Fighter Signings/Cuts/Promotional Changes Thread

[MMC]

 

[Taytro]

Can't help but feel like Francis overplayed his hand here. I don't see Francis as having the marketability he may think he has outside of the UFC. I guess we'll see what happens in the following weeks.

 

[chicagoskycam]

He can go Box and potentially make some decent money but then what. Dana indicated he’s over 300lbs and needs knee surgery

 

[m9]

He doesn't look that out-of-shape in recent pictures.

If he actually does need another knee surgery then that's really bad for him. Hope it's not true, he deserves some big paycheques to finish off his career.

I'm in wait-and-see mode here. Could just be a leverage play by the UFC and he ends up back there.

 

[Avs_19]

I wouldn't just trust Dana's words. So he's an injured 300 lb'er, who only wants to fight weaker competition, but yet you were trying hard to sign him and were optimistic you'd get a deal done in time for March? He's taking a page out of his usual book and just trying to downplay a fighter whose leaving. Indirectly trying to imply that he's scared to fight Jones as well and only wants easy fights, even though he just beat the top ranked guy who'll be fighting for the title next.

It's really too bad they couldn't work things out so we could see Francis fight Jones. Now the best HW in MMA will no longer be in the UFC. Hopefully he gets the big payday he's looking for but I'm not really sure where that'll be and I can see a scenario where he's back in the UFC. Maybe after a one off boxing fight or something.

 

[pistolpete11]

I took it as Francis is 300lbs because he had knee surgery and couldn't train. Not that he's just out of shape and stills needs knee surgery.....but I also wouldn't take anything Dana says about Francis that seriously right now.

I hope Francis gets what he's looking for, but I don't like his other options. It's either get your head beat in by Fury/Wilder or go fight someone in PFL/Bellator that will do terrible numbers.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Unless he gets the Fury fight I can't see him making insane money boxing... BKFC already said they'd make offer to him and with the way they throw money around sometimes he could get an ok payday there on a one fight contract or something like that.

Either way I'm just glad there's some resolution and that division gets to move forward.

 

[CDJ]

 

[m9]

I really don't like how the MMA media is framing Dana White's comments about Ngannou leaving the UFC. It has been spun into "Ngannou is scared!" but from what I can tell this is what White said:

"I think Francis is in a place right now where he doesn’t want to take a lot of risk. [He] feels he’s in a good position where he could fight lesser opponents and make more money. So we’re going to let him do that."

Not only is that not saying Ngannou is scared, it kind of seems to me like exactly what is going on? I don't even really blame Ngannou, it's probably much easier for him to fight 10 middling HW's than fight 2 or 3 guys at the top of the UFC's division for the same amount of money.

Am I missing something?

 

[CDJ]

I really don't like how the MMA media is framing Dana White's comments about Ngannou leaving the UFC. It has been spun into "Ngannou is scared!" but from what I can tell this is what White said:

"I think Francis is in a place right now where he doesn’t want to take a lot of risk. [He] feels he’s in a good position where he could fight lesser opponents and make more money. So we’re going to let him do that."

Not only is that not saying Ngannou is scared, it kind of seems to me like exactly what is going on? I don't even really blame Ngannou, it's probably much easier for him to fight 10 middling HW's than fight 2 or 3 guys at the top of the UFC's division for the same amount of money.

Am I missing something?

The only reason Francis left is because he doesn’t want to be told he’s an independent contractor while being treated like an employee. He’s been straight up about that for over a year at this point. Had nothing to do with money.

 

[Taytro]

The only reason Francis left is because he doesn’t want to be told he’s an independent contractor while being treated like an employee. He’s been straight up about that for over a year at this point. Had nothing to do with money.

In Francis's interview with Helwani he said that he was okay with the money but had demands around asking for health insurance for all fighters, fighter representatives on the board, solo sponsorship opportunities, and flexibility to fight in other organizations or to pursue other athletic ventures while under contract. Obviously those are complete non-starters for the UFC and there just doesn't seem to be a desire from Francis's side to continue working under the conditions that the UFC provides. In my opinion that's fine, if he doesn't want to work for the organization as it's run, then I'm glad he has the opportunity to work for one he's more comfortable with.

Edit: My bad, just saw the convo about it in the other thread.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

There's been talks for long time now about unionizing fighters and that the tipping point would eventually have to be a couple of the big names standing up. Francis is basically making demands (outside of pay) that a union would surely be asking for. If they were smart other fighters would have rallied around this but they haven't.

Right here is proof, in my opinion, that they'll never pull it off. This organization is very feast or famine with their fighters and I think a lot of them are afraid of how speaking will tank their careers. I mean we all know striking a woman is wrong right? Dana white came out himself and condemned it yet look how many fighters came out backing him up. Dana, Hunter and all the ufc brass do a tremendous job maintaining how divided all of the fighters are.

 

[MMC]

 

[MMC]

 

[MMC]

 

[MMC]

 

[MMC]

 

[CDJ]

Trizano is the only surprise to me, I’d imagine his contract ran out and he’s going elsewhere for more money

 

[Taytro]

Trizano is the only surprise to me, I’d imagine his contract ran out and he’s going elsewhere for more money

I thought Paiva looked good before his O'Malley fight. Kind of surprised by that one too.

 

[m9]

Paiva is good and I think he'll make his way back at some point. He would be a great add to somewhere like Bellator as well. Wonder if it's a weight thing with him and they're not really sure if he fits at 125 or 135.

Kind of the same thing with Trizano. Good enough to be a UFC fighter but not sure what weight class he's going to land at.

 

[MMC]

 

[MMC]

 

[CDJ]

Didn’t Straus stab his gf or something?


Classic BKFC

 

[MMC]

 

[MMC]