Burt Watson: UFC Exec Stepped To Me, So I Stepped To Him
Former UFC ‘Babysitter To The Stars’ Burt Watson was celebrating his fourteenth year as an employee under the Zuffa banner at UFC 184, when all of a sudden things started to go awry. A botched weight cut for Mark Munoz led to Watson questioning why the now-retired UFC middleweight wasn’t being moved back to his hotel in L.A, arguing it was only 10 minutes from the venue itself.
The next thing we knew, Watson, a thorough fan favorite for his catchy style and large character, had ‘retired’ from the UFC. Rumours started to swirl about confrontations with Ronda Rousey, who headlined the card, or Munoz leading to Watson quitting his job. It was later revealed that a confrontation with a high up UFC staff member was the catalyst to his resigning, and subsequent role as babysitter to the CFFC (Cage Fury Fighting Championships) stars instead.
Speaking to Mike Straka of MMA Noise, Watson explains further the situation that led to him leaving the job he’d held for so long:
“It was UFC 184 in LA, I was approached by a high level executive, and he questioned me. When the question was posed to me, I was offended by it. I was offended by how he approached me, I felt my integrity was in question, my work ethic was in question. I had just spoken to Mar Munoz, and I didn’t want people to think it was Mark who I had trouble with, and then when I didn’t address it names started coming up; Mark Munoz, Ronda Rousey, this team and that team, but it was just that one executive that decided he was going to step to me, so I stepped to him, plain and simple,”
“Do I miss anything? I miss that money, that’s a lot of what I miss. I miss the fighters, but working with CFFC I get to see the younger fighters and the up-and-coming fighters.”
The full video is definitely worth a watch, as Watson details some of his classic memories during his time in the UFC. Footage of Alistair Overeem also provides some backstage insight in to the life Burt Watson led while under the Zuffa banner.
The unfortunate run-in with the unnamed UFC executive spelt the end of his storied run as a UFC hype man and ‘Babysitter To The Stars’, but Watson continues his legacy now with a smaller promotion, but just as loud a voice.
