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I don't want to be overly reactive to this news, but....

this may be a short term strategy simply because it may backfire. So let's see. The UFC is Dana White? I mean, who is the trigger man or is it a committee that decides? If it's Dana or he has ultimate say, then UFC is in trouble. Why? Because it's called ego and pride. If you say anything negative or slightly out of line, you will be cut. Lutter being let go because of fan sediment? So, fan sendiment has a factor in the decisions? Wow, I hope not.

See, for this to make sense, there needs to be set criteria, not Dana's ego or pride. Not the fan sendiment either! If it's 2 loses in a row, then make it so. But if you start making exceptions to the rule what's going to happen? Fighters are going to get really upset! Who wouldn't? You treat your fighters like crap, then it will eventually bite you in bubble butt. Think about it. If you get fired there needs to be rules and guidlines or policies that you break right? In most situations there needs to be good reasons.

Think about it. What has the UFC said about Lutter being released? Please dig it up somewhere. If it's 2 losses, then what about other fighters? Fairness is important when your business is built on these guys who step it up and perform like gladiators.

Sorry UFC fanboys.

UFC releases three more fighters
by Sam Caplan

Din Thomas, Kuniyoshi Hironaka, and Tommy Speer are three fighters involved in the UFC�s latest round of roster cuts, according to a report in the May 7 print edition of the Wrestling Observer.

Thomas had appeared to be in contention for the UFC lightweight title following three consecutive wins in 2006-2007. However, �The Ultimate Fighter� alumnus from season four went on to lose his next two fights.

Thomas� three fight win streak was broken at the hands of Kenny Florian at UFC Fight Night 11 last September when he submitted to a rear naked choke at 4:31 of round 1. During the fight, Thomas suffered a major knee injury.

He would return to the Octagon at UFC Fight Night 13 this past April, where he lost a unanimous decision to the returning Josh Neer.

According to the Observer, Thomas is deciding between whether to retire or continue competing at 145 pounds. Thomas had mentioned publicly he was considering the move to featherweight, but several outlets erroneously reported that he was being transferred to Zuffa-owned World Extreme Cagefighting.

The report in the Observer indicates that fighting in the WEC in the future is a possibility for Thomas, but that his contract was not transferred over and that he will likely need to win multiple fights outside of the promotion before being offered a contract.

Speer was the second place finisher during the welterweight tournament for the sixth season of �The Ultimate Fighter.� He lost in the final to Mac Danzig via first round submission. The Minnesota native fell to 0-2 in the UFC after he was knocked out in the first round against Anthony Johnson at UFC Fight Night 13.

Hironaka�s lifetime UFC record fell to 1-3 following a second round TKO loss to Jonathan Goulet at UFC 83. The bout was awarded a �Fight of the Night� cash bonus by UFC officials, but the feeling was that Hironaka had taken too much punishment in his last two bouts, according to the Observer�s report.

The three join Joe Doerksen and Travis Lutter as fighters recently released by the UFC as the promotion looks to trim its roster from 200 fights to anywhere between 140-160.

Kalib Starnes was also released in the days immediately proceeding UFC 83, however, he claims he requested his own release. Whether or not the option was truly in his hands is not entirely clear.

Middleweight Charles McCarthy is also no longer on the roster, as he announced his retirement following his loss to Michael Bisping at UFC 83.

Joe Doerksen released by the UFC
by Sam Caplan

Middleweight Joe Doerksen is the latest fighter to be released by the UFC.

The news comes courtesy of Sportsnet.ca, which received word of Doerksen�s release from the fighter himself.

Doerksen is currently in the midst of a three fight losing streak that began this past August at WEC 29, was TKO�d by current WEC middleweight champion Paulo Filho at 4:07 of round 1.

After losing the vacant middleweight title to Filho, Doerksen was then transferred to the UFC and suffered a third round knockout against Ed Herman at UFC 78 this past November.

Doerksen fought on the undercard of the UFC�s most recent event, UFC 83 in Montreal, but lost to fellow Canadian fighter Jason MacDonald when he was TKO�d at 0:54 of the second round.

Doerksen had one fight remaining on his Zuffa contract at the time of his release but indicated that the company is open to the possibility of re-signing him in the future.

�(The UFC officials) made it very clear they�re very happy with the way I fight and they want me to come back,� Doerksen is quoted as saying by Sportsnet. �But they need me to go put a couple of wins together (first).�

You got me on the no round scoring in Pride, but I think Chonan would have got the decision.

I don't think any of those guys are at risk. Tanner is at risk of retirement, but diehard MMA fans like him (like me). Here's my possible cut list (just going down alphabetically:

Danny Abbadi - Garbage
Joe Doerksen - (even though I like him)
Justin Eislers - listed, and if he is still there I'd cut him, I don think he is. though.
Rob Emerson - Blah
Melvin Guillard - He was exciting, but how many chances do you get?
Jason Lambert - On the decline badly.
Pete Sell - Has had two exciting fights.... where he got knocked out. The James Thompson of 185.

There's more, but you get the point.

I don't think any of those guys are at risk. Tanner is at risk of retirement, but diehard MMA fans like him (like me). Here's my possible cut list (just going down alphabetically:

Danny Abbadi - Garbage
Joe Doerksen - (even though I like him)
Justin Eislers - listed, and if he is still there I'd cut him, I don think he is. though.
Rob Emerson - Blah
Melvin Guillard - He was exciting, but how many chances do you get?
Jason Lambert - On the decline badly.
Pete Sell - Has had two exciting fights.... where he got knocked out. The James Thompson of 185.

There's more, but you get the point.

If they were to cut back the roster what would be a healthy number to sustain the UFC?

I can see some pros and cons to cutting back the roster:

Pros
- Removes some bad apples from the box
- More exposure for some of the unknowns
- Possible increase in fighter pay
- Better events

Cons
- If they really cut back we may see too much of some fighters
- Less matchup options for Joe Silva
- Injuries could cause some major issues if roster was too thin

SysRq

My opinion of a few high profile guys that UFC shouldn't get rid of....but might.

Sam Stout - I thought he had some real potential. He's young, so maybe he'll come back.
Spencer Fisher - Probably not, but should be worried.
Clay Guida - God I hope not.
Marvin Eastman - Is he even under contract?
Loser of Tanner/Grove - Hopefully Grove

I really hope they don't keep too many "exciting" journeymen and thus get rid of actual contenders who are "boring".

What about Henderson?

Wow, you came at it from a crazy angle, brah.

But did Chonan really win a round off Anderson?
Methinks he was losing the fight and then pulled off the sub.
Also, PRIDE didn't have round scoring... that takes the hypotheticality of all this to the next level.
*keeps pondering*

Chonan, too. It wasn't a UFC fight, but Chonan is now a UFC fighter.