Yesterday the bomb dropped later in the afternoon that the UFC had in fact signed boxing champion James Toney to a multi-fight contract. Yeah, there’s been lots of talk about it possibly happening but come on, who really thought it would go down? Even the psychic we paid $50 last month said it was all just some publicity stunt…
So with Toney set to swap leather in the Octagon, the internet is quickly filling up with comments from fighters, who are weighing in on the Toney signing. Randy “The Natural” Couture has already ‘tweeted’ that he’d be thrilled to fight Toney first (can you say cha-ching?), but we’re thinking the UFC would probably build up to a fight of that magnitude.
In an interesting report from MMA Junkie this AM, several fighters including Pat Barry, Todd Duffee, Chris Tuchscherer, Paul Buentello and Brendan Schaub offer their thoughts on the big news, with most of their comments being fairly favourable. Duffer offered this rather blunt and probably accurate assessment:
“I think the UFC’s going to make a lot of money,” he said. “There are people in the UFC he stands to beat. Yeah, it kind of makes a mockery of the sport, but James Toney is a fighter. I definitely respect him.”
As did Schaub:
“Someone would be stupid to trade with him,” he said. “Once he goes to the ground, he’s screwed.”
Yes, one would think that extensive wrestling and jiu-jitsu training is in order for Mr. Toney, but who knows, maybe he’s been working on single legs and D’arce Chokes for years….Nah.