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Jon Fitch among 16 fighters released from UFC on Tuesday

15K views 206 replies 80 participants last post by  2zwudz 
#1 ·
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 and Ulysses Gomez.

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

Some big names in there, some of which I expect to see back in the UFC by the end of this year/early next.
 
#116 ·
The amount of speculating and finger pointing in this thread is ridiculous. We have literally zero facts, yet people are claiming that the UFC is in financial trouble, or that this is actually a calculated ploy to bankrupt Bellator. 3/4s of you never gave a rat's arse about Jon Fitch, and yet his release is the greatest travesty in the history of the sport. Talk about wishy-washy fans.

And I'm having a real laugh at anyone who claims that signing Jon Fitch is going to give Bellator the boost it needs to take on the UFC. Do you lot listen to yourselves? UFC is still home to GSP, Hendricks, and Maia, three WWs who destroyed Fitch, and yet Jon is going to be the game changer for Bellator? Oh, man... watch out Dana and company... Bellator might nab Wagner Prado as well!
 
#117 ·
Fitch's base salary is $66,000...answer right the IMO. More divisions, more fighters to pay.

MMAFighting.com just posted this in an article:
I remember talking to a UFC executive back in late 2010, who told me that Fitch was expendable as soon as he was no longer relevant in the title picture because of the money he made.
 
#119 ·
http://www.mmafighting.com/2013/2/20/4010256/despite-surprising-release-jon-fitch-can-leave-ufc-with-dignity-intact

One of the all-time great MMA post-fight press conference appearances came from Jon Fitch. It was at UFC 87 in Minneapolis, after Fitch lost to Georges St-Pierre in a defeat that denied him the welterweight championship he had chased for so long. The reality that he'd been sent to the back of the line hadn't yet sunk in, but the disappointment of losing had.

Fitch walked into the room with a cold Corona in one hand, a bag of ice in the other. The ice wasn't for the beer. It was for his face. He was leaking blood from any number of cuts, his face was speckled with bruises, and his left eye was completely swollen shut. He looked like he'd been hit with a bat after surviving a car crash. Moments earlier, he had just been ordered to head directly to the hospital for observation, but instead, he decided to delay the trip to explain his defeat.

Months earlier, the UFC had announced a partnership with Anheuser-Busch, and "Bud Light" logos were on the backdrop behind Fitch, forcing UFC president Dana White to deftly cover Fitch's Corona with water bottles. There was always some friction between them, it seemed.

At that point, Fitch wasn't exactly used to losing. He had come into the match on a 16-fight win streak. Against St-Pierre, he was nearly finished in the first, and mostly dominated in a decision in which St-Pierre won every round. You could have understood if Fitch left for the hospital. Instead he chose to be accountable.

It was also a time he was very human. His great regret, he said, was not that he had failed to win the belt. It was that he had let down his friends and family.

"I'm disappointed," he said, a tear rolling down his cheek. "I feel like I let people down. My teammates, my friends, my family. I had a lot of people come up here tonight. They don't have a lot of money, but they still came up here to support me and I let them down. And I feel bad about that..."

His voice trailed off even though you could tell he hadn't completed his thought. He stayed until the end, answered every question, and then walked out with his dignity intact.

Fitch was released from the UFC on Wednesday, about three weeks after losing to Demian Maia. In his seven-plus years in the UFC, Fitch fought 18 times, with a 14-3-1 record. That history of success made him one of the most surprising roster cuts in recent memory.

In reality, the decision was likely sealed by his recent inconsistency as well as his base salary, which was $66,000 at last check.

This is not the NFL where teams have a hard salary cap they must meet, but the UFC does have internal budgets. In a time where starting fighters are getting $8,000, his cut will pay for eight rookies while opening up a valuable roster spot. Cuts are necessary because of the influx of Strikeforce and women's fighters. Out with the old, in with the new.

The decision while surprising is not without some rationale. Fitch has only won once in his last four fights. In a performance-based profession, that is decidedly sub-par regardless of opposition level. Yet it is also true that others have been kept around with far worse streaks.

I remember talking to a UFC executive back in late 2010, who told me that Fitch was expendable as soon as he was no longer relevant in the title picture because of the money he made. Other strikes against him? He had never been a draw, and he had never been considered "entertaining." Since that time, he's struggled. His most recent fight, a unanimous decision loss to Maia, was lackluster at best, and effectively knocked him off that first tier of welterweights, even though he was still parked at No. 9 on the UFC's rankings.

