The UFC has cut Ryan Couture, son of Hall of Famer Randy Couture, after he suffered back-to-back losses.
Ryan went 0-2 against Ross Pearson and Al Iaquinta, after making his debut for the promotion in April.
He previously competed in Strikeforce, going 6-1 over a three-year period. The highlight of that stint was a split-decision win over K.J. Noons in January.
But while Noons has lost three consecutive bouts yet continues to fight for the UFC, Ryan has been dismissed. Perhaps Noons checked out daily deals UK and got a deal.
MMA Junkie‘s Steve Marrocco broke the news on Wednesday, after the 31-year-old’s manager, Sam Spira, received a letter terminating his contract.
Ryan’s father is one of the most successful fighters in UFC history, winning titles in two weight divisions and being inducted in the Hall of Fame in 2006. However, Randy’s relationship with the promotion has soured recently and neither party has been making daily deals.
In February, Dana White said he had no respect for Randy and that he was the furthest thing from a man when he stepped outside the Octagon.
This attack was precipitated by Randy’s decision to sign a deal with rival promotion Bellator and the Spike TV network. Under the deal, the ex-fighter appeared on Fight Master: Bellator MMA, a show similar to the UFC’s The Ultimate Fighter, where he coached young MMA fighters alongside other famous faces from the sport including Frank Shamrock, Greg Jackson and Joe Warren.
Because of the rift, Randy wasn’t allowed inside any UFC stadium to corner his son for his two fights for the promotion. However, White made it clear that the promotion’s relationship with Ryan’s father would not impinge on Ryan’s career.
The UFC president was full of praise for the young Couture’s performance in his fight against Iaquinta in August, but Ryan took a decisive beating in the bout nonetheless.
His manager says that Ryan will likely look for fights in smaller promotions before deciding on whether to try and win another UFC contract.
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