What do Chris Camozzi and Gerald Harris have in common?
They each got cut following there first UFC loss. Camozzi got cut after losing at UFC 127 to Kyle Noke and Harris got released following his loss to Maiquel Falcao at UFC 123.
Here is what Camozzi said about his release (via mmajunkie.com): “According to the UFC the issue is less about my performance (they offered to give me a recommendation) and more to do with an overloaded roster and not enough fights for us under contract,” Camozzi wrote. “This has nothing to do with the recent merger.”
Here is what Harris said to mmajunkie.com right after his release: I’m glad that Dana didn’t say, ‘You will never fight in the UFC again.’ He said, ‘You looked like [expletive], and you need to go home and think about it.’ They just don’t have time for performances like that.” “It wasn’t personal,” Harris said. “It was just a business decision. I can’t disagree with a business decision when there’s money involved. We’re paid to perform, and I did not perform on that night.
Dan Hardy lost last night to Chris Lytle at UFC on Versus 5 via submission (RNC) and that was fourth straight loss for the Brit.
The magic number to get released in the UFC is usually three and the UFC gave Hardy this opportunity after Hardy lost a lopsided decision to Anthony Johnson at UFC Fight Night card this past March.
Fast forward to last night against Lytle in a main event that had a lot of people scratching there heads as to why it was taking place, but they did deliver and up until the submission, Lytle was winning the very entertaining fight on the scorecards and Hardy needed to finish Lytle, he went for a takedown and got caught in a guilliotine and ended up tapping out with 46 seconds left in the fight.
So, everyone is assuming that Hardy would get released following the release but UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta quickly put those rumors to rest by posting this on Twitter:
“Will not cut @danhardymma I like guys that WAR!!!”
With those nine words, that put a lot of fans in uproar on why Hardy would get another opportunity.
I have the fans have a very valid point. You have a guy who has four fights in a row. He has lot to GSP, Carlos Condit, Anthony Johnson and Chris Lytle.
GSP is the reigning Welterweight Champion and Hardy got dominated by the champion for five rounds at UFC 111, Condit is the former WEC Champion and fighting BJ Penn for the right to be the number contender and Condit KO’d Hardy at UFC 120, lost to Johnson who had not competed in 16 months in a lopsided decision in where Johnson controlled the fight on the ground and Lytle who was coming off a loss to Brian Ebersole at UFC 127 and got submitted by Lytle.
If you do math in his last four fights, Hardy got knocked out, submitted and lost two lopsided decisions.
Hardy is a big draw in the UK and the UFC realizes that but without Hardy, would the UFC still sell out arena’s in the UK? They absolutely would without question. Everything goes in cycles and fighters like Dan Hardy can be replaced and reshuffled. The people in the UK love MMA and they are some of the most rabid and knowledgable fans in the world. The UFC would not miss a beat.
You can understand we all like fights that are exciting and guys that stand and bang with each other draws and creates interest like last night’s main event. Hardy showed in the fight last night that he is one of the best strikers at 170 but he has a glaring hole in his game and that is his ground game. Going to train with Eddie Bravo and Roy Nelson has helped, but it still has not been enough in his fights with GSP, Johnson and Lytle.
The message that the UFC seems to be sending to the fighters is: Just put on exciting fights and it does not matter if you win or lose, as long it is exciting.
At the end of the day, it should be about wins and losses and not about how much money a guy can make you. You can make the arguments for guys like Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz because those guys won world titles and they put the UFC on the map. They deserved those opportunities to rectify there losses.
But what has Dan Hardy done? Can he win a world title someday? He has not won a world title yet and he could win a world title someday.
He should have been cut, let him go fight for an organization like BAMMA and regain some of his confidence and if he wins and shows improvements then he could have re-signed and get a fresh start.
If your Camozzi and Branch, you wonder if they are thinking: ‘Why were we not afforded those same opportunities”?
As always, this article reflects the author’s opinion and does not reflect the opinions of MMASucka.com
