Reports are leaking out from MMA managers that the UFC have decided that fighters who sign up for EA MMA will not be allowed to fight in the UFC... ever! The UFC is the largest MMA organisation and given this threat it is likely that many fighters who at this point have no association or contract with the UFC will pass on the opportunity to be in EA MMA.
Last year it was revealed that the UFC forced their fighters to sign away life time digital image rights in order to fight for the organisation. They even kicked out top welterweight contender Jon Fitch for refusing to sign over his rights, but that was resolved a couple of days later.
However, it should be said that there are enough big name MMA stars around who are unlikely to feel threatened by this (because their status is such) or they may already have fallen out with UFC and don't care to come back. Tito Ortiz is one such example.
It has been rumoured that none other than Captain America himself, The Natural, Randy Couture has signed with EA MMA. If true it would create an interesting scenario as Randy is currently under contract with the UFC and scheduled for the main event of UFC 102 later this summer. Another fighter rumoured to be in the game is Fedor Emelianenko, by many considered the greatest heavyweight ever to grace the sport and the best pound-for-pound fighter.
An interesting note is that during the last UFC event, The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale, the cage was splattered with ads for Fight Night Round 4. The plot thickens...