Another fighter gets the big stiffy from DREAM/FEG

You can add Ralek Gracie's name to the growing list of fighters who are upset with Japan's Dream organization, and his complaint against his former employers is all too familiar.

Gracie (3-0) told MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani on Monday afternoon's edition of "The MMA Hour" that the FEG-backed promotion has not paid him a single penny of what he's owed for his win over Japanese legend Kazushi Sakuraba at Dream.14 on May 29. And after waiting patiently for more than four months for the check to arrive, Gracie is through keeping quiet about it.

"I fought [Sakuraba] on May 29 and under my contract I was supposed to be paid 30 days after my fight, in full, and I haven't been paid yet," Gracie said. "The Dream organization puts on a wonderful show. They're, in my opinion, the top show in terms of production, but on the back end, as far as handling the finances, they haven't really taken care of me in a way that I expected and a way I feel is honorable and a way they should."

Gracie may be the most recent fighter to lodge such allegations against Dream, but he's by no means the first. MMA pioneer Gary Goodridge, who recently said he still hasn't been paid for his fight on the Dynamite!! 2009 New Year's Eve event, and Dream featherweight champ Bibiano Fernandes, who reportedly wasn't paid until September for a bout in March, have both made similar complaints to the media.

Much like Goodridge, Gracie said he's not only been unsuccessful in securing payment for his fight, but also hasn't even been able to get a response from the organization lately.

"I had two different people contacting them," Gracie said. "I sent them emails personally, and they haven't even responded to my emails. They're just completely avoiding everything and it's a complete mess."

Gracie said he knows that some other fighters on the card, such as Strikeforce welterweight champ Nick Diaz, have been paid for their services, but at this point he's resigned himself to the possibility that he may never see a dime for his win over Sakuraba.

"I was told that I was going to be paid every month for the last three or four months, so at this point, what I've been told and what the truth is are two different things. I'm not really expecting it anymore."

Instead, Gracie said, his goal in going public is to warn other fighters about the potential financial pitfalls of fighting for Dream.

"I think it's important that fighters know, before going to Japan, you should have a deal that either gives you your money up front or in some kind of escrow account, to make sure the money is available after the fight," said Gracie. "...I feel like they've had two shows or three shows since my fight. I don't understand how they're still doing shows and they're just signing fighters up and fighters aren't getting paid. So to me it's not the right way to do business and it's not the right way to treat people."

MMA Fighting

So unfortunate. Their last card was awesome, and I don't want to hate this promotion.

That sucks. Great comments by Gracie, great choice of words and phrases, and the message, his goal in going public is to warn other fighters about the potential financial pitfalls of fighting for Dream. He wants to do them harm, and rightfully so. Those guys need to get their act together.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

So unfortunate. Their last card was awesome, and I don't want to hate this promotion.

eh, their last card had a bunch of easy to pick fights. good star power, but too many not so competitive matchups.

They better get their act togethor or more and more fighters will look elsewhere for work.

It's dirty. I like DREAM's show and all that but the fact that this keeps happening to international fighters like americans, brazilians, etc. that don't have ties to their american partners in Strikeforce shows that they feel that other than incessantly trying to contact the organization, there is nothing these guys can do about it except never fight for the promotion again...and if they arent stars in Japan, DREAM could not care less.

It's sad because we're most likely talking about thousands of dollars that guys like Gracie and Goodridge have decided to accept that they won't get because there is nothing they can really do about it. Bibiano atleast had the leverage of being FW champ in a fairly FW rich organization.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

So unfortunate. Their last card was awesome, and I don't want to hate this promotion.

I'm so with you on that, I loved the last card, hell I've liked the last couple. But I can't be down for a promotion that doesn't pay their fighters. That is just bullshit

They do have good production, but they are major failures as business men. They will be bought out inside of the next 12 months.

Andrew the Raider King wrote:

They do have good production, but they are major failures as business men. They will be bought out inside of the next 12 months.

You do know they are not owned by Zuffa, right Dana?

I bet he is thinking about it though, particularly if he can use it as leverage to get a foot into Japan.

man Dream step up

Andrew the Raider King wrote:

I bet he is thinking about it though, particularly if he can use it as leverage to get a foot into Japan.

Is that the only reason you give it props? So you can promote it when you buy it out?

I am not giving DREAM Props. It is distasteful that fighters have to train, travel, eat and handle their social responsibilities, but not recieve their paycheck. And no I am not buying them. My wife's and I collective salasy is 60k

You get a salasy too

I have no salary yet, my rents make some bank, I lika to mooch off them

LMAO! Sorry, salary. No I am a little to old to be mooching. I am aiming for having a retirement set-up and ready to roll by 55 and no bills in sight. Then work another 10 years just to stuff money in the bank. We figure we will have a smidge over a million in the bank by then and enough coming in from retirement to be able to leave it to are kids.

haha i couldnt find this thread to post this

Yeah there were I think 2 threads about him not being paid. But the new news is him being paid, just only half of what he was owed.
http://www.ninjasplace.com/t10887-gary-goodridge-still-not-paid-for-2009-new-years-eve-bout?highlight=goodridge

OU wrote:

Yeah there were I think 2 threads about him not being paid. But the new news is him being paid, just only half of what he was owed.
http://www.ninjasplace.com/t10887-gary-goodridge-still-not-paid-for-2009-new-years-eve-bout?highlight=goodridge

i think he was suppose to get payed 30k and they took off 9k for taxes...

They should have paid the taxes for holding out on him so long! I bet they gave themselves paychecks though...

This really sucks and I feel bad for the fighters.