UFC fighter kicked out for not signing over THQ likeness rights

Didn't agree with lifelong deal

24 November 2008 19:46 GMT / By Verity Burns

American kickboxer Jon Fitch has reportedly been been booted out of the Ultimate Fighting Championship after he refused to sign a lifelong licensing deal with THQ.

The 30-year-old fighter has been fighting in the UFC since 2002, but became pretty dispensible after he refused to sign over his likeness to THQ for use in UFC-related games.

THQ owns the video games rights to the UFC and as part of the deal, requires all of the fighters to sign over the rights to their digital likeness for life. It seems Fitch had a problem with the timeline and wanted it shortened.

It was then that the UFC kicked him off of the tour.

"I'm more than willing to work with them, but I don't see why we have to give up our whole lives for this", Fitch said.

"Why not a time limit? If we did a ten year deal with them, is that that unreasonable? I don't understand how this happened, honestly. It's tough".