Brandon “The Truth???” Vera gets KO’d by Dion
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 17, 2008


“When someone lies to you... it becomes a fu*ked up thing. Then they start talking sh*t about your cuz thier wrong? It becomes something else. It is what it is... I've left City and am in process with the CSAC for my managerial contract. I WILL be fighting soon, and it WILL be a good one. Hope everyone the best. Yeah.......... I'm training.”


SAN DIEGO – On March 21, 2007, UFC Heavyweight contender Brandon Vera, through an attorney, served Mark Dion a letter indicating that he would be terminating his management contract with Dion for alleged sponsorship violations, in addition to Dion allegedly failing to communicate information concerning contract offers from the UFC. Unfortunately, Vera and Dion were unable to work out their differences on their own, causing both parties to seek arbitration from the California State Athletic Commission to settle their dispute.

It did not take long for Vera to get on his soap-box and smear Dion’s name and reputation in the media, even calling Dion “a piece of sh*t” in an interview with Luis Cruz, HACNews.com. Quotes of Vera’s unsubstantiated accusations against Dion can be found in numerous interviews that Vera’s given on Sherdog.com, HACNews.com, Yahoo! Sports, The Mikey Show on Rock 105.3, The Fight Network, among many other media outlets.

For over a year now, Dion has been patiently waiting to clear his name and tell his side of the story.

The wait is now over. On March 7, 2008, the California State Athletic Commission delivered their decision in the Arbitration between Brandon Vera, Mixed Martial Artist, and Mark Dion, Manager.

The Decision

The following are excerpts from the Decision of the Arbitrator. (the complete Decision of the Arbitrator can be viewed at http://cityboxing.com/arbitration.aspx)

Vera has not met his burden of proving that Dion engaged in illegal conduct in violation of the laws and regulations of the Commission which would establish legal cause for issuance of an order terminating the contract or that Dion failed to act in a reasonable manner in discharging his obligations as a manger as provided for in the contract.


There was no evidence presented that Manager [Dion] would in any way have benefitted from the rejection of a bona fide promotional or endorsement opportunity.

Legal documents and exhibits relating to the Arbitration between Mark Dion and Brandon Vera are available to the public on http://cityboxing.com/arbitration.aspx.

Did Dion fail to disclose a $100K signing bonus offer to Vera?

At the center of Vera’s dispute with Dion have been unsubstantiated allegations that Dion turned down a signing bonus and contract offers from the UFC without Vera’s knowledge.

The UFC was offering a $100,000 signing bonus to Vera, IF and only IF Vera became a UFC Champion. Brandon was unwilling to settle for these terms given that he received a $100,000 signing bonus on his previous contract. After all, why would Vera want to settle for the same signing bonus he received from his second contract with the UFC, when his stock had skyrocketed after two big wins over Assuerio Silva and Frank Mir and remaining undefeated in the UFC? That would be like A-Rod re-signing with the Yankees under the same terms as his rookie contract with the Seattle Mariners.

The evidence shows that Vera was not interested in a $100,000 signing bonus that was contingent on him becoming the UFC Champion. Vera wanted a $1.5 Million signing bonus upfront.

But for everyone who thinks this is all hearsay, let’s take a look at the facts.

On December 4, 2006, Dana White meets with Dion and makes two offers on a Post-It note (Exhibit 39):





Vera was not satisfied with White’s offer, so Dion and Vera put together a counter offer (Exhibit 41), which Joe Silva acknowledges (Arbitration Transcript Page 102, Lines 24-25 & Page 103 Lines 1-3) as an offer Brandon Vera authorized Mark Dion to communicate to Dana White/UFC.



UFC Negotiating Tactics

In a letter dated December 26, 2006 from Dana White to Brandon Vera/co Mark Dion (Exhibit 9), presented during the Arbitration hearing between Vera and Dion, White informs Vera that his contract would be extended by three months due to Vera’s allegedly giving notice to the UFC that he was unable to compete for a period of time following his May 27, 2006 fight at UFC 60.

White’s letter was sent via email to Dion approximately 2.5 hours after Dion sent Dana White an email indicating that Vera would be declining the UFC’s latest contract renewal offer (Exhibit 9).



Dion disagreed with the extension imposed on Vera, and responded with a letter on February 9, 2007, through attorney Stephen T. Cummings, requesting that the UFC schedule an opponent for Vera to fulfill the final fight on his contract that was set to expire on May 26, 2007.



In this case, it’s obvious that on December 26, 2006 the UFC imposed an extensions on Vera’s contract as a negotiating tactic in response to Dion and Vera declining the UFC contract renewal offer.

Randy Couture, if you’re reading this, you must be having déjà vu.

Did Dion prevent Vera from fighting Sylvia for the UFC Title?

“Vera says it was Dion who prevented him from fighting Sylvia in March amidst contract talks with Zuffa LLC, owners of the UFC”



There is no evidence or documentation that the UFC ever offered Vera a title fight with Tim Sylvia, while Dion was managing Vera. Joe Silva’s (UFC, VP of Talent Relations) testimony during the arbitration hearing also supports this point as well.



The Truth Revealed

In his dealings with Brandon Vera, Mark Dion was guilty of providing Vera with a job at City Boxing that paid him $6000/month, spending over $100,000 in marketing and promoting Vera, providing Vera with World-Class Trainers like Rob Kaman, and negotiating tooth-and-nail to get Vera the best possible contracts with the UFC and potential sponsors -- everything that a good manager should be doing for a fighter.

Even as late as March 6, 2007, 3 days after Randy Couture defeated Tim Sylvia at UFC 68, Vera was going out to dinner with Dion and KJ Noons, with no signs of discontent. Then very abruptly, Vera sent Dion a letter through an attorney indicating that he wanted out of his management contract with Dion.

Not once during Dion’s negotiations with the UFC, did Brandon Vera send any correspondence to Dion, email or otherwise, that expressed discontent with Dion’s services.

Someone got into Brandon Vera’s head. Was it the UFC’s direct clandestine contact with Vera on March 24, 2007 at Pride 33 in Las Vegas? Was it the rumored overtures from Gary Shaw/EliteXC?

It cannot be disputed that Dion has invested more money (>$100K) in developing Vera’s career, than the amount of money he has earned from his percentage of Vera’s fight purses and sponsorship/endorsements.

It cannot be disputed that Dion took Vera under his wing in 2004, and built him into the #1 contender in the UFC Heavyweight division, and one of the most popular fighters in MMA prior to their split.

It cannot be disputed that Brandon “The Truth” Vera has been untruthful in his interviews with the media surrounding the reasons for his split with Dion and City Boxing.

Final Thoughts

Contract disputes between managers and fighters are a reality that will continue to exist as long as there is money to be made in prize fighting. Unfortunately, in these disputes managers are most often assumed by the public and the media as predators that victimize naïve fighters.

This is NOT the case in the dispute between Dion and Vera. Dion has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the California State Athletic Commission that he acted in the best interests of representing Vera. As a result, Vera has been ordered to honor the contract he signed with Dion, and pay Dion 1/3 of the purse from the fight with Tim Sylvia on November 2007, as well as $100,000 from future purses.

Sadly, it appears as though the face of greed has reared its ugly head as the motivatingfactor behind Vera’s decision to split with Dion in an attempt to avoid paying Dion his just due.

Brandon Vera is right. It is a “fu*ked up thing” when someone lies to you, and then starts “talking sh*t about your cuz thier wrong.” It now appears that Vera has a lot of explaining to do to all of his fans, friends, and family…..as well as considering a nickname change from “The Truth,” to “The Liar.”