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Tracking the Signings of the Most Recently Cut UFC Fighters

With the news that the UFC has cut more than a dozen fighters and plans on getting rid of a significant number of others, it has been speculated that regional organizations and competitors of the UFC will benefit from the increase in talent on the mark…

So far, that has been correct.

From the United States to Europe, MMA promotions are chomping at the bit to sign these elite talents to bring further legitimacy to their companies. With guys like Jon Fitch and Che Mills on the market, that is achievable.

Let’s track and see where the most recently let-go fighters have ended up since being shown the door by the UFC.

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Rashad Evans Comes Out for Gay Marriage

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans has become the latest high-profile athlete to add his autograph to a petition launched by NFL players Chris Kluwe and Brendon Ayanbadejo, created to persuade the United States Supreme Court to put…

After registering his support for the movement, Evans spoke with Outsports, a website and forum delivering on the passions of homosexual sports enthusiasts, about his decision and stance on the issue.

“I have nothing to gain personally from supporting this issue, and that’s the point,” Evans explained. “Society as a whole is better when there is equality, and I want to live in a country where everyone has the same rights because we all benefit from that.”

“Suga,” who is coming off a loss to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, also noted that the common perception linked to his line of work—professional fighting—makes it all the more necessary for him to vocalize his beliefs.

“I am a heterosexual guy in a tough macho sport, which is exactly the reason I feel a duty to say I support gay marriage and gay rights,” he said.

But more than the social implications, Evans pointed to his personal life as the driving force behind his desire to support the petition.

I have kids. I don’t want them growing up in a society where they, or their friends, could be second class citizens based on which person they fall in love with or who they want to be happy with.

Evans’ strong stance on such a polarizing topic is likely to generate much discussion in the MMA world, and maybe even bring some attention to the larger debate regarding gay marriage.

It will be interesting to see whether any other well-known fighters from the “macho sport” of MMA follow suit, or add to the wider discussion.

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UFC 158: Uncensored Trailer Released for GSP vs. Nick Diaz

The newest trailer for UFC 158 is uncensored and only adds to the hype of one of the most anticipated grudge matches in UFC history.Nick Diaz will finally get his opportunity to challenge Georges St-Pierre for the UFC welterweight title on March 16 in …

The newest trailer for UFC 158 is uncensored and only adds to the hype of one of the most anticipated grudge matches in UFC history.

Nick Diaz will finally get his opportunity to challenge Georges St-Pierre for the UFC welterweight title on March 16 in Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

The bout is already being portrayed as a hero vs. villain matchup. St-Pierre is the role-model champion looking to defend the title for an eighth consecutive time, and Diaz is the potty-mouthed rebel hoping to stake his claim as the best in the world.

To Diaz, this is nothing more than another grand attempt by the media to paint him as the bad guy. During the UFC 158 media conference call, he labeled St-Pierre as “pampered” and called himself the true “superhero” of this story.

Sure you’re pampered out. I don’t have anything against that. All I’m saying is look I hope so mother***ker because. This is some f**ked up s**t, and if I had the money and if had the right people on my side working for me, if I had some mother***kers dropping dime on this guy and that guy to make sure I had my s**t ready for me, I would be doing it, and you bet your ass it would get done.

…I’d like to be known as someone who kept it real. I just don’t like that I’m made out to be this evil person that needs to be shot down, that needs to be conquered. What the f**k? If anything, I’m like the superhero coming in with the anti-bulls**t.

Unfortunately for Diaz, the only “superhero” at UFC 158 will be St-Pierre, who will undoubtedly receive a hero’s welcome in front of his hometown Canadian fans.

Diaz resents how he is being portrayed for this fight. While entertaining, the video obviously makes him look like the bad guy in the situation, but there really isn’t anyone else to blame. Diaz‘s own words are the ones being used in the video.

Fans love a grudge match, and it’s the UFC’s job to play into the “bad blood” angle to sell tickets.

This effective video should draw even more interest in what will surely be a blockbuster event.

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Mark Hunt vs. Junior Dos Santos Official for UFC 160 in May

The legion of Mark Hunt supporters will be happy to hear their hero will face Junior dos Santos at UFC 160 after all. It only took a day-and-a-half for UFC president Dana White to turn around from saying Santos would sit out and wait for a summer showd…

The legion of Mark Hunt supporters will be happy to hear their hero will face Junior dos Santos at UFC 160 after all.

It only took a day-and-a-half for UFC president Dana White to turn around from saying Santos would sit out and wait for a summer showdown with Alistair Overeem to eventually offering the shot to Hunt instead.

Hunt has accepted and now gets his shot at facing the former UFC heavyweight champion in May. The news was first confirmed by MMAFighting.com, and UFC officials then announced the bout on Saturday.

Earlier this week, former K-1 Grand Prix champion Overeem suffered a partial tear in his quadriceps muscle that forced him out of his long awaited bout against Santos at UFC 160.

