltzer:
"While everyone was all smiles both on the video and at the press conference when Couture and Dana White publicly reconciled, it was a very trying day. Couture did sign a three-fight contract, but the terms were identical to his old contract, so if the show does 1 million buys, heÂ’ll earn $2.58 million.
CoutureÂ’s lawyers and UFC lawyers agreed to the settlement, where all legal issues would be dropped and Couture would return under his old deal, but UFC agreed to extend the contract at least one more fight (he had two fights left on his old deal). However, Couture did not sign, having issues with certain terms of the settlement agreement. There was another verbal agreement reached on the contract a little before Noon on 9/2.
At a little before Noon, when the press conference was scheduled to start, Couture arrived at UFC headquarters to sign the deal with Lorenzo Fertitta. Exactly what happened from there is not clear, but at 12:15 p.m., Couture, attempting to change some minor points once again (perhaps feeling he had a slight bit of leverage since UFC had called the press conference and already delayed it once) left the meeting room when UFC wouldnÂ’t change the deal.
He then left the offices, and apparently the deal was off. Reporters were waiting for the press conference since before Noon and told there was a“schedule conflict” which would delay the press conference by one hour. Couture drove away, and at that moment, they were going to cancel the press conference (almost nobody got word of this, but there were a few reporters who did find out there was a good chance the press conference, at the time now slated for 1 p.m., would be canceled. At the time, nobody knew the reason why, although it wouldn’t have been hard to figure).
At that moment, it was believed the deal was about to completely fall apart. The sides had another court date for later in the week. At least to the outside, both sides felt confident in their case, but the difference was that UFC could better afford the fight and since the case was going to be in Nevada court, there was the feeling that gave them another advantage, plus the whole case was Couture was looking for freedom to fight elsewhere when he had two fights left on his contract, and the contract was stronger due to the championship clause that binds the champion to the promotion unless he retires or loses.
That was the key as to why UFC never stripped Couture of the title even as it passed one year without a title defense and him turning down the offers and always publicly saying NogueiraÂ’s next opponent would be Couture even though they knew at the time saying that was just posturing (and it also worked to give people the idea that Couture was ducking Nogueira, and whatever you think of Couture, that assertion is ridiculous). The continuing legal case was draining Couture financially, and the time length of continuing the fight was working against him. It really was bad advice he was given last year in leaving. Perhaps if he was 28 years old and was geared to fight it to the end, itÂ’s one thing, but maybe he thought he would somehow be able to get out of the contract with a breach.
There was also the issue with Couture appearing on the Affliction show in the ring with Fedor Emelianenko and promoting a future fight, which to me came across as a blatant violation of the non-compete. Had Couture won in court, heÂ’d be 46, and would have lost two more money fights between now and then in addition to probably two or three fights heÂ’d already lost because of being tied up in litigation. CoutureÂ’s lawyers who had agreed to the deal said to UFC that he only left to put gas in his car, and then tried to persuade him to return to the offices.
Couture came back to the UFC offices at about 12:30 p.m., but was on his cell phone for several minutes. He then went back to talk with Lorenzo Fertitta. At about 12:50 p.m., the deal was finalized and he taped a segment with Dana White, who was all smiles, with them acting all chummy, talked for a few minutes and then started the press conference.
