Good call by Dana, I'm happy he's in charge.

[SODACKER]

No, the NFL doesn't reject good players. Horrible comparison.

The ufc is much closer to a team that a league. Dana white is much closer to someone like steinbrenner than bud Selig; more like jerry jones than roger goodell.

 

[TX Fighter]

At the end of the day, ufc is a business. Just like boxing, promotions arr never going to go after a boxer that is good, but would not sell a ppv.

The ufc has to put on good and relevant events. A delicate balance. Something where they can legitimize as a sport by having the best, and at the same time, make sure there are exciting fights so they can sell airtime and ppvs. If every fighter were as good as fitch and okami, but also just as boring, then the ufc would start losing viewers. So they have a mix of top fighters and exciting fighters. If you are good and put on exciting fights, you're safe. If you arent a top fighter (ie gsp, silva, jones, cain, jds, etc) you need to be exciting. What is okami bringing to the ufc? Nothing. He will never hold a belt, not exciting, and is expensive. NO one is watching an event because okami is on it

 

[_Keyser_Soze_]

No, because some of the lesser experienced fighters can be fun to watch and add to a viewers enjoyment of an event. Dana and lot of fans dont find okami to be exciting. Hes never going to be a contender again, isnt exciting, and is taking up payroll and airtime that could be used to find and experiment with younger fighters. Same logic as fitch, which was also a good decision imo. Fitch was on the way way down, had been passed by younger and more exciting fighters, and did nothing for the ufc brand.

Id rather that money go towards an inferior fighter like uriah hall, who might have potential to be exciting. They are all on short leashes. If hall doesnt step it up, hes gone too.

Flawed logic. If you want to watch dozens of inferior fighters who might have potential to be exciting, it would have made a lot more sense for the UFC to cut Lombard - who has been utterly terrible in 2 of his 3 UFC fights (and oh yeah, he lost to Yushin by the way) and makes a shitload more money than Yushin. And no, Lombard isn't driving thousands of PPV buys from his legion of fans.

Cutting Okami, who has a resume which is AT LEAST as impressive as that of say Michael Bisping further illustrates that the UFC is a business and not a sport. Which is fine. And yes, I have realized this fact for years - but until now I really haven't done much. Now, I won't be buying every single PPV, and while that won't affect Dana in the least - I'll feel good about my decision.

 

[The Real Pedro]

The NFL is designed around who is the best player for the current team design.

It has nothing to do with excitement, it's about winning. There is a ton of guys who could put some unbelievably explosive hits on someone, but if they're not skilled enough to read the plays, and athletic enough to catch the guy, it means nothing.

You don't think Brock Lesnar could engulf some motherfuckers in the NFL? of course he could, but he doesn't have the elite skill set the other top NFL linemen do, hence he doesn't make the cut. He's never going to be Haloti Ngata, which is why he isn't in the NFL.

Okami is obviously a top 5-10 MW, to cut him and still call your organization the "super bowl of MMA" is ridiculous, especially when there is guys that he's beaten and are shittier than he is still in the UFC.

The NFL fan base wants wins more than anything else. The amount of times we've seen fighters who win get booed suggests that MMA fans don't want winning above everything else.

 

[_Keyser_Soze_]

At the end of the day, ufc is a business. Just like boxing, promotions arr never going to go after a boxer that is good, but would not sell a ppv.

The ufc has to put on good and relevant events. A delicate balance. Something where they can legitimize as a sport by having the best, and at the same time, make sure there are exciting fights so they can sell airtime and ppvs. If every fighter were as good as fitch and okami, but also just as boring, then the ufc would start losing viewers. So they have a mix of top fighters and exciting fighters. If you are good and put on exciting fights, you're safe. If you arent a top fighter (ie gsp, silva, jones, cain, jds, etc) you need to be exciting. What is okami bringing to the ufc? Nothing. He will never hold a belt, not exciting, and is expensive. NO one is watching an event because okami is on it

Please don't speak for everyone. I enjoy watching Okami and would purchase a PPV if he was on it - as he is an elite level grappler - and while I'm sure he doesn't appeal to the just bleed faction, Okami has fans. So I won't speak for you - and in return, don't speak for me. Thanks.

