By: Neil Davidson
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The UFC has already come up with a health insurance plan for its fighters. Now UFC president Dana White says a fighter pension plan is not out of the question.
"We're trying to prevent a situation where guys retire with nothing," White told reporters. "In this sport, we have guys that are going to make millions of dollars. We have guys that are going to make hundreds of thousands of dollars. And you've got guys that are going to make a few bucks and then they're going to have to get a real job.
"That's the reality of life in a professional sport. Hopefully no matter what tier or level you're on, you've got a guy who comes in here and he can put off his home. And he owns his house free and clear for the rest of his life. There's going to be guys that can do that, there's going to be guys who can own four homes."
"Yes, if we can figure something out for a fighter pension, yes, that's something we loved to do too," he added.
White, however, says not every fighter would want to see the UFC take some of their paycheque away to squirrel away for the future.
"It's a tough thing to do. Guys are like 'I need all that money and I want it now.' So it sounds like a great idea and it sounds like something to do, but it's a lot harder than people think."
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GSP PLANS — Georges St-Pierre won't be fighting in December in Montreal, according to White.
The UFC boss also says that freeing up Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz to fight GSP is proving to be a challenge. Even though the UFC's parent company owns Strikeforce, there are also contractual ties with the U.S. network Showtime.
"I wouldn't say Diaz is out of the (GSP) picture but we just don't know yet," White said.
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SONNEN SITUATION — Chael Sonnen's ongoing problems with the California State Athletic Commission have left White fuming.
"I think what happen to Chael Sonnen is absolutely insane," a grim White said. "It's unjust, it's unfair."
The middleweight contender flunked a drug test after his loss to Anderson Silva at UFC 117 but his one-year ban was halved after a hearing. The commission subsequently held another meeting to review Sonnen's behaviour and that resulted in an indefinite suspension. Sonnen cannot reapply for his license to fight until June 2012.
"If you're dumb enough to do something to get in trouble, you've got to face the consequences," White said. "And you've got to man up and take your punishment. This guys did some dumb stuff, he manned up and he was punished. And he took it on the chin and he did it.
"Once that sentence is over, it's over, man. It's over."
That has derailed the UFC's plan to have him and Michael Bisping serve as coaches of "The Ultimate Fighter."
White argues that the longer punishment means Sonnen is being cheated of "life-changing money."
Sonnen, a former U.S. Olympic wrestling team alternate, tested positive for elevated testosterone.
The 34-year-old has had other problems recently.
A realtor as well as a fighter, he pleaded guilty in U.S. federal court in January to one count of money laundering. In April, he was sentenced to two years' probation and fined US$10,000. He also forfeited his state real estate license as part of the plea agreement.
White said Sonnen's fighting ban is so confusing he doesn't even know when he would be eligible to return.
"It stinks."
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MULLET MANIA — UFC 130 is a good card for mullets with heavyweight Roy (Big Country) Nelson and bantamweight Miguel Torres both sticking with the not-for-everyone hairdo.
Asked to rate Torres' hair, Nelson noted that the fighter was watching him from the back.
"He's eyeballing me now," Nelson said. "He has a tiger's mane, I have a lion's mane."
Said Torres: "Roy Nelson's mullet is a lot sicker than mine."
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HANGING IT UP — White says he has no problems with a fighter like Quinton (Rampage) Jackson saying he's thinking of quitting at 35.
"It's up to the individual on how they want to treat and handle their career. You'll never hear me ... argue or fight with them with them about retiring. This isn't baseball, this isn't basketball. This is a sport that you're either 100 per cent in or this isn't the sport you should be in. This is a sport that you have to mentally, physically and emotionally be in love with to do."
Jackson, 32, said has always planned to quit at 35 although he acknowledged he may keep going past that to provide for his family.
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TORRES RETOOLS — Former WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres credits Montreal coach Firas Zahabi for helping turn him around after losing his title to Brian Bowles and then being beaten by Joseph Benavidez.
Under Zahabi, Torres has won two straight and shows a far more calculating style.
"Before my style was just to go out there and cause chaos and more," said Torres. "There was no style. ... If you call going out and brawling a style, that was my style."
Torres used to be self-coached.
"It was just trial and error. If it worked, I kept doing it. And if it didn't, I stopped."
He says the losses showed him he had become predictable — essentially just charging at his opponent.
"I needed someone to change that and that was Firas Zahabi."
Torres faces 135-pounder Demetrious (Might Mouse) Johnson on Saturday night.
"How so you catch a mouse," Torres says he tells people who ask him how he plans to deal with Johnson's speed. "You set a trap. I have a lot of traps for him."
NOTES -- Featherweight champion Jose Aldo has a shoulder injury which has derailed a prospective fight with Chad Mendes in August. White says there is no word yet whether surgery is needed. Mendes is now fighting Rani Yahya at UFC 133 instead of Aldo. .. White thinks heavyweight Mirko (Cro Cop) Filipovic should retire but says he will honour his deal with the veteran Croatian and give him the remaining fight on his contract. ... White says former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, who is battling diverticulitis, had an appointment Thursday with the Mayo Clinic. "He's going to make some decisions on what he's going to do. But he's in a good place right now. ... I think its going to turn out well for him and I hope we can see him back by the first of the year."
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