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lmao... couture is leading "actor" for a cheesy scorpion king spin off? love randy's heart but if he is quiting to focus on other "endeavors" that include starring in c movies then his logic is lost on me.
Holy $hit!! What a kick in the balls for Dana White (among others).
I knew Randy hated working for Dana, but didn't see this coming...
http://www.thefightnetwork.com/news_detail.php?nid=5085
COUTURE QUITS UFC
MMA Icon Walks Away From Promotion In Stunning Move
By Brian Knapp
At the height of its power and popularity, the Ultimate Fighting Championship today lost the man many recognize as the face of mixed martial arts. UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture announced his resignation from the Las Vegas-based promotion, leaving two contracted fights, his job as an on-air analyst and his heavyweight crown on the table.
In South Africa shooting scenes for his lead role in the upcoming feature film “The Scorpion King – Rise of the Akkadian,” Couture made the announcement official in a letter to UFC president Dana White. The UFC’s inability to land PRIDE heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko played a prominent role in the decision to walk away, according to Couture.
“I appreciate this opportunity the sport of MMA and the UFC has given me,” the UFC Hall-of-Famer said. “However, I’m tired of swimming upstream at this stage with the management of the UFC. It only makes sense at this point in my career to fight Fedor Emelianenko, and since he’s now signed with another organization, I feel like it’s time to resign and focus on my other endeavors.”
His abrupt departure deals a significant blow to the world’s most visible MMA organization. Couture was not only a beloved compe or – White once called him “the greatest fighter in UFC history” – but also a revered spokesman for a company that had long struggled to gain mainstream acceptance.
“Randy’s contract was on a fight-by-fight basis, and that’s the way he said he was always going to take it – fight by fight,” said Matt Walker, Couture’s agent at The Gersh Agency. “His acting career is accelerating at an astronomical rate, and without the support he felt some of his peers were receiving in the fight business, this was the logical choice.”
A three-time All-American wrestler at Oklahoma State University, Couture won four national championships in Greco-Roman wrestling and made four attempts at qualifying for the Olympics. He made his MMA debut at UFC 13 on May 13, 1997, where, at age 33, he won a heavyweight tournament, defeating Tony Halme and Steven Graham on the same night. Just seven months later, he toppled famed kickboxer Maurice Smith in Yokohama, Japan to win the UFC heavyweight crown for the first time.
Over the course of the next decade, Couture emerged as one of the most decorated mixed martial artists in history. The UFC’s only six-time champion, he captured the heavyweight belt three times, the light heavyweight le twice and an interim light heavyweight le, as well. Couture remains the only man to win UFC championships in two weight classes.
His run through the promotion included a memorable trilogy with light heavyweight rival Chuck Liddell, the only opponent to beat Couture twice. Following his third bout with Liddell in February 2006, Couture announced his first retirement.
As 2007 dawned, his desire to compete returned, and a four-fight contract with the UFC – which included the opportunity to fight Tim Sylvia for the heavyweight strap at UFC 68 in March – was presented to Couture. He accepted, and the wheels for an historic comeback were set in motion.
Couture floored Sylvia with an overhand right seconds into the bout and punished the 6-foot-8 giant over five rounds. Playing to chants of “Randy!” he regained the heavyweight le for an unprecedented third time in front of 19,049 fans at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Five months later, at the age of 44, he defeated rising contender Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 74, stopping the young Brazilian by third-round TKO despite suffering a broken left arm. It would be his final appearance in the Octagon.
Couture (16-8) leaves behind an unrivaled legacy in the sport. Fifteen of his 24 career bouts were le fights, and he bested six former UFC champions – Liddell, Vitor Belfort, o Ortiz and Sylvia among them. Always willing to meet a challenge, Couture consistently tested himself against the world’s premier fighters. The 19 men he fought (he squared off with Pedro Rizzo twice and Liddell and Belfort three times each) hold 357 victories between them.
lmao... couture is leading "actor" for a cheesy scorpion king spin off? love randy's heart but if he is quiting to focus on other "endeavors" that include starring in c movies then his logic is lost on me.
Well, there goes the only heavyweight I could root for.
MMA is dying.
MMA is getting so big he is making a fortune running his gym and doing clinics.
Really? That far with him?
I still love the old AA...I like Vera....old Heath....Big Nog....
and Randy...
Sherdog exclusive...sounds like he wants to wait 9 months and then chase Fedor...
http://www.sherdog.com/news/news.asp?n_id=9455
Dana White chimes in...
http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=news.detail&gid=8236
Just stunned........past few days...wow
Obviously Randy wants a big payday with Fedor. I don't blame him. It would be a great fight.
You should check out the ESPN.com column. Apparently Couture left over money, and felt like he was disrespected by White.
Im dissapointed he left with his remaining 2 fights, his amazing story, and all his momentum. People were arguing about him as the #1 HW with Fedor sitting on his ass. Too bad...Randy is one of top 3 all time favs. The only way i want Randy coming back is if it's for the UFC and against Fedor. He's still my boy, It's ashame he isn't broadcasting for the UFC anymore. I hope he still stays active in MMA and the UFC. Will he be running Xtreme Couture? I hope he doesn't abandon his roots for an acting career.
