Possible Departures of Nate Marquardt and Yushin Okami Thinning UFC’s Middleweight Division?
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Possible Departures of Nate Marquardt and Yushin Okami Thinning UFC’s Middleweight Division?
grappler0000
11/7/07 4:51:56PM
Despite his 25-7-2 record (including a 4-1 mark in the UFC), a top-10 worldwide middleweight ranking, and solid name recognition within the UFC, Nate Marquardt is still waiting for a call about his next fight.
Steve Sievert, our friend over at the Houston Chronicle, recently spoke to Marquardt’s agent. Marquardt has one fight remaining on his current deal, and according to the agent, the UFC hasn’t contacted his client about his next fight or to discuss a possible contract extension.
Because the UFC prefers to re-sign fighters before the final fights on their contracts, this doesn’t appear to be bode well for the seven-time King of Pancrase.
Link
Steve Sievert, our friend over at the Houston Chronicle, recently spoke to Marquardt’s agent. Marquardt has one fight remaining on his current deal, and according to the agent, the UFC hasn’t contacted his client about his next fight or to discuss a possible contract extension.
Because the UFC prefers to re-sign fighters before the final fights on their contracts, this doesn’t appear to be bode well for the seven-time King of Pancrase.
Link
SpiderSilva
11/7/07 5:49:50PM
why would you stay somewhere where you can't win the belt Silva is the man right now and he own Nate and the UFC doesn't want Okami hell he was a top MW but puts on such boring card they pulled his fight from TV. IMO that bad they will bring more in who well time will tell no name well they have to make a name some where
silverbullet
11/7/07 6:11:18PM
Posted by SpiderSilva
why would you stay somewhere where you can't win the belt Silva is the man right now and he own Nate and the UFC doesn't want Okami hell he was a top MW but puts on such boring card they pulled his fight from TV. IMO that bad they will bring more in who well time will tell no name well they have to make a name some where
huh
wrona666
11/7/07 6:31:44PM
Well neigther one of them can beat Silva in my opinion and they are both boring fighters so why would the UFC be interested in keeping them around.....I know the mw division in scarce on quality fighters, but i would understand if the UFC did not want to resign eigther of these fighters.
wapttn
11/7/07 6:51:44PM
should have the next fight of okami vs marquardt and the most exciting performance gets a contract extension ^^
cmill21
11/7/07 6:58:54PM
Posted by wrona666
Well neigther one of them can beat Silva in my opinion and they are both boring fighters so why would the UFC be interested in keeping them around.....I know the mw division in scarce on quality fighters, but i would understand if the UFC did not want to resign eigther of these fighters.
So the UFC should get rid of sherk? I bet Lesnar will become a lay n pray artist once he realizes his light years behind in everything else to. If the UFC doesn't like "boring" fighters Sherk and Manny should have been the first to go.
Kdub
11/7/07 7:02:45PM
The UFC needs to extend both contracts. Dana would be letting two top tens go. What a shame. Okami is the man. He is the best Asian in the cage and I think next in line for Silva. They've fought before and Silva was DQ'd for an illeagal kick.
You guys need to stop with the boring fighter thing. He is an excellent fighter with great GNP skills. He almost ripped Franklin's shoulder out of socket. He is far from a boring fighter. As far as Marquardt is concerned He also would crush anyone in the MW division save Silva, Franklin and the above mentioned. This is a huge mistake if Dana lets these two go.
You guys need to stop with the boring fighter thing. He is an excellent fighter with great GNP skills. He almost ripped Franklin's shoulder out of socket. He is far from a boring fighter. As far as Marquardt is concerned He also would crush anyone in the MW division save Silva, Franklin and the above mentioned. This is a huge mistake if Dana lets these two go.
Lethal
11/7/07 7:09:34PM
I don't understand the UFC's logic. The UFC wants to aquired the best fighters in the world, but they are not willing to sign/keep fighters who may be "boring"? Boring doesn't necessarily mean that they're a bad fighters and likewise exciting does not mean they're the skilled. Wrestlers tend to be on the boring side because of a lot of positional work so I guess we might as well see less and less of them. And the whole thing about Brock Lesnar doing lay n pray...it may not look like skill, but it takes years of wrestling to be able to maintain that positional control, which is basically the whole point of wrestling...position.
cmill21
11/7/07 7:15:25PM
Posted by Lethal
And the whole thing about Brock Lesnar doing lay n pray...it may not look like skill, but it takes years of wrestling to be able to maintain that positional control, which is basically the whole point of wrestling...position.
I agree but if you think people would rather watch that then a nice KO your nuts. I really don't know many who like to watch one guy lay on another....
Lethal
11/7/07 7:22:27PM
yeah, of course i would rather see a KO along with 99% of people who watch, but unfortunately striking is only one element of MMA and to cut people's contracts because they are not power strikers or mundial champion jui jutsu guys who submit every opponent in devastating methods is also kinda nuts.
cmill21
11/7/07 7:42:28PM
Posted by Lethal
yeah, of course i would rather see a KO along with 99% of people who watch, but unfortunately striking is only one element of MMA and to cut people's contracts because they are not power strikers or mundial champion jui jutsu guys who submit every opponent in devastating methods is also kinda nuts.
I agree, but as I said if this is what their doing then why isn't sherk gone? It's stupid to have double standards, and I don't understand why their realeasing top 10's from the weakest div in their org.
postman
11/8/07 12:12:18AM
Posted by SpiderSilva
why would you stay somewhere where you can't win the belt Silva is the man right now and he own Nate and the UFC doesn't want Okami hell he was a top MW but puts on such boring card they pulled his fight from TV. IMO that bad they will bring more in who well time will tell no name well they have to make a name some where
I'm sure most of you know Anderson has been beat before, he then went to the gym and trianed his butt off and got better and is still getting better. Whos to say Marquardt or Okami couldn't do the same? I think that saying neither of them could beat Anderson is foolish. I would agree that Anderson would be the fav to win those fights and I would pick Anderson ( as I did over Nate) but to just say they have no chance they should go to a lesser org is odd to me.
