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Opinion & Analysis
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Staff Editorials
GOODMAN COLUMN: TUF: Housecleaning
Jed I. Goodman, MMATorch Columnist
May 5, 2008, 22:34
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Over the last few weeks there have been published reports regarding the UFC cutting as many as fifty fighters from their roster. While that seems extreme, there is no doubt there are many fighters that need to be cut. Some to polish their skills in smaller promotions and others because they are past their prime or because they never quite had "it".
The talent on the UFC roster should be fighters that are on their way up the ladder, with real possibilities of title contention, or fighters that are no longer title contenders, but still possess a strong skill set and can draw money for the company( like a Rich Franklin or Matt Hughes). Franklin said in a recent interview that he understands his place in the middleweight division and will not fight the up and coming contenders so he doesn't ruin their title shot chances.
Call it the curse of the TUF middleweights or perhaps it's the curse of UFC 83. In the last few weeks, UFC cut TUF season 3 fighter, Kalib Starnes, over his dreadful performance, TUF season 4 winner, Travis Lutter, who lost to Rich Franklin and middleweight Joe Doerksen who lost to Jason MacDonald. Meanwhile, TUF season 4 fighter Charles McCarthy retired after losing his UFC 83 fight to TUF season 3 light heavyweight winner Michael Bisping.
After watching the first several episodes of TUF season 7 it's apparent that the current contestants have a long way to go before they can stand in the same cage as Anderson Silva or Rich Franklin or Yushin Okami for that matter. However, these fighters are currently experiencing their 15 minutes of fame and, while he can, Dana White will capitalize. To make room for them, on the already crowded UFC roster, here is a list of five other middleweights I would cut:
Danny Abbadi - A middleweight on Team Shamrock during TUF Season 3, Abbadi lost to Ed Herman in the premilnairies. He lost to Kalib Starnes on TUF Season Finale 3 and three months later to Jorge Gurgel at UFC 63. With two losses outside the UFC since, Abbadi, unfortunately, is not a skilled enough fighter for the UFC.
Ed Herman - Another middleweight from season 3. Remember the game, Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon? Well in the UFC it's one degree of Ed Herman. Whomever he beats... is gone (Chris Price, Scott Smith, Joe Doerksen, Rory Singer). He is yet another former TUF middleweight that lost at UFC 83 (to Demian Maia). Perhaps he would do well in Elite XC. Scott Smith is there and he is fighting for the middleweight belt. Maybe Herman just needs to be a big fish in a small pond, he could certainly challenge for Robbie Lawler's belt next.
Jorge Rivera - a TUF season 4 middleweight. Yes, he won his last fight, but it was against Kendall Grove. Rivera is a good middleweight, but the UFC needs great middleweights or strong up and comers. At 36, Rivera is on the down hill of his career. Perhaps if he was as great a fighter as Randy Couture or as much of a draw as Chuck Liddell he could stay, but he isn't. Adios El Conquistador.
Kendall Grove & Evan Tanner. - Yes they are fighting at the TUF Season Finale 7 and perhaps, if the winner does exceptionally well, he can be saved. Grove, yet another TUF season 3 middleweight, started his UFC career so strong with wins over Ed Herman and Chris Price. Maybe that's why he started so strong because he was fighting Ed Herman and Chris Price. He has now lost two consecutive fights (to Patrick Cote and Jorge Rivera). If he loses to Evan Tanner, perhaps he can move to whichever promotion his good friend, Tito Ortiz, is heading to. Evan Tanner was a really good middleweight; he should be commended for getting his life together and controlling his demons. He's fought some big names, been in some huge wars and maybe does have some fire left in him. However, in his last fight, against Yushin Okami, he got KO'ed by a knee. Yushin never beats anyone by KO (unless it's Kalib Starnes or Rory Singer...who are already on TUF: Gone).
UPDATE: After writing this article it was reported the UFC cut TUF season 6 contestant, Tommy Speer, season 4 fighter, Din Thomas, and Kuniyoshi Hironaka.
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