Tag: Paulo Thiago

10 UFC Stars Who Had A Day Job

In most high-profile professional sports it’s unheard of to hold down a day job while competing at the highest level, but it’s more common than you might think in mixed martial arts. That’s not to suggest that MMA fighters don’t require as much time to prepare as other athletes though. Far from it in fact,

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In most high-profile professional sports it’s unheard of to hold down a day job while competing at the highest level, but it’s more common than you might think in mixed martial arts.

That’s not to suggest that MMA fighters don’t require as much time to prepare as other athletes though.

Far from it in fact, with mixed martial arts multi-faceted disciplines presenting a never-ending array of techniques to be learned, practiced and honed, while countless hours are invested in grueling conditioning workouts and sparring sessions to prepare fighters minds and bodies for one of the most demanding physical pursuits in all of sports.

However, compared to other leading sports, MMA is still the new kid on the block, and when many of today’s fighters took their first martial arts classes in their teens there was no guarantee that there would be able to make a career out of it.

Even today, with the sport having a stronger footing than at any time in it’s brief history, many of the UFC’s fighters still face challenges making ends meet and beyond a handful of major stars there’s not many who will be financially secure when they decide to hang up their gloves.

With that in mind, it’s no surprise that some UFC fighters over the years have opted to retain a day job alongside their fighting careers, and in this article we’ll look at 10 who have done so successfully on the sports biggest stage.

The post 10 UFC Stars Who Had A Day Job appeared first on LowKick MMA.

UFC Releases Veteran Welterweight Paulo Thiago

A UFC welterweight the past five years, Paulo Thiago has been cut by the world’s top MMA promotion.
Since Thiago had lost three in a row, the release was widely expected. MMAFighting.com confirmed the UFC’s decision on Wednesday.
In his first trip to t…

A UFC welterweight the past five years, Paulo Thiago has been cut by the world’s top MMA promotion.

Since Thiago had lost three in a row, the release was widely expected. MMAFighting.com confirmed the UFC’s decision on Wednesday.

In his first trip to the Octagon during February 2009, Thiago shocked the 170-pound class with a knockout win over Josh Koscheck. That looked to be the beginning of a great UFC career, but Thiago was never able to top that victory.

While a submission win over Mike Swick gave the Brazilian some momentum in February 2010, Thiago has struggled since then. In the four years and eight months since that submission, Thiago has only beaten David Mitchell and Michel Prazeres while losing seven times.

Following his win over Prazeres, Thiago was stopped by Brandon Thatch. Thiago then dropped very winnable bouts against Gasan Umalatov and Sean Spencer, which made it tough for the UFC brass to keep him around despite his popularity among Brazilian fans.

At 33 years old, Thiago might not have much time left in MMA. Unless he gets on a roll against some big-name veterans outside the Octagon, it’s possible Thiago never earns his way back onto the UFC roster.

With a 5-8 UFC record, Thiago had his moments. However, with the buzz he generated by stopping Koscheck in his initial UFC outing, Thiago‘s career will likely go down as a disappointment.

Given his career with Batalhao de Operacoes Policiais Especiais in Brazil, there’s a chance Thiago steps away from fighting now. If not, World Series of Fighting has a pretty solid welterweight division he might be interested in competing in.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

And Now He’s Fired: Paulo Thiago Cut by UFC Following Three Straight Losses


(Paulo Thiago gets cracked by Sean Spencer during their fight in September. / Photo via Getty)

After losing his last three fights — and seven out of his last nine — Brazilian welterweight veteran Paulo Thiago has been released by the UFC. Thiago most recently competed at last month’s UFC Fight Night 51: Bigfoot vs. Arlovski, where he lost a unanimous decision to Sean Spencer on the prelims.

Thiago made his UFC debut in February 2009 as a 10-0 prospect, carrying a rad backstory as a B.O.P.E. supercop. He was immediately thrown to the wolves, drawing Josh Koscheck as his debut opponent at UFC 95. Koscheck was a heavy favorite to beat the unheralded newcomer. Instead, this happened:

Thiago dropped a decision to Jon Fitch in his next outing, but then posted back to back wins against Jacob Volkmann and Mike Swick. Suddenly, Paulo Thiago seemed like a legitimate threat in the welterweight division. Unfortunately, that was essentially his career peak in the UFC. He would never win two consecutive fights again, and the opponents he lost to went from top-of-the-food-chain (Martin Kampmann, Diego Sanchez) to pretty dangerous (Siyar Bahadurzada, Dong Hyun Kim) to downright obscure (Brandon Thatch, Gasan Umalatov). The last time people were talking about Paulo Thiago, it was because of his gig working security at the World Cup.

Before his latest loss to Sean Spencer, Thiago signed a new four-fight deal with the UFC, but of course, UFC contracts can be ended at any time by the promoter, because they’re not exactly “contracts” in the traditional sense; don’t get me started. Good luck with your next gig, Paulo.