 

[elbowsandwiches]

The ufc has to put on good and relevant events. A delicate balance. Something where they can legitimize as a sport by having the best, and at the same time, make sure there are exciting fights so they can sell airtime and ppvs. If every fighter were as good as fitch and okami, but also just as boring, then the ufc would start losing viewers. So they have a mix of top fighters and exciting fighters. If you are good and put on exciting fights, you're safe. If you arent a top fighter (ie gsp, silva, jones, cain, jds, etc) you need to be exciting. What is okami bringing to the ufc? Nothing. He will never hold a belt, not exciting, and is expensive. NO one is watching an event because okami is on it

OMG this ^^^^...perfect.

 

[Lovci]

...he has to make all the hard decisions, like cutting Okami.

Okami is like Tim Tebow. Hes decent, but not decent at the same time.

You guys act like the entire NFL football model isn't designed around maximum entertainment value. It's still a sport,....it still skims from the elite college pool, and selects and rejects good players everyday. NFL is a business and makes a poopload of money....exactly the same as UFC.

But how could Tebow suck?....he was a national champion for christsake??

This has everything to do with contract/money/leverage and moving deadwood out to make way for better potentials.

Hector Lombard is a squat version of Uriah Hall, AND got beat by Boetsch (as did Okami).

Okami got wrecked by Boetsch in that 3rd round, squeeked out a win against Lombard, got annihilated by Silva, and then Souza made Okami wear a dress.

After seeing that Souza fight and how he steamrolled Okami (ranked #3 lol) Okami should have retired right then and there. I was completely turned off. That was not even gatekeeper status. Not even close.

Oh and lets not forget the man can't speak a word of english in a sport that is predominantly watched by english speaking people....and has the most yawn-inspiring fighting style of tripping someone and holding them on the ground for 3 rounds. Weaksauce. I'm sure Okami's entire training camp is nothing but him getting up at 6am and flipping a tire for three hours, eat lunch...back to flipping tires.

Even before I heard of him getting cut, when I saw Okami on a fightcard in the past I would get annoyed.

Dana has legitimized the sport to secure we have the best possible fights in the future. He is moving fighters that will never come close, to make way for up and comers like Kelvin Gastelum, Rockhold...and Souza.

-getting old
-can't speak english.
-costs more than worth.
-squeaks out wins with boring style.
-nobody likes and don't wanna pay to see.
-got completely pwned in 1 minute in last fight.

....yeah, I would cut him too. Good call Dana.

This is a business designed to take the best fighters in the world and pit their skills in a cage for our bloodthirsty pleasure to see who is the best. .... for our entertainment. I like the fact that fighters are pressured to preform....to be under constant stress that they could be cut at any moment....JUST LIKE FOOTBALL.

This is how the world works. The UFC is a legitimized sport....not a government funded Olympics.

How much were you paid to post here?

 

[beef-fire]

I guess they would rather keep a guy like Chris Leben who is a human punching bag at this point in his career. Isn't more of a detriment to the company to keep a guy who is flirting with brain damage than a guy who may be boring but is twice as talented?

 

[TX Fighter]

Please don't speak for everyone. I enjoy watching Okami and would purchase a PPV if he was on it - as he is an elite level grappler - and while I'm sure he doesn't appeal to the just bleed faction, Okami has fans. So I won't speak for you - and in return, don't speak for me. Thanks.

Pat yourself on the back. You enjoy paying money for a ppv because okami is on it. Good for you.

If most fans were like you, okami would still be on the roster. Fortunately, dana realizes that okami isnt worth keeping on its roster, and thus okami was cut.

