link: Sapp incident follow-up testimonial article

[HolyRamenEmpire]

http://www.mmaringreport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=857&Itemid=53

Sapp side's story.

[K1power]

http://www.mmaringreport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=857&Itemid=53
I read that from sherdog just now. The story is crazy and I believe it could very well be true...

[HolyRamenEmpire]

Sounds legit... In anycase, one has got to surround oneself with the right people...

[Razor Bump]

I'm rolling with Sapp on this one..... I always take the fighters side.

[HolyRamenEmpire]

Now that I've gotten Sapp side, I wonder what the deal with the whole "Sapp with psychotherapists", "Sapp was afraid" talk... I think Sapp's a man of contract... I'd go with Sapp's story... I just wonder whether Sapp will indeed stay out of Japan and K1, or return back. Although he sounds inclined to not return, I sense a chance for his return. That's the gray zone I see in the article. That's where he may still be playing with his cards. He's at lest lucky to still have marketability. He still has big options.

[urdum]

The link doesnt work at my comp:(

[HolyRamenEmpire]

The site's top page was inaccessible for a moment, now it opens up again. The links to the articles are working. They may take time to open, perhaps due to access concentration or I don't know.

[loreia]

It finally opened after 10 minutes of hitting F5.

I must say, business side of the sport is always ugly.

[( o Y o )]

Did they just try and say he would be charged $950k tax on a $1mil pay check?? Sounds like someone has a bad accountant.

[CentralKickboxing.Org]

Yeah. The tax details were a bit off. I think the writer was trying to say the $1M would be subject to consumption tax and retroactive tax as well. Not sure if that is true. Sapp didn't even start in K-1 until after the famous audit.

Lesson learned: set a deadline and stick to it. Going to the event without a contract was sending the wrong message. Kudos for walking though.

[( o Y o )]

Yeah. The tax details were a bit off. I think the writer was trying to say the $1M would be subject to consumption tax and retroactive tax as well. Not sure if that is true. Sapp didn't even start in K-1 until after the famous audit.

Exactly...and if he owed that much simply not fighting here would not suddenly stop the Japanese tax department from persuing him.

Not to mention one quote in there says something like "all the PRIDE fighters have been paying that tax" so it sounds as though it is something he knew about all along, or for quite some time anyway.

[Faster]

Exactly...and if he owed that much simply not fighting here would not suddenly stop the Japanese tax department from persuing him.

Not to mention one quote in there says something like "all the PRIDE fighters have been paying that tax" so it sounds as though it is something he knew about all along, or for quite some time anyway.

I don't even understand what the tax is for. Sounds as if foreign fighters are being taxed for polluting or contaminating the Japanese landscape with their presence. The should call it the Xenophobe tax.

[CentralKickboxing.Org]

No. Non-residents are subject to withholding tax for all business done in Japan. So when Sapp fights in Japan, K-1 withholds tax. It the same everywhere in the world and most countries have tax treaties. Sapp would pay the Japanese tax authorities and then the IRS would have a special equation to determine their share.

Consumption tax (I just noticed that we were not talking about withholding tax) is the tax you pay for buying a coke, 5% in Japan. I think the writer got the tax code mixed up a bit. I can't see Sapp ducking consumption tax.

[Shinobu]

Exactly...and if he owed that much simply not fighting here would not suddenly stop the Japanese tax department from persuing him.

Not to mention one quote in there says something like "all the PRIDE fighters have been paying that tax" so it sounds as though it is something he knew about all along, or for quite some time anyway.
Yeah it would only make sense if he stops living in Japan, I think that's what the text was hinting at. Though I think it doesn't really make sense as Sapp is not that popular outside Japan.

[LethalSassonic]

Wow, what an interesting read!

[HolyRamenEmpire]

I think there's a good deal of exaggeration in the article... as can be sensed from the tax issues and Sapp's future prospects... Sounds like they (obviously) want to emphasize their victim status and maintain their threat to walk away from K1 and Japan... As others have mentioned, I doubt the tax will deduct as much as Sapp? thinks... and Sapp indeed isn't much of a fame outside of Japan, yet. However, he did and he can still get movie roles in the USA... I'd guess he can earn a certain degree of fame, even in the States... and especially if he hops into TUF or the UFC, and does something fancy in there (coach workout, or beat up a mediocre fighter, or overwhelm a fine but not super powerful fighter).

