I started this series—which aims to put MMA’s seemingly intractable problems under the microscope—with a discussion of how the fighters on the UFC roster routinely legitimize and defend the promotion’s actions even when they are averse to athletes’ interests. I argued that fighters’ extraordinary deference to authority reinforces the power asymmetry that is so central to the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s exploitative labor practices, while stifling any form of labor consciousness and making solidarity in relation to even most modest reforms seemingly impossible.
Now, we’re going to talk about the men—and, to a much lesser extent, women—who represent the fighters in their dealings with the UFC and other stakeholders, and their contribution to MMA’s inequitable status quo.
You can read the rest of this article at Sherdog.com.
Jacob Debets 