by Jason Benfari on August 14, 2009
When Zuffa, the UFC's parent company, bought out the WEC, many speculated that the organization would be used as a feeder league to showcase younger and developing talent and allow them to get much needed experience before stepping up in competition and competing in the UFC.
The organization, however, eventually dissolved its higher weight classes to focus on lighter weights including the featherweight and bantamweight divisions which the UFC doesn't currently employ. That may change however according to White who says that talks of a merger are on the docket.
"We're talking about that right now, possibly," White during a recent Q and A session.
Former bantamweight and featherweight champions Miguel Torres and Urijah Faber have been outspoken about the lack of exposure and the lower pay-scales associated with the organization.
Faber, perhaps the organizations most recognizable name, doesn't believe the lower pay scale is fair and thinks a case can be made for a UFC featherweight division.
"I definitely don't think it's a fair scale," Faber recently told RawVegas. "We need to do pay-per-view shows. That's how everybody's getting paid. If I was the one making those calls, maybe I would [create a featherweight division in the UFC]. I can certainly make a case for that, but I'm at the will of those guys right now and they hold the ball in their court and I'm just gonna try and play."
When Zuffa, the UFC's parent company, bought out the WEC, many speculated that the organization would be used as a feeder league to showcase younger and developing talent and allow them to get much needed experience before stepping up in competition and competing in the UFC.
The organization, however, eventually dissolved its higher weight classes to focus on lighter weights including the featherweight and bantamweight divisions which the UFC doesn't currently employ. That may change however according to White who says that talks of a merger are on the docket.
"We're talking about that right now, possibly," White during a recent Q and A session.
Former bantamweight and featherweight champions Miguel Torres and Urijah Faber have been outspoken about the lack of exposure and the lower pay-scales associated with the organization.
Faber, perhaps the organizations most recognizable name, doesn't believe the lower pay scale is fair and thinks a case can be made for a UFC featherweight division.
"I definitely don't think it's a fair scale," Faber recently told RawVegas. "We need to do pay-per-view shows. That's how everybody's getting paid. If I was the one making those calls, maybe I would [create a featherweight division in the UFC]. I can certainly make a case for that, but I'm at the will of those guys right now and they hold the ball in their court and I'm just gonna try and play."
