Jon Fitch and others cut from UFC

[kevint13]

http://www.mmafighting.com/2013/2/20...ufc-on-tuesday

Former welterweight contender Jon Fitch was among the 16 UFC fighters who were released from the promotion on Tuesday.

UFC president Dana White also confirmed with MMAFighting.com that the following fighters were also let go:
Wagner Prado
Mike Russow
Jacob Volkmann
Vladimir Matyushenko
Che Mills
Jay Hieron
Terry Etim
Paul Sass
Jorge Santiago
Mike Stumpf
Simeon Thoresen
C.J. Keith
Motonobu Tezuka
Josh Grispi
Ulysses Gomez

Each fighter was coming off at least one loss in his most recent fight.

I'm actually not too surprised about Fitch. Also with the number of fighters that they have now I wouldn't be surprised to see guys getting dropped after 2 loses or 2 in 3 fights.

[Tyburn]

Ludicrous...on this logic, are we to believe Dustin Poirier should consider himself...lucky?

Perhaps they should also go ahead a release Frankie Edgar.

They just dont get it, rather then dumping half their stock due to an influx of questionable tallent at best...they should be making their cards long, and lengthening those cards with Strikeforce bouts...where they should be playing a sudden death approach to the incoming stock.

You dont simply qualify for the UFC because you were a Strikeforce Fighter...That dumb, because if you drop you top stock to fill your stable with newly aquired breeds and discover they fail to perform, you will end up pushing them out and contracting.

Its something you will regret if you want to bring them back and find they have signed with Bellator instead.

This is a sign that the gap between the public and the senior management level of the UFC is significantly widened...I promise you, if the UFC take this further as a trend they will discover, quickly, that some fans, are fans of Fighters, NOT primarily of the UFC...and if Bellator can make those Fighters STILL VISABLE, like they wouldnt have been before, having been cut...the UFC actually dares fans to jump ship almost by force...someone who may not have been interested in Bellator, might become so, because the fighters they like have moved.

They are treading a dangerous line and cant even see it because they live in a vaccum. They believe that WE should be Grateful TO THEM for having carried MMA through the dark years...but THEY are 100percent reliant on us...and IF they fall, someone else will pick up the buck and continue.

If Matt Hughes really is now a go between...there is one very important thing he needs to stress to them, is that, once you let a fighter go...particularly someone who is European...unlike the attitudes of some of the Americans who act like they deserved the chop when they didnt...a European is FAR LESS likely to forgive and forget the embarissment caused...They wont as easily come grovelling back...they will probably be mortally offended...particularly if they DO NOT have three losses in a Row...Matt Hughes also needs to stress to them, that if they want to be seen as justified they MUST WITH NO EXCEPTIONS WHATSOEVER keep to there Rules. If they say three losses equate to a dissmissal...then thats for everyone...even a former champion...and it means they have three losses before being dismissed...not two...not one...THREE.

As the UFC no longer bother to listen to the fans...I can only hope they bother to listen to him. Unless, of course the ideal of a go-between is that feedback to the management is not required, in which case ( and trust me a lot of organisations claim to have someone as a mediator between Employer and Employee) its not Mediation but enforcement, and doubtless thats Enforcement of the managements agenda and NOT of the rights and concerns of anyone else.

Ideally a code of conduct works both ways.

Well...thats my opinion on the matter....I'll write, once again, to them when I get a chance, then even if nothing happens, I know ive done all I can...because there are names on that list that have no place being there period, thats unfair...and as a result, when its people you know and like, I get myself almost hoping that as a result of this, the UFC itself stumbles before Bellator...because there are a good few people in that organization that need to be taken down a peg or two, reminded of who they are...and if they wont listen to reason, need to face the consequences until they do.

[County Mike]

You need to sell tickets. If nobody wants to watch you fight, you won't get paid to fight.

[Tyburn]

Originally Posted by County Mike

You need to sell tickets. If nobody wants to watch you fight, you won't get paid to fight.

Not all the fighters on that list are as boring as Jon Fitch...who I couldnt care less about

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bring-...49160368529984

[Irish Pride]

Was surprised to see Volkmann get cut. He didn't even have back to back losses.


Was very sad to see Vladdy get cut. I liked watching his fights and thought he was doing well and with his age I thought this was even more impressive.

[flo]

Great points, Dave! I think you're absolutely correct. Ditto for code of conduct working both ways.

Originally Posted by kevint13

http://www.mmafighting.com/2013/2/20...ufc-on-tuesday

I'm actually not too surprised about Fitch. Also with the number of fighters that they have now I wouldn't be surprised to see guys getting dropped after 2 loses or 2 in 3 fights.

I'm not surprised either. There's much more competition to fill those spots in the UFC than there used to be, more hungry, up-and-coming fighters. UFC was more accepting of the "known" fighters who would lose 3, win one then lose another 2 in the old days. Not anymore! I was surprised at the overall level of skill shown in the new TUF series.

[flo]

Originally Posted by Irish Pride

Was surprised to see Volkmann get cut. He didn't even have back to back losses.


Was very sad to see Vladdy get cut. I liked watching his fights and thought he was doing well and with his age I thought this was even more impressive.

I was sorry to see his name on the list as well. As for Volkmann, maybe Dana thought he wasn't PC enough????

[kevint13]

Originally Posted by flo

I'm not surprised either. There's much more competition to fill those spots in the UFC than there used to be, more hungry, up-and-coming fighters. UFC was more accepting of the "known" fighters who would lose 3, win one then lose another 2 in the old days. Not anymore! I was surprised at the overall level of skill shown in the new TUF series.

I think the top-tier fighters will be a little safer, most are fan favorites and exciting to watch. Can't imagine them cutting guys like Edgar, Faber, Rashad, etc.

But I will say that I believe someone like Robbie will have to win this weekend to stay in the UFC.

[Max]

Jon Fitch - 1-2-1 (last 5 fights)
Wagner Prado - 0-2 (1)
Mike Russow - 4-2
Jacob Volkmann - 6-4
Vladimir Matyushenko - 4-3
Che Mills - 2-2
Jay Hieron - 0-2
Terry Etim - 6-5
Paul Sass - 3-2
Jorge Santiago - 0-1
Mike Stumpf - 0-2
Simeon Thoresen - 1-2
C.J. Keith - 0-2
Motonobu Tezuka - 0-2
Josh Grispi - 0-4
Ulysses Gomez - 0-2

Those are the records of this group of fighters during this UFC run. I don't see one guy in that group that I think of as a future champion or even a top 5 guy (That includes Fitch, he is now outside the 5). If you are not ranked in the top 5 of your weight class than your next loss could be your last fight in the UFC. The UFC added a lot of the guys from Strikeforce and I would not be surprised if a lot of those guys are on 1 fight deals. As the UFC grows, the competition becomes even great and the expectation to perform is even greater than it once was. If a fighter is simply a permanent mid-card guy whats the point in keeping him? Why not cut him and bring in new guys and see if one of them has what it takes to be a future champion.

[flo]

Originally Posted by kevint13

But I will say that I believe someone like Robbie will have to win this weekend to stay in the UFC.

I think so too, he has 4 wins, 1 NC in his last 10 fights. I would love to see him KO Kos, I hope Robbie has a big win and can turn things around for himself.