Immediately, Hunt and a growing support system on Twitter rallied for the “Super Samoan” to get the crack at Santos instead.

At the time, White said that after an initial conversation with Hunt he actually opted to turn down the fight. In reality it appears negotiations took a dramatic turn after a brief phone conversation between Hunt and White late Thursday evening, and now the fight is official.

Following an initial loss to Sean McCorkle in his UFC debut, Hunt comes into the UFC 160 fight against Santos on a four-fight winning streak, currently the longest in the heavyweight division.

A former K-1 Grand Prix champion as well, Hunt brings an iron jaw and concrete fists into the bout against Santos. On his four fight win streak, Hunt has knocked out or TKO’d three of those opponents including his jaw shattering victory over Stefan Struve earlier this month at UFC on Fuel 8 in Japan.

Now Hunt gets the biggest opportunity of his career when he faces Santos at UFC 160 in a bout that could very well determine the next contender to fight for the UFC heavyweight title.

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report

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UFC 160: Rally Pays Off, Mark Hunt Set to Fight JDS in Co-Main Event

After days of rallying, it looks like Mark Hunt will finally get his wish at UFC 160 when he meets former heavyweight champ Junior Dos Santos.UFC President Dana White confirmed the news to MMAFighting.com on Saturday morning.Dos Santos, who was se…

After days of rallying, it looks like Mark Hunt will finally get his wish at UFC 160 when he meets former heavyweight champ Junior Dos Santos.

UFC President Dana White confirmed the news to MMAFighting.com on Saturday morning.

Dos Santos, who was set to fight Alistair Overeem in the co-main event for UFC 160, was left without an opponent after Overeem pulled out of the fight due to a quadriceps injury.

Known for his incredible knockout power and brutish striking style, Hunt’s name was immediately thrown into the mix as a possible replacement. Hunt, a former Pride legend, has generated a massive following as of late.

His journey back to the top of the heavyweight ranks has been remarkable. He was on a six-fight losing streak a little over two years ago. Now, he has four straight UFC wins to his name, including a knockout victory over top 10 heavyweight contender Stefan Struve.

There was apparently some miscommunication between White and Hunt’s team earlier in the week.

In a Twitter post on Thursday, White stated that Hunt turned down the opportunity to step up and fight Dos Santos. On Friday, Hunt negated the allegations on Twitter and stated he had “never turned down a fight.”

Later in the day, White appeared more optimistic in his next post relating to Hunt on the social networking site.

UFC 160 will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 25. After losing the heavyweight title to Cain Velasquez, Dos Santos will be looking to rebound and climb back into the title picture.

MMAFighting was able to contact Hunt, who is reportedly “ecstatic” about the chance to fight Dos Santos. He called the opportunity “my title shot.”

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UFC 160: Mark Hunt Rallies for Shot at Junior dos Santos

The rallying can now cease for Mark Hunt, as he will indeed get his shot at Junior dos Santos at UFC 160. Dana White confirmed the fight to Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com Saturday morning. The original co-main event for UFC 160 was scheduled to be Al…

The rallying can now cease for Mark Hunt, as he will indeed get his shot at Junior dos Santos at UFC 160.

Dana White confirmed the fight to Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com Saturday morning.

The original co-main event for UFC 160 was scheduled to be Alistair Overeem vs. Dos Santos, but Overeem had to drop out of the bout due to injury. Hunt immediately threw his name out there as a potential replacement.

White tweeted to fans who were asking about the possibility of Hunt vs. Dos Santos that it was unlikely. White claimed the company was seeking a summer date for the originally scheduled bout between Overeem and Dos Santos. It seemed like the hope for Hunt’s biggest fight to date was dead.

Then a late-night tweet on Thursday cracked the door open to shine a glimmer of hope back on this exciting fight.

Dos Santos will indeed fight the former K-1 world champion at UFC 160.

Hunt has had a hell of a ride to get this marquee bout.

From 2006 to 2010 Hunt suffered six straight losses. Five of those six losses came by submission. Now, Hunt is riding a four-fight win streak, with three KO/TKO finishes, into the Octagon on May 25 to battle the No. 1-ranked heavyweight in the official UFC rankings.

Hunt’s most recent TKO win (over Stefan Struve) moved him to No. 9 in the rankings.

Dos Santos is coming off his first UFC loss. At UFC 155 he dropped the UFC Heavyweight Championship to Cain Velasquez by unanimous decision.

The winner of Hunt vs. Dos Santos will have the best claim to the next title shot against the winner of Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva. That UFC Heavyweight Championship tilt is the main event of UFC 160.

Hunt vs. Dos Santos looks like heavyweight fireworks on paper and will serve as the perfect lead-in to the main event of the evening. The top of the card will almost surely give us two exciting contests and determine the next heavyweight title matchup.

UFC 160 takes place on May 25 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on pay-per-view.

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