Notice UFC.com has one article covering this. The rest is about TUF and 77.
Dana is a .
As one legend retires, a new one is born. Check out the sig!
I love the sig dallaskd...My new favorite heavyweight fighter is....Cheick "The Freak" Kongo.
Love it, absolutely freakin' love it.
Randy, a total class guy who rather then run from fights & go to some other continent chooses to come outta retirement because the HW div was slipping to pride level.
Now, rather than make a big hoopla & do some kinda of contract dispute/holdout he just sez, "Phuckit, I'll do something else".........
Doing it for the love of the sport & not the $$$... You're S Capt America!
BV, the div is yours for the taking if you take it seriously.
I, for one, do not believe that money has no part in this. Rather, I believe it is about the money, at least to some degree. Yes, of course, to some degree it's about Fedor. Though, he clearly states that if Fedor were to sign, he wanted to be paid equally. Also, he didn't retire. He resigned from the UFC. He has 9 months remaining on his contract, therefore there could be a possibility of a Fedor/Randy fight in M-1 in the July timeframe next year. If Randy doesn't fight again, I think it's a big loss.
Well, even when Randy loses, he's got fire about it. He throws everything out the window and fights like it's his last. AA and Herring have really been lacking spirit in their last few outings. Please, don't get me wrong here, I still cheer them on; I'm not fickle like most womenReally? That far with him?
I still love the old AA...I like Vera....old Heath....Big Nog....
and Randy...But it's hard to watch a fight when the biggest name in it looks like he dragged himself out of bed half an hour before. If I'm being paid thousands of dollars to fight, you can bet the farm I'm not going to lay on top of the guy for three rounds or dance around him for five.
Ok gotcha.
This will be interesting to see how it all plays out. This is such a new sport and were seeing this new sport evolve from the ground up right in front of us and chaos like this is to be expected. Were in for a lot more highs and lows. For example, looks like the IFL is doing everything it can to make their fighters as angry as possible.The Grand Prix was the best idea they have ever had and they are messing it up. I wouldn't be surprised if they implode next year. From reports on mmaweekly.com (I think) EliteXC is pretty far in the red and yet they are somewhow signing 1 and 2 year contracts with fighters. So much more good and bad ahead of us....
So for Randy, I don't think a champion should ever make one penny less than the contender, so there should be some sort of flex contract if your a champion. Another thing to consider to add into the rest of what we know, Randy is 44. Who knows how many injuries he is nursing. Randy is now a brand name in MMA so why keep fighting...
I think this last week is the worst week in the UFC's history since they (and all MMA) got banned from PPV in the late 90's. They lost HBO, Fedor and Randy. Were going to now see what kind of damage control they have to fix things.
Yeah. He claims his goal is to have the belt in HW and LHW. Now its possible.
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Couture Quits
MMA Shocker: UFC stalwart calls it a career
Man is Dana White fishtailing or what??? He's blaming it on everything but him self. And he's still talking like Randy retired when he's cleared said he hasn't.
White Responds to Couture Resignation
October 12, 2007
by Greg Savage ([email protected])
A clueless Hollywood agent, Internet Web sites, Fedor Emelianenko's (Pictures) management team and Randy Couture's (Pictures) age top UFC president Dana White's list of reasons why "The Natural" is no longer affiliated his promotion.
"I consider Randy Couture (Pictures) a friend and still do," White told UFC.com editor Thomas Gerbasi. "He hooked up with some Hollywood agent that I b---- slapped about a month ago, and these Hollywood agents are parasites, so unfortunately this guy is probably in Randy's ear right now. But, that's the world Randy wants to be in; Randy wants to be in the movie world now, that's what he's working for and that's his guy right now."
Speaking with Yahoo! Sports' Kevin Iole, White also blamed the fervent MMA Internet community for Couture's belief that he is being underpaid by the UFC.
"This business is like a beauty salon," White told Iole. "These guys are all the toughest guys in the world, but they're like (expletives) in a beauty salon. They pass along rumors and gossip, which has no basis in reality and they believe all the (rumors) they hear. The Internet is very powerful and one of the best promotional tools we have, but it's a crazy place.
"They hear these rumors and they believe them and then they get insulted like (expletives) after we try to talk reality with them. They'll say, ‘Well, this guy is getting this much,' but when I ask where they heard it, it's never a contract, it's always, ‘I read it on the Internet.' It's crazy."
Couture recalled to Sherdog.com a meeting with White and UFC owner Lorenzo Fer ta during which he felt he was lied to regarding his financial status amongst other top UFC fighters.