Against Maia, he landed only six significant strikes the entire night. Maia had more takedowns (seven) than that. And that was probably the cue to cut him.

Of course, there could have been more at play. Fitch has had issues with the promotion in the past. In 2008, after declining to sign away his image rights for a video game, Fitch was released from the company. He then spoke out about some of the company's "strong-arm tactics." Suffice it to say, he wasn't high up on the Zuffa Christmas card list.

At least Fitch can go out with his head held high. He always did things his way. He never buckled to public pressure to change his fight style, and he mostly won. Even before facing Maia, he had his last moment of glory in a scintillating win over promising young talent Erick Silva in one of the best fights of 2012. Just before that, Fitch had made a point of saying that he needed to win or risk getting a real job.

It's unclear where he goes from here. At 34 years old, he's not over the hill, but he's not a youngster, either. Bellator has tended to stay away from longtime UFC veterans, but there are other options. None of them will pay as well as the UFC, and none of them will give him the same spotlight.

Indeed, barring any change of heart, Fitch has probably seen his last night in the octagon. That's what made me think back to UFC 87, Fitch walking in with a Corona in hand, bloodied and bruised but unbowed. In a sense, he's leaving now the same way.
 
#122 ·
Fitch is the only fighter on the list that I am surprised was cut. And even then, I am not incredulous about his cut either. It's not hard to imagine that Fitch just didn't 'play ball' when Silva/Zuffa requested him to. His recent 1-2-1 record and history of boring fights before that, didn't help either. There are many variables that might have led to him being cut.

I find it funny that people think the UFC is in financial trouble. If this was the case, which it isn't, cutting mostly lower payed fighters wouldn't even begin to help them out. With the Fox deal, more events than ever, & new markets opened up, the UFC is as strong financially as ever.

This isn't the old UFC where fighters can rest on past accomplishments or mediocre records. Which is a good thing for the future of MMA.
 
#123 ·
I'm not normally one for conspiracy theories, but could this have been a calculated move by Dana? Fitch despit being a top WW, is not a big draw, so from a business standpoint he isn't really that big of an asset to the UFC. If he signs with another organization, he still won't be a big draw, but he might be some of their up and comers and prevent them from becoming a draw.
 
#126 ·
This just goes to show that no matter how well you do your job, you will be replaced if your boss doesn't like you.

I'm more upset that Etim was cut than Fitch tbh. Plus the UFC is probably just bolstering Belators' roster a touch and plan on buying them in a couple years anyway.
 
#132 ·
Not long time ago I was having this conversation with Ari about UFC being political or not and I said politics is all around us. Regarding Fitch release, it smells politics all over as well. It doesn't matter he won't be champ. He is a solid gatekeeper and although I hate his style, I have to agree he is powerful in his game and I am sad to see he is leaving.
You know that fella in your company you know is a plain incompetent but got a management position ahead of you? Well, that works both ways. If we all agree that technically, Fitch should not be cut, most probably outstanding reasons(political, finnancial) got him cut. I vote in an old( or recent, who knows) disagreement with the big boss and I agree with LyotoLegion here - inspite being Brazilian, I can't understand Tibau is waving goodby to Fitch if politcs wouldn't be envolved somehow.
 
#134 ·
If there were ever a time for a new org to pop up and be competitive now is it. Bellator has the wrong idea - basically copying the UFC.

I'd scoop up UFC castaways and wait for Bellator to fold. If a org tried to become the anti-UFC they may have limited success. Go after only 155 lb+ fighters, go anti kid/family/feminist friendly and promote it as such. Don't hide swear words, middle fingers, and post-fight brawls, but encourage them. This is cagefighting FFS.

Put it on HBO or something. With proper promotion and financial backing it might work. I'd watch it. :thumbsup:
 