People act like this is mind boggling. If you cant understand why okami was cut but bisping is still on the roster making cheddar, then you cant connect dots very well.

So you watch okami because he is a high level grappler? Would you also pay to watch for a roger gracie fight (which pains me to say because I am a roger fan, even made a training trip out to his main training facility in london several years ago)? I hope the answer is no, since roger is a boring fighter.

The fact that you failed to see why bisping makes sense while okami doesnt shows how naive you are. Your lack of brain power makes me feel it is a waste of time for me to type this. You have your mind made up, fine. But if you were the one writing checks for the ufc, then the ufc would swirl the drain in no time. Youd probably still have fitch on the roster. Youd probably have pay based solely on ranking.

Why do you think the ufc has twitter bonuses, fotn, sotn, kotn? More fans = more cheddar. More okami means $55 from you, if you even buy ppvs. But its opportunity cost for the ufc too. If they cut bisping to keep okami so you could be happy, they lose millions in the uk to get your $55.

 

[SODACKER]

I guess they would rather keep a guy like Chris Leben who is a human punching bag at this point in his career. Isn't more of a detriment to the company to keep a guy who is flirting with brain damage than a guy who may be boring but is twice as talented?

Apparently the ufc thinks leben will make them money while okami will cost then money. They are probably more knowledgeable about that then you are.

 

[TX Fighter]

OMG this ^^^^...perfect.

Thanks. Dont understand why all these panties are in a knot because okami was let go. Whats so hard to understand?

 

[BruceLeeOnTRT]

Another schill thread damn

 

[beef-fire]

Apparently the ufc thinks leben will make them money while okami will cost then money. They are probably more knowledgeable about that then you are.

For sure, it's their call and I bet people like watching Chris Leben get beat up over and over. Personally I'd rather watch talented fighters, but that's just me.

 

[welcometohavoc]

Bottom line is the UFC is run on the WWE model, where popularity and marketability > talent and performance. Not saying it's the wrong approach, but it definitely leaves fighters like Okami, Fitch, Voelker on the cutting block when things go badly. I just don't understand how losing to a top 10 MW is justification to be cut. Okami is still a solid MW and will still beat 90% of the MW's in the world

 

[GoblinGuy**]

 

[fzoid4454]

But how could Tebow suck?....he was a national champion for christsake??

He was PART of a national championship TEAM, and not one at the highest level. There are a lot of college players who started for championship college teams who suck, when compared to NFL players.

How can he suck? He can't do what NFL QBs are supposed to do - throw the ball accurately and consistently. Pretty straightforward.

 

[SODACKER]

For sure, it's their call and I bet people like watching Chris Leben get beat up over and over. Personally I'd rather watch talented fighters, but that's just me.

If there were more of you and okami was a bigger draw he wouldn't have been cut.

 

[Jopo]

Cutting Okami is one of Danas best decisions. I tolddddd everyoneeee after Fitch was cut, Okami is next. War on guys who don't fight! Who is next? How about we sign Askren for fun, then cut him.

No one wants to pay to watch that bullshit except weirdos/fanboys

 

[GoblinGuy**]

He was PART of a national championship TEAM, and not one at the highest level. There are a lot of college players who started for championship college teams who suck, when compared to NFL players.

How can he suck? He can't do what NFL QBs are supposed to do - throw the ball accurately and consistently. Pretty straightforward.

There are a lot of QBs that can't do that and are never ran out of the league, or at least given innumerable chances. Plus he was one of the most accurate college QBs until they started messing with his throwing mechanics.

 

[fzoid4454]

There are a lot of QBs that can't do that and are never ran out of the league, or at least given innumerable chances. Plus he was one of the most accurate college QBs until they started messing with his throwing mechanics.

Yep, there are also a ton of college DBs, RBs, D-linemen, O-linemen, you name it, who excelled and dominated against college-level talent. They don't fail in the NFL because they're so awesome. Get over this Tebow nonsense. He has already received many more chances than his actual abilities warrant.