The latest installment of MMA Fighting’s excellent Backstage Series features the much disparaged mega manager, Ed Soares. Boasting one of the most impressive stables of clientele in MMA, he represents four current and former champions in Jose Aldo, Anderson Silva, Lyoto Machida, and Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira. Soares has long been the target of critics for his methods of representation, and probably more so for his supposed influence over his fighters’ decisions.
Ed Soares Speaks Out Against So-Called ‘Keyboard Warriors’
↵While his interview with Ariel Helwani delves into a number of different topics floating around the MMA world, it wasn’t until Soares was asked about reading his own press that he seemed to get hot under the collar. When asked about how he responds to reading something negative written about himself or his fighters, Soares responded:
↵via MMA Fighting-
↵↵So many of these guys claim to be fans. One of the things that really bothered me was after Nogueira fought Cain Velasquez. First of all, after he fought Frank Mir, they said he should retire and that he’s done. Then he comes back and has that historic fight with Randy Couture. ‘Nogueira’s back!’ Then he goes out there, fights Cain Velasquez, gets knocked out, and now he’s done again. That really made me bummed out. These guys claim to be fans. What some of these guys wrote about Nogueira? How could you talk that way about a legend in the sport? Someone who has done so much for the sport? And as a human being, one of the greatest guys you’ll ever meet in your life. It affected me personally, and I lashed out. These guys stand behind their keyboards and say all that crap.
↵↵While I do believe Ed has a point, he must realize that being criticized is part of being a public figure. It all just comes with the territory. Plenty of managers seem content with a lack of a public persona. If Soares wants to be in front of the camera being interviewed, speaking at press conferences, and translating post-fight conversations with Joe Rogan, he needs to get over it.
↵Here is part 1 of Soares’ interview with Helwani. Check out part 2 at MMA Fighting
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