"You want to call me a liar, people think a lot of bad stuff about me anyway, but to call Lorenzo Fer ta a liar, the reason the sport exists right now is because of him and his brother (Frank)," White responded. "They've done nothing but good things for this sport, and I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him and his brother. You ask anybody in Las Vegas about the reputation of the Fer ta family; they aren't liars, they are great people. So for him to say that about Lorenzo, it's not like Randy Couture (Pictures). It's not like him."
Couture told Sherdog.com he came to believe he wasn't being paid what other frontline UFC compe ors were making for fighting in the Octagon.
"All us athletes are all pretty tightly intertwined," Couture said Thursday from South Africa, where is filming ‘The Scorpion King - Rise of the Akkadian.' "You hear what other guys were paid signing bonuses and what other guys were paid on the record and off the record with bonuses. I've heard Chuck's numbers. o's numbers. Hughes' numbers. Quinton's numbers. Cro Cop, Wanderlei. I heard what they were offering Fedor, and it's insulting."
White generally ignored discussion of Couture's contract except to say "The Natural" negotiated it on his own behalf and was happy with the deal when he signed it.
Couture, who stated he was resigning from the UFC and not retiring from mixed martial arts, made it clear that a lack of respect from upper management at Zuffa (the UFC's parent company) as well as the lost prospect of fighting Fedor Emelianenko (Pictures) were the main reasons for his decision to relinquish the le and give up his position as a spokesman for the UFC.
Contract negotiations between the UFC and Emelianenko's group were well publicized since August. Earlier this week, the Fight Network reported that Emelianekno had decided against going to the UFC in favor of joining the M-1 Mixfight group.
That decision was a determining factor in Couture's decision to resign.
Knowing he would not now sign Fedor, and coping with the loss of perhaps his biggest star, White dug into the PRIDE heavyweight champion and his camp.
"The negotiations with those guys were so nutty that at this point, I don't give (an expletive) if he ever comes with us," White said of the Russian heavyweight's representatives, which include Emelianenko's longtime manager Vadim Finkelstein.
Those comments mark a 180-degree turn from past statements made by the outspoken boss of the UFC. Since the acquisition of PRIDE FC in March of this year White has maintained that Emelianenko would end up in the Octagon, claiming as recently as last month that the Russian would fight for the UFC heavyweight crown in his first fight for the promotion.
"Fedor has that mystique where people think he's No. 1, which I don't agree with," White told UFC.com. "I think that Fedor is completely overrated -- he's fought Mark Coleman (Pictures) and Matt Lindland (Pictures) in the last year, with Mark Hunt (Pictures) being his only legitimate opponent -- and I actually think that Randy Couture (Pictures) would have smashed Fedor."
Couture has repeatedly talked about his desire to fight Fedor for the reason White now appears to be bashing the Russian: he is perceived to be the best in the world.
While Couture told Sherdog.com nine months remain on his contract, thus barring him from negotiating for a fight with Emelianenko or anyone else outside the UFC before July 2008, White saw things quite differently.
Asked if that figure was accurate, White told UFC.com: "Absolutely not."
Though Couture went public with his case, White said he feels their relationship is not beyond repair.
"I love him, I respect him," White said of Couture. "I still consider him my friend and just like any friendship, we don't see eye to eye all the time, but if you're true friends, you work it out, and I consider Randy Couture (Pictures) a true friend, and I honestly believe that when he comes home from filming, and when his s bag Hollywood agent isn't around, we'll talk and we'll square away our friendship."
The structure of the UFC heavyweight division after Thursday's sudden news has not been devastated, White said.
"I don't think it affects the division at all because after what we've seen over the last couple of years, anybody can win or lose on any given night," he said. "It's what makes this sport so exciting. And now it's like this big shocking news that Randy Couture (Pictures) retired. He's 44 years old, he's not 24. Is everybody really that shocked that Randy retired? Randy Couture (Pictures) has had an amazing career, he's an incredible athlete, he's pulled off more upsets, and has been the underdog so many times, what's really left out there for him? I think he would have put a stone cold beating on Fedor, and he would have walked away with the same thing that he's walking away with now. He's walking out on top, and walking out on top is a smart thing to do. And it's perfect for his acting career."
The problem for Zuffa and the UFC, however, stems from the fact that Couture did not retire from mixed martial arts … he simply resigned from the UFC.
"People were saying to me four months ago that Chuck Liddell (Pictures) was the face of the UFC," White said, defending the status of his company. "Randy Couture (Pictures) and Chuck Liddell (Pictures) are two of many faces of the UFC. The UFC has the greatest fighters in the world, and Randy Couture (Pictures) and Chuck Liddell (Pictures) might be two of the best known fighters in the UFC, but everybody pulls their weight in this company and everybody works hard for it. Randy Couture (Pictures), Chuck Liddell (Pictures), Matt Hughes (Pictures), Rich Franklin (Pictures), Joe Rogan, these are guys who were with us early on who I credit for helping us get to where we are today. Is Randy Couture (Pictures) the face of the UFC? No, he's one of many faces of the UFC, but he is one of the guys who helped us get here."
ESPN = Sherdog
good read.....
Genius
Wow big loss for the UFC HW division.
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