Speaking of Chuck Liddell and the Hells Angels, Burton Rice seems to be an interesting character. He's the president of a new UFC league called XMMA. He was arrested in the police's combined Operation SharQc connecting him with criminal activity involving the Hells Angels. http://topmmanews.com/2009/06/03/police-arrest-hells-angels-and-xmma-president/
He's also the publisher of a magazine called Naked Eye: http://giornalistica.blogspot.com/2009/07/magazine-front-for-hells-angels-drug.html
http://canadianmags.blogspot.com/2009/06/naked-eye-publisher-arrested-in-major.html
I heard this story and cast it aside since it was about smuggling cigarettes which I didn't think was a big deal. However, it also involves money laundering, drug smuggling and MMA. Interesting how this magazine run by Burton Rice had tons of money ($3-$4 million was found in their safes) but they weren't paying their employees while hiding under the Hells Angels banner. Not good business. Kinda like what they did in Amsterdam. People don't like to do business with bullies. http://www.mastheadonline.com/news/2009/20090727647.shtml
It also involves how they harass people, as well as steal and extort from them in the tobacco industry:
http://www.canada.com/story_print.html?id=1437136&sponsor=
He's also the publisher of a magazine called Naked Eye: http://giornalistica.blogspot.com/2009/07/magazine-front-for-hells-angels-drug.html
http://canadianmags.blogspot.com/2009/06/naked-eye-publisher-arrested-in-major.html
I heard this story and cast it aside since it was about smuggling cigarettes which I didn't think was a big deal. However, it also involves money laundering, drug smuggling and MMA. Interesting how this magazine run by Burton Rice had tons of money ($3-$4 million was found in their safes) but they weren't paying their employees while hiding under the Hells Angels banner. Not good business. Kinda like what they did in Amsterdam. People don't like to do business with bullies. http://www.mastheadonline.com/news/2009/20090727647.shtml
It also involves how they harass people, as well as steal and extort from them in the tobacco industry:
http://www.canada.com/story_print.html?id=1437136&sponsor=
The bottom line is giving a business license to operate mixed martial arts venues to an associate of the Hells Angels, a criminal organization is just plain wrong. Allow UFC competitions but ban the Hells Angels from taking control of them.
Hey just a head up..
ReplyDelete"He's the president of a new UFC league called XMMA"
UFC and XMMA are both brands of a SPORT, for instance say we are talking about FOOTBALL, thats a sport and the CFL and the NFL would be two completely different brands. What im saying is that UFC isn't a sport, it's just a branding, the actual sport is called "Mixed Martial Arts A.K.A MMA" The above quote should read like this..
"He's the president of a new MMA brand called XMMA"
Just letting ya know!
Ya I know but it’s kinda like Band aids. Band aid was a brand but it’s become a name for a product. You’re absolutely right UFC is separate like the CFL is from the NFL. I just used the term UFC to mean MMA – mixed martial arts since they were the first and everyone else copies them.
ReplyDeleteYou’re right Burton Rice doesn’t have anything to do with UFC. I just don’t think he should have anything to do with MMA at all since he has associations with organized crime. Surely that’s enough to deny a business license. That’s the last thing we need for the sport.
Maybe I'm naive but I think people expect a certain level of corruption around a sport, especially with ultimate fighting. I'm more surprised that this magazine targets young teenagers and is sold at Shoppers Drug Mart and Wal-Mart. Who the hell is buying this crack-funded crap and how is it still being made AFTER they all got arrested? Chapters won't carry Mein Kampf but they've got no problem with Naked Eye Magazine a magazine funded by crack dealers?
ReplyDeleteYeah but it lessens the sport. We don’t need Don King turning football into horse racing, it’s a scam as is that magazine. You raise a good point. If a business is caught laundering money for a criminal organization usually that business is shut down.
ReplyDelete"Maybe I'm naive but I think people expect a certain level of corruption around a sport, especially with ultimate fighting. I'm more surprised that this magazine targets young teenagers and is sold at Shoppers Drug Mart and Wal-Mart. Who the hell is buying this crack-funded crap and how is it still being made AFTER they all got arrested? Chapters won't carry Mein Kampf but they've got no problem with Naked Eye Magazine a magazine funded by crack dealers?"
ReplyDeleteI disagree on certain points corruption exists on every level, in every field and in any country so for you to say that MMA is expected to have more corruption then lets say golf is bogus just because somebody wears a collared shirt doesn't make them less of a crook than a guy who has tattoos and fights for a living