I'm guessing Sapp will re-negociate his deal with K1, and return to Japan for some more fights. I guess he'll try to get an advantageous tax deal from K1.

I wonder who managed Sapp? And who dealt with his contract negociation? Sounds like he was doing everything on his own...

[HolyRamenEmpire]

Does Hoost (and Aerts) know the "other side" of the event?

[( o Y o )]

I wonder who managed Sapp? And who dealt with his contract negociation? Sounds like he was doing everything on his own...

I could be wrong but I believe FEG manage him......Ishii was supposedly his original manager. FEG personally manage some fighters, and others have seperate management.

[CentralKickboxing.Org]

Daisuke's name was misspelled and his last name is not Kawaguchi. If it is the Daisuke I'm thinking of he manages the contracts for most of the fighters. He has seen it all an now he has had a fighter walk out of a main event.

The only screw up bigger than this is the cancelation of the K-1 Rising event in 2002.

The death threats are probably an exaggeration, but now Sapp will demand an exobitant insurance policy to appear in Japan.

[ducati]

I would take those death threats seriously. Have you seen who Tanikawa and Ishii hang out with on the weekends?

[HolyRamenEmpire]

The threat is not that big against Sapp. For one, he is an American. For two, he was in his right. For three, he is famous, he has contributed, and he still has marketability. Those three factors add up to make him pretty immune to a threat based on the recent incident. If he was Japanese, he'd have more trouble though, even with the other two factors. I think he'll be fine. Tanikawa already announcing that Sapp has been excused enough to be welcomed back into the Sapporo tournament indicates that the threat was mostly a bluff.

[Razor Bump]

"Dead over a record, Shit sounded like he meant it" -Lloyd Banks
I take all death threats seriously. It's not like he's telling this story by himself. Right now to discredit Sapp is also to discredit Maurice Smith. I would not play with my health in another country with out a shooting chance...... Who does Tanikawa hang out with Ducati? Elaborate please. What ever the case a fighter should not step into a ring without a contract on a professional level. Do business right, and pay the man. Since they are not his friend as Sapp stated and they have put across in their actions he owed them no favors. Get the contract straight guys.

[HolyRamenEmpire]

As well known, K1 and Pride and several major Japanese mma & pro-wrestling gym managers hang out with the yakuzas. The usual story.

I believe that Sapp's side of the story is MOSTLY accurate. But I think he's unconsciously or subconsciously exaggerating his victim status. That's okay, as he was probably genuinely stressed to a very high degree.

In regards to the threats, he should be offended, he should be careful, yes. But, there's just certain fields of business and certain type of people who sometimes too readily use the threats, as a bluff.

MMA is just that kind of business. One step off the right track, it can be full of danger.

I don't think one needs to over-estimate the K1 yakuza power. Just watch how poorly they've faired in dealing with Mike Tyson. Shows how powerless they are afterall. They are strong against Japanese people, and weak players.

The bottom of the story NOW is that Sapp still has a big chance to make money with K1. Sapp can walk away or take the chance. It's up to him. K1 is not going to send Japanese assassins to kill Sapp in the States. Nor will they be waiting at the airport ready to snipe him.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Sapp back in Japan, fighting again within this year. I wouldn't be surprised if he decided to fight for K1 only in the States. I wouldn't be surprised if he decided to take a year off fighting for anyone and focus on acting, or maybe jump into the UFC.

Cheers to Sapp for being courageous enough to walk away without a contract and amidst negative attitudes from the event organizers.

[Cracked_Knuckle]

Props to the guy for playing hard ball, but I bet he ends up back in japan before the end of the year. I mean, it aint like his acting career has taken off right? What else can he do? Go use his chamistry degree to invent a new for of hGH that doesn't cause the distended gut he now has? :eek: :D