#135 ·
Full list:
Terry Etim, Lightweight, UFC Record 6-5, 1 FOTN, 3 SOTN. On a 2 loss streak.
Jon Fitch, Welterweight, UFC Record 14-3-1, 2 FOTN. On a 1 loss streak. 2 fights removed from winning a FOTN bonus. Had 8-win and 5-win streaks in the UFC. Once fought for the WW title. Has been in the main event for 2 cards.
Ulysses Gomez, Flyweight, UFC Record 0-2. Winless in the UFC.
Josh Grispi, Featherweight, UFC Record 0-4. Winless in the UFC.
Jay Hieron, Welterweight, UFC Record 0-2 (0-4 including his previous stints). Winless in the UFC.
C.J. Keith, Lightweight, UFC Record 0-2. Winless in the UFC.
Vladimir Matyushenko, Light Heavyweight ,UFC Record 4-3 (7-5 including his previous stint in the UFC). On a 2 loss streak. Has been in the main event for 1 card.
Che Mills, Welterweight, UFC Record 2-2, 1 KOTN. On a 1 loss streak.
Wagner Prado, Light Heavyweight, UFC Record 0-2-1. Winless in the UFC.
Mike Russow, Heavyweight, UFC Record 4-2, 1 KOTN. On a 2 loss streak. Won 4 straight before that.
Jorge Santiago, Welterweight, UFC Record 0-1 (1-5 including his previous stints). On a 1 loss streak. Took his last fight on about three weeks' notice.
Paul Sass, Lightweight, UFC Record 3-2, 2 SOTN. On a 2 loss streak. 3 fights removed from winning a SOTN bonus
Mike Stumpf, Welterweight, UFC Record 0-2. Winless in the UFC.
Motonobu Tezuka, Bantamweight, UFC Record 0-2. Winless in the UFC.
Simeon Thoresen, Welterweight, UFC Record 1-3. On a 2 loss streak.
Jacob Volkmann, Lightweight, UFC Record 6-4. On a 1 loss streak. At one point had a 5-win streak.
Notes:
In total, 16 fighters cut.
Of the 16, 8 were from the WW and LW divisions.
8 fighters did not have a single win during their run in the UFC (this does not include previous stints).
4 fighters (Fitch, Mills, Santiago, and Volkmann) were cut after 1 loss. Of these 4 fighters, 3 lost in decisions.
Probably the most important fact: every single fighter here fought and lost on a 2013 card. This is happening while many Strikeforce fighters are being signed and moved into the UFC.
 
#137 ·
I imagine they wanted Fitch to take a pay cut as he is no longer close to being a concensus #2. He likely declined it and they released him allowing him to seek other offers. I think he will likely end up back in the UFC in time though unless Bellator really wants him as a marquee fighter.

I will cry if Bellator picks him up though cause I can't imagine how bad tournament Fitch would be when he needs to conserve his body.
 
#148 ·
Fitch, Russow and Volkmann.

Three of my favorite current UFC fighters all with great UFC records. My interest in MMA has been slipping over the last year or so, but this seals it.

I'm done. It's been real, UFC. Don't wish the UFC any ill-fortune, I just don't care to watch it anymore. It's not a sport, it's just WWE now. Skill in the cage is irrelevant, all that matters is if you can cut a good promo.
 
#149 ·
IF the UFC really wanted to be legit, shouldnt they.. you know.. NOT cut guys in the Top 10 from their newly created official Rankings? Shouldnt they be releasing jobbers? Cutting guys based on how much money they make after they signed the contract YOU gave to them, is downright shady.
 
#150 ·
I would've never thought Fitch would have this kind of support, though oddly enough, I feel the same way. On the flipside, he would rip Bellators welterweight division to shreds. I would be really interested in seeing a match-up between him and Askren. They're basically mirror images of each other.

Its still sad to see him go. For years, his fighting style to the MMA community was the rear end of a joke. And when people finally warmed up to him after 2 exciting bouts, UFC cuts him. I guess this is one of those things where you don't realise what you have until its gone.
 
#151 ·
I think it has more to do with the fact that even though many consider Fitch a boring fighter with a dull personality, people, fans or not, respected his skill/talent level, his work ethic, and realized that he's one of the best in the world regardless of their views on his fighting style or personality. I for one am rather relieved that so many, even fans who dislike Fitch, are coming to his defense.

I'll wait until we hear the story behind this because Fitch does have a history of being rather difficult to work with, but if this cut is the result of Dana just being petty, then it's safe to say I think the UFC just took a huge hit to their credibility.

And MMA-Sportsman,
You know good and well you misunderstood my use of the term "political" during that conversation. But in this case, you're more than likely right.
 
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#152 ·
Boring or not, Fitch cleared out the WW division for years.. he's elite.

Rebney should most definatly scoop up Fitch.. and Volkmann... those are two dangerous and solid fighters, Zuffa are fools for letting go of that kind of talent and thinking they can control the legitimacy of MMA rankings..
 
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