NatedawgThaM
11/8/07 2:29:35AM
Double standards piss me off. UFC gonna let these guys go for being boring? You might as well release every wrestler in contract and tell your scouts you don't want any sort of wrestlers in the UFC anymore. Wrestling is viewed as a pretty simple and easy sport. Well your wrong. People see it as just taking your opponent down and just easily being able to pin them.
No it actually takes skills. Years of experience being able to have that perfect shot, perfect transitions and great positioning.
If these guys are released go ahead and release: Sean Sherk, Tito Ortiz, Rashad Evans, Matt Hamil, Manny, Jake O'Brien, Brock Lesnar, Clay Guida, Tyson Griffin, and Frank Edgar plus many many more....
They all have SPECTACULAR wrestling back grounds. Some you may think are boring. I personally love the art of GNP becuase I wrestle. So if the UFC releases these guys you might also want to KILL THE MW DIVISION because I doubt they resign Robbie Lawler since Dana called him a 2nd tier fighter and he's probably having more fun in EliteXC/Icon. Dana won't sign Lindland probably for disobeying him and Kang is under K-1 contract and Hendo don't wanna drop down I think...So good luck replacing them
RESIGN THEM!!!
No it actually takes skills. Years of experience being able to have that perfect shot, perfect transitions and great positioning.
If these guys are released go ahead and release: Sean Sherk, Tito Ortiz, Rashad Evans, Matt Hamil, Manny, Jake O'Brien, Brock Lesnar, Clay Guida, Tyson Griffin, and Frank Edgar plus many many more....
They all have SPECTACULAR wrestling back grounds. Some you may think are boring. I personally love the art of GNP becuase I wrestle. So if the UFC releases these guys you might also want to KILL THE MW DIVISION because I doubt they resign Robbie Lawler since Dana called him a 2nd tier fighter and he's probably having more fun in EliteXC/Icon. Dana won't sign Lindland probably for disobeying him and Kang is under K-1 contract and Hendo don't wanna drop down I think...So good luck replacing them
RESIGN THEM!!!
rabbit915
11/8/07 8:34:35AM
This make work out as a positive in the long run. Maybe Dana will realize that he needs to bring some more talent into the middleweight division and will go out of his way to find whoever emerges as a contender for anderson silva in the next few months and sign him.
ohiostate1016
11/8/07 9:46:19AM
Marquardt would be a huge loss, but I don't think it would be devastating. I think that the UFC MW division could survive without Marquardt.
On a side note, every division has had down periods. People are overreatcting waaay to much to the MW divison. Look at the other divisions:
LW-Jens Pulver left UFC w/ the belt, and the company fazed out the entire division. Eventually, a new champ was crowned (Sean Sherk), and the division is the deepest in the world.
WW-Matt Hughes destroyed all comers (just like Silva is now), and the UFC had to bring in Frank Trigg to face him. Eventually, Hughes lost to BJ Penn, and the WW division is one of the deepest in the UFC now.
MW-going through a transition right now. Silva looks dominant, but he'll be beaten by someone. It may not be who you'll think, but he will lose. Maybe BJ will move up to MW and take his title.
LHW-Never really had a prolonged collapse, but Chuck was dominant for awhile. There had to have been no contenders, becuase Babalu didn't deserve 2 title shots.
HW-Earlier this year, the HW divison looked bare. But then Randy beat Tim, the UFC signed Cro Cop, Herring, Big Nog, and Brock Lesnar. Plus, guys like Cheick Kongo and Frank Mir are emerging as contenders.
On a side note, every division has had down periods. People are overreatcting waaay to much to the MW divison. Look at the other divisions:
LW-Jens Pulver left UFC w/ the belt, and the company fazed out the entire division. Eventually, a new champ was crowned (Sean Sherk), and the division is the deepest in the world.
WW-Matt Hughes destroyed all comers (just like Silva is now), and the UFC had to bring in Frank Trigg to face him. Eventually, Hughes lost to BJ Penn, and the WW division is one of the deepest in the UFC now.
MW-going through a transition right now. Silva looks dominant, but he'll be beaten by someone. It may not be who you'll think, but he will lose. Maybe BJ will move up to MW and take his title.
LHW-Never really had a prolonged collapse, but Chuck was dominant for awhile. There had to have been no contenders, becuase Babalu didn't deserve 2 title shots.
HW-Earlier this year, the HW divison looked bare. But then Randy beat Tim, the UFC signed Cro Cop, Herring, Big Nog, and Brock Lesnar. Plus, guys like Cheick Kongo and Frank Mir are emerging as contenders.
SpiderSilva
11/9/07 12:22:23AM
Posted by postman
Posted by SpiderSilva
why would you stay somewhere where you can't win the belt Silva is the man right now and he own Nate and the UFC doesn't want Okami hell he was a top MW but puts on such boring card they pulled his fight from TV. IMO that bad they will bring more in who well time will tell no name well they have to make a name some where
I'm sure most of you know Anderson has been beat before, he then went to the gym and trianed his butt off and got better and is still getting better. Whos to say Marquardt or Okami couldn't do the same? I think that saying neither of them could beat Anderson is foolish. I would agree that Anderson would be the fav to win those fights and I would pick Anderson ( as I did over Nate) but to just say they have no chance they should go to a lesser org is odd to me.
Its not that their going it that the UFC doesnt want that type of fighter
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