Chris Leben: Considering Leaving UFC - Fight Forum - MMA - UFC - Boxing - K1

Rush · 05-17-2007, 02:02 PM

According to ufcjunkie.com/MMAWeekly

UFC middleweight Chris Leben (16-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) admits that he’s “counting the days” on his current UFC contract and may take a more lucrative deal with another MMA organization once his current deal expires.

The fighter, perhaps best remembered for a tumultuous stint on the first season of The Ultimate Fighter, made the comments while a guest on last night’s episode of MMAWeekly Radio.

Leben said that his current salary — which pays him somewhere near $10,000 to fight and an additional $10,000 if he wins — is disappointing, especially when considering his veteran status with eight UFC fights.

In fact, Leben won the first five of those fights to kickstart his UFC career, and he emerged as a promising 185-pound contender. However, in his toughest test, he suffered a lopsided KO loss to Anderson Silva in the televised portion of UFC Fight Night 5. Leben bounced back with a second-round KO of Jorge Santiago at UFC Fight Night 6, but he dropped a submission loss to Jason MacDonald in his most recent fight at UFC 66.

Now, with two losses in his past three fights, Leben will take on Kalib Starnes at next weekend’s UFC 71 event in Las Vegas. The bout will appear on the televised portion of the event.

After the fight, Leben plans to relocate to Hawaii to become the head MMA instructor at the new ICON Fitness gym in Oahu, Hawaii, which is owned by ICON Sport promoter T.Jay Thompson.

“There’s going to be people that want to pay me a lot more money,” Leben stated during the show. “And hopefully, the UFC will realize how great I’ve been for them and step up to the plate, and if they do, I’ll stay with the UFC, obviously. But if they don’t, I’ll go fight in ICON Sport and make some money and bring some attention to that show.“

Leben, of course, wouldn’t be the first UFC fighter to cash in on his name recognition outside the UFC. And having one of the biggest names to come out of the UFC, and more specifically, The Ultimate Fighter reality series, could actually land Leben a lucrative deal as a headliner.

The question, of course, is whether the UFC sees the same type of value in Leben that other organizations would.

For the full story, head over to MMAWeekly.com

Harms · 05-17-2007, 02:08 PM

I don't see Leben as a headliner. I don't consider him one of the premier fighters of the MW division. I don't think he really would be missed.

KungFuGrip · 05-17-2007, 02:15 PM

Thanks Rush. I have mix feelings on Leben. He was on a role for a little bit..5 wins in a row. I like Leben cause he is a brawler who pushes the pace. For some reason I smile when he loses. I still want to see a Swick/Leben rematch.

You know what they say.............. money talks, bull$*&# walks.

Gooner · 05-17-2007, 02:18 PM

I think Leben was gonna head out to the minor leagues anyway.
Thought it was gonna be the WEC though.

Leben could have a future in the UFC as a gatekeeper, but if he can make more money elsewhere, he should do it.

Just been watching some episodes of TUF 1, and kinda realized why I always pulled for him a bit.
He's not the most technically sound fighter, but he brings it. And he's been a class act imo starting from the loss to Kenflo pretty much. People booing him pissed me off.

FightingIrish · 05-17-2007, 02:24 PM

i don't think leban is top of the line fighter either, but he is still young to with room to improve. I think at anytime when more money is offered you should take it.

Crashsti · 05-17-2007, 02:24 PM

i don't blame a guy wanting more than 10k to fight. the pay scale in the UFC is still very lopsided. some guys make 2 grand while others are making $200,000. the problem with Leben is he is'nt very marketable. aside from a rematch with Swick who is there for him to fight that would really grab the public's attention? even the Swick rematch would be a little hard to sell since neither guy is on a roll.

Corey · 05-17-2007, 02:42 PM

I don't know why Leben would leave, the ufc has been pretty good to him, besides the time the fed his to anderson silva. If he leaves I think he will realize his mistake within half a year when he doesnt get as much exposure or money.

KungFuGrip · 05-17-2007, 02:42 PM

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
You got a good point. Mabe they could put the fight on UFN.

name goes here · 05-17-2007, 04:20 PM

Yea, like the fact he pushes the fight. He's still young he should go somewhere where he can improve without getting beaten up too much, which can end a fighters career.

Kentified · 05-17-2007, 04:40 PM

If he can make more with ICON he should do it.

Dirty Fighter · 05-17-2007, 04:47 PM

Not my favorite fighter, but Leben likes to stay busy and usually makes a fight exciting. The UFC needs more like him.

HaVoK · 05-17-2007, 06:01 PM

He does have exciting fights, even though I heavily dislike the kid. As soon as he leaves the UFC I think he will miss it and want to come back.

chucksmasher · 05-17-2007, 08:00 PM

Later Leben, you wont be missed and good luck finding a better supporter of your loud punk mouth than the UFC.

RockemSockem · 05-17-2007, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chucksmasher

Later Leben, you wont be missed and good luck finding a better supporter of your loud punk mouth than the UFC.

Actually, he already has one, that's why he's considering leaving. Did you read the article? Or did you just post to be mean?

Gygax · 05-17-2007, 08:12 PM

Good riddance from my end. Couldn't stand him on the show and he's changed very little in the time since. My favorite memory is after talking smack about the "inferior competition in Japan", he goes out and looks like an amateur against Silva.

If he can make more money in ICON, he should go for it. He's a mid-level guy at best, might as well make some cash when he can.

I can't even imagine him as a head instructor at the ICON gym.

Gooner · 05-17-2007, 08:25 PM

I think people just like to hate on Leben.

What he said about the "competition in Japan" was obviouslsy just pre-fight hype, and fighters have said much worse things than that.

How has he been a "loudmouth punk" recently?
By recently I mean after the Koscheck fight on TUF.

I heart LNP · 05-17-2007, 08:28 PM

Leben is a decent fighter but he will never be anything special. I think this could just be him trying to squeeze a bit more money out of the UFC. If he is serious about leaving and actually leaves than I don't think he would be missed in the UFC at all.

sitnspin · 05-17-2007, 08:46 PM

The UFC are paying him ten for the fight and ten to win because they can. It's what they offered, and he was happy to take it at the time. If someone thinks Leben is worth "much more", then he's free to take an alternate deal. But with Zuffa owning the WEC and almost owning Pride (they said on the Savage Dog Show recently that the sale hasn't officially gone through yet -- there's some hold up with transferral of assets or something), there isn't much else out there. And what we've seen time and time again is that the little organizations that are willing to throw a ton of money at fighters end up folding early (WFA, anyone?).

Brandon Vera made a lot of the same noises before announcing that he'd be staying with the UFC. Leben may take more money up front with some competitor *cough*, but let's see where that leaves him a year or two from now.

imdahman · 05-17-2007, 09:27 PM

That's the problem with a lot of fighters: they take these bad deals. For example, a manager will call Joe Silva about a fighter he's got who wants to Fight in the UFC in front of a home crowd; so instead of looking around for the best deal, he happily takes the low-ball deal because he gets to stay in the states.

If they keep their options open and tell UFC "well, Pride offered us 15&15, can you do better if you want my fighter?" then they would get MUCH better deals.

It's the hometown mentality; they desperately want to fight in the UFC and it doesn't occur to them that they could get a better deal somewhere else; they just wanna fight in the UFC.

Goeth27 · 05-17-2007, 10:54 PM

Maybe after having a few losses it wouldn't be bad to goto another organization and build up his career a bit before he comes back to the UFC (which will eventually happen) so that his chances for a title shot are better HOPEFULLY.