Hearing updates on the story on SA radio, which is pretty amazing and shows what impact he has had in very, very few UFC fights. Probably as important to the sport as the first season finale of the Ultimate Fighter where Griffin/Bonnar put MMA on the map.
So apparently (according to 5FM news at 6) he has now said that he reacted too soon, and is not retiring, but has fallen out with UFC bosses (Fertita & Dana White). Dana though said yesterday that UFC were on good terms with CM and his retirement was up to him.
Either way, this will just make his UFC "comeback" that much bigger (or maybe even back at UFC200?)
I think it was important for UFC to, in a way, get him back in line. He isn't the UFC. He isn't a partner or director. They were there before him and they'll be there after him. Fighters, even champions, are replaceable. They did it with Jones, Anderson and now CM. Plus of course a bitter pill to swallow was a loss (for CM) after all the talk.
He'll be back no doubt - and I'm sure we'll all be excited to see that first fight. I honestly think he has the ability to be one of the best fighters of all time.
In other MMA news...
Saw an article saying that Fedor Emilianenko (best Heavyweight ever, arguably best fighter a couple of years ago) stated that the chances of him (finally) fighting in the UFC are now very high. The first person to beat him (after many many fights against the best) was Werdum - the current UFC HW champion. This one could be a Tyson-Holyfield type event if they pull it off. Nobody has ever fought for a belt in their first fight as far as I know - Anderson got it on fight #2 -, but with those credentials I'd say it's warranted. Plus, if he fought someone else and lost, it would make a Werdum fight an anti-climax. Just my 2c though on all that.
So apparently (according to 5FM news at 6) he has now said that he reacted too soon, and is not retiring, but has fallen out with UFC bosses (Fertita & Dana White). Dana though said yesterday that UFC were on good terms with CM and his retirement was up to him.
Either way, this will just make his UFC "comeback" that much bigger (or maybe even back at UFC200?)
I think it was important for UFC to, in a way, get him back in line. He isn't the UFC. He isn't a partner or director. They were there before him and they'll be there after him. Fighters, even champions, are replaceable. They did it with Jones, Anderson and now CM. Plus of course a bitter pill to swallow was a loss (for CM) after all the talk.
He'll be back no doubt - and I'm sure we'll all be excited to see that first fight. I honestly think he has the ability to be one of the best fighters of all time.
In other MMA news...
Saw an article saying that Fedor Emilianenko (best Heavyweight ever, arguably best fighter a couple of years ago) stated that the chances of him (finally) fighting in the UFC are now very high. The first person to beat him (after many many fights against the best) was Werdum - the current UFC HW champion. This one could be a Tyson-Holyfield type event if they pull it off. Nobody has ever fought for a belt in their first fight as far as I know - Anderson got it on fight #2 -, but with those credentials I'd say it's warranted. Plus, if he fought someone else and lost, it would make a Werdum fight an anti-climax. Just my 2c though on all that.