The UFC made a mistake cutting Ryan Bader

[Fungoose]

a massive come from behind win against Latifi.

Bader was winning a pretty uneventful first round before getting dropped, he recovered immediately. The knockdown gained Latifi the round, but just barely. The second round saw Bader pick up his activity level, he was landing the better shots. Latifi defended the takedown well, but he’s ox-strong so that’s no surprise. Then he ducked into that kick and it was Goodnight Irene. It was nowhere close to a “massive come from behind win”.

 

[Bogeyman]

Just goes to show how utterly desolate the light heavyweight division is if people are discussing Ryan fucking Bader.

 

[Skarsgard]

Bader was winning a pretty uneventful first round before getting dropped, he recovered immediately. The knockdown gained Latifi the round, but just barely. The second round saw Bader pick up his activity level, he was landing the better shots. Latifi defended the takedown well, but he’s ox-strong so that’s no surprise. Then he ducked into that kick and it was Goodnight Irene. It was nowhere close to a “massive come from behind win”.

Honestly, the only thing I remember at all from that first round was Bader doing nothing until getting leveled toward the end of the round.

 

[beastman]

Bader's one of, if not the best fighter in Bellator, whereas he's just another guy in the UFC. He was worth way more to Bellator.

He's not another guy in the UFC, he'd be the top title challenger.

 

[MeatheadFighter]

This thread is a thinly veiled attempt to promote Dominick Reyes, who I admit I had to look up on Wikipedia.

 

[BobsyaUncle]

As if they didn't know he'd go to Bellator and win the belt. They don't miss him. There were multiple reasons to move him on:

i) no ROI on the money he earned.
ii) burdening Bellator with a fighter who would cost a lot and do very little for ratings.
iii) move a borderline elite fighter out of the way so that the new prospects in the division won't get wrestlefucked by a gatekeeper on the way to the top.
iv) a budget Bader in Jordan Johnson was recently signed.

No one was clambering to see him fight when he was in the UFC. Bader and Davis reigning on top of Bellator's LHW division is a scenario I'm sure they're more than fine with.

 

[Agent Mulder's Hair]

No they didn't. Watching him fight was like watching paint dry. UFC has ALWAYS had a policy of cutting people that are boring, no matter how good they are, even way back with Matt Lindland.

I wish him well at Bellator and he's probably a lot less boring over there. And that's a good thing for him and for us

 

[runnpray]

Meh, he was really hot on TUF but he aged pretty badly and his hairline had already receded quite a bit by the time he left UFC. Not a big deal now we have Paulo Costa and Rockhold seems to be on Finasteride after signing with Ralph Lauren.

I think he had the best abs in MMA at one point in time.

 

[LouisBolanos]

I think he had the best abs in MMA at one point in time.

Definitely not any more. Sage NorthGOAT has much better abs.

 

[runnpray]

How could not make a star of out this guy???

 

[Fungoose]

Honestly, the only thing I remember at all from that first round was Bader doing nothing until getting leveled toward the end of the round.

It was so crazy the way he fell after being KO’d. I realize Bader pushed him back after landing that knee, but even then... it was like something pulling him down with considerable force.

 

[Skarsgard]

It was so crazy the way he fell after being KO’d. I realize Bader pushed him back after landing that knee, but even then... it was like something pulling him down with considerable force.

Just a nasty KO.

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

He did his best at that conference to stir some shit with Daniel and get his name known. UFC decided not to strike on that and instead gave the shot to Gus based on his near-death experience against Rumble, who they decided to feed Bader to, despite his streak.

Yeah, deciding on Bellator after that was probably not difficult.

 

[RampageFaction]

No they didn't. Watching him fight was like watching paint dry. UFC has ALWAYS had a policy of cutting people that are boring, no matter how good they are, even way back with Matt Lindland.

I wish him well at Bellator and he's probably a lot less boring over there. And that's a good thing for him and for us

Dana just didn't like Matt Lindland. You are correct though that historically the UFC has not been all that enthusiastic about having "boring" wrestlers as champs and even though I liked Lindland I get where the UFC is coming from. Rich Franklin was champ at the time and very marketable. He was clean cut, all American, chiseled physique, former math teacher, I mean he was the golden boy at MW. Matt Lindland didn't have all that much personality, he was bald, physique wasn't all that impressive, and his style wasn't fan friendly. I'm sure Dana would have been salty had he won the belt and Lindland could have taken it from Rich I feel. The excuse Dana used to cut him was that he wore a "Sportfight" (The promotion Lindland owns) hat and shirt to the UFC 54 weighins but it's no different from when they cut Jake shields and Jon Fitch.

 

[WAR RANDLEMAN!]

get rid of bader, hire cm punk, ufc came out ahead IMO

 

[Legendary]

Probably wasn't a bad business decision considering how many snoozers he put on in Bellator so far.

He is 3-0 with 2 T(KO)s

 

[GTS]

Look at the UFC LHW rankings and tell me with a straight face that Bader doesn't wreck everyone except DC.

Bader doesn't "wreck" anyone in the top 7. There's a few he may beat, but it will be far from anything but a boring performance. He looks good against worn-outs like Rampage and Lil Nog tho.

 

[TCE]

Before leaving the UFC, he destroys Lil Nog and Latifi and gets cut. He has since gone to Bellator, won the title and beat every decent guy they have. People argued that he would of never beat Jon, DC, or Rumble, but all three of them are out of that division/retired/suspended and now the 205 division is weak.

Ryan Bader could theoretically be the best active LHW in the game, but the UFC cut him during his PRIME. The only guys I see him giving him any trouble are Gus and Dom Reyes, but other then that he could easily win the title at this point.

But Jones subbed him and AJ Ko'd him. Doesn't matter if they're out of the division, it stands. So your argument is mute.

Plus, Davis beat him in both fights that they had (one in UFC, one in Bellator). The judges were smoking crack.

 

[Devout Pessimist]

Who needs Ryan Bader when you have CM Punk and Brock Lesnar?

 

[Spiderbite]

Look at the UFC LHW rankings and tell me with a straight face that Bader doesn't wreck everyone except DC.

He was just another ranked LHW a few years ago. Since then he has gotten better and the talent level in the division has fallen off a cliff. He's the #2 or 3 LHW in the world now imo.

Oh i don't disagree at all.

I think Bader is definitely at the top of the LHW food chain at the moment (Obviously outside of Cormier).
Even when Bader was in the UFC he was a killer, he was just a victim of the LHW trifecta like everyone else.

I actually like that he's at Bellator, not because he's out of the UFC, but because he gets a chance to shine a little and have some fun (tournaments and the like) also.... I actually like watching Bellator.