From “Down Under” to “Over and Done”, Impact FC Still Not Paying Fighters

Until a few days ago, the only things wrong with upstart Australian promotion Impact FC was the fact that they were clearly picking up the scraps left by the UFC after that the world’s largest MMA promotion proved that Australia was a viable market, and the bizarre need to book a Pedro Rizzo vs. Frank Shamrock main event for one of the two shows they ran in an eight-day period. Recently, shocking new details have come to light that puts the future of the promotion in jeopardy and, unless it is rectified, will likely haunt both the Impact FC promoter and financial backer for the rest of their professional careers. It’s all about the currency, and there’s a distinct lack of it in the pockets of Impact FC’s fighters. And while the promoter and financial backer bicker back and forth, Impact FC’s fighters are left with only partial paychecks or, in what is seemingly the vast majority of cases, not a single penny to call their own.

The list of talent not receiving any money for their performance during Impact FC’s two-show run is by no means relegated to the lesser-level talent. Various internet reports have confirmed that big names like Karo Parisyan, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, Jeff Monson, and Denis Kang have all received only part of their agreed-upon salary or, in some cases, no salary at all. Over the last couple of days, internet reports have continued to flow in, revealing that more and more Impact FC fighters are being left high and dry.

The main problem behind paying these gifted athletes boils down quite simply: no one wants to foot the bill. The war of the wallets quickly became a war of words between Australian concert promoter Andrew McManus and his Impact FC partner Tom Huggins. McManus fired the first salvo, claiming that Huggins “ran back to Brazil” and was “uncontactable”, and that Huggins failed to live up to promises of sponsorships and late-day walk-up sales. Not to be outdone, Huggins claimed that he has in his possession a written agreement between himself and his partner that outlined both of their roles, namely: Huggins was to procure the talent and make the matches with a given budget, while all of the financing would be taken care of by McManus. McManus recently responded, saying that such an agreement does not exist and that he and Huggins are 50/50 partners in Impact FC. And so the war of words continues while the fighters wait for their money.

At the end of the day, I don’t think anyone cares who’s to blame. I sure don’t, and I’d be willing to bet that the fighters don’t care one single bit as long as they get what belongs to them. These fighters need to be paid. Period. If Impact FC wants to salvage whatever is left of its rapidly-decaying credibility in the hope of putting on more shows, both Andrew McManus and Tom Huggins need to shut their mouths and open their checkbooks. So work it out, gentlemen. Or be ready to be branded with the scarlet letter that you so rightfully deserved.