(Paulo Thiago gets cracked by Sean Spencer during their fight in September. / Photo via Getty)

After losing his last three fights — and seven out of his last nine — Brazilian welterweight veteran Paulo Thiago has been released by the UFC. Thiago most recently competed at last month’s UFC Fight Night 51: Bigfoot vs. Arlovski, where he lost a unanimous decision to Sean Spencer on the prelims.

Thiago made his UFC debut in February 2009 as a 10-0 prospect, carrying a rad backstory as a B.O.P.E. supercop. He was immediately thrown to the wolves, drawing Josh Koscheck as his debut opponent at UFC 95. Koscheck was a heavy favorite to beat the unheralded newcomer. Instead, this happened:

Thiago dropped a decision to Jon Fitch in his next outing, but then posted back to back wins against Jacob Volkmann and Mike Swick. Suddenly, Paulo Thiago seemed like a legitimate threat in the welterweight division. Unfortunately, that was essentially his career peak in the UFC. He would never win two consecutive fights again, and the opponents he lost to went from top-of-the-food-chain (Martin Kampmann, Diego Sanchez) to pretty dangerous (Siyar Bahadurzada, Dong Hyun Kim) to downright obscure (Brandon Thatch, Gasan Umalatov). The last time people were talking about Paulo Thiago, it was because of his gig working security at the World Cup.

Before his latest loss to Sean Spencer, Thiago signed a new four-fight deal with the UFC, but of course, UFC contracts can be ended at any time by the promoter, because they’re not exactly “contracts” in the traditional sense; don’t get me started. Good luck with your next gig, Paulo.

TMZ Releases Photos of Joe Riggs’ Gunshot Wound. They’re Extremely Graphic

(via TMZ)

Joe Riggs shot himself in the leg last week? In case you forgot, Riggs was cleaning his gun when it discharged. The gunshot wounded his hand and leg.

TMZ just released pictures of Riggs’ wounded leg, and they’re brutal. We’d make a “that’s even worse than Marvin Eastman’s cut!” joke but this is a pretty serious matter. CagePotato doesn’t like to joke and ball-bust about life threatening things.

A video is embedded above which shows the images and provides footage of Riggs discussing the injury. If you don’t feel like watching that, here are the photos (via TMZ). Be warned, they are EXTREMELY graphic. Don’t look at them if you’re squeamish.


(via TMZ)

Joe Riggs shot himself last week, in case you forgot. Riggs was cleaning his gun when it discharged. The gunshot wounded his hand and leg.

TMZ just released pictures of Riggs’ wounded leg, and they’re brutal. We’d make a “that’s even worse than Marvin Eastman’s cut!” joke but this is a pretty serious matter. CagePotato doesn’t like to joke and ball-bust about life threatening things.

A video is embedded above which shows the images and provides footage of Riggs discussing the injury. If you don’t feel like watching that, here are the photos (via TMZ). Be warned, they are EXTREMELY graphic. Don’t look at them if you’re squeamish.

Nasty. The accident couldn’t have come at a worse time for Riggs. The UFC signed the 31-year-old after he won Bellator’s “Fight Master” reality show. They booked him to face Paulo Thaigo at UFC Fight Night 51, but that obviously won’t happen now. We wish Joe Riggs the best in his recovery.

 

 

Joe Riggs Shoots Himself While Cleaning Gun, Forced Out of UFC Return Against Paulo Thiago


(Nick Diaz described the incident as “not very gangster.” / Photo via Getty)

We’ll start with the good news: Joe Riggs is alive and safe. The bad news is, his unlikely UFC return has been postponed because he accidentally shot himself last night. From UFC.com:

Scheduled to return to the Octagon in Brasilia, Brazil on September 13 against Paulo Thiago, veteran Joe “Diesel” Riggs’s first UFC bout since 2006 has been put on hold after an accident at Riggs’ home in Arizona Monday night.

The UFC released the following statement on the incident.

“We were made aware that newly-signed UFC competitor Joe Riggs was involved in an unfortunate accident last night. While cleaning his permitted firearm (a pistol), the gun discharged, injuring his hand and upper thigh. Riggs was transported to a nearby hospital in Arizona where he is being treated by physicians. We wish Joe a speedy recovery.”

A replacement opponent for Thiago is being sought and will be announced shortly.

Gun accidents claim the lives of hundreds of people every year in this country. We like to bust balls and crack wise on CagePotato, but this is a topic we would never joke about.

[*snort*]

We’ll keep you posted on Joe’s condition as we get more details.


(Nick Diaz described the incident as “not very gangster.” / Photo via Getty)

We’ll start with the good news: Joe Riggs is alive and safe. The bad news is, his unlikely UFC return has been postponed because he accidentally shot himself last night. From UFC.com:

Scheduled to return to the Octagon in Brasilia, Brazil on September 13 against Paulo Thiago, veteran Joe “Diesel” Riggs’s first UFC bout since 2006 has been put on hold after an accident at Riggs’ home in Arizona Monday night.

The UFC released the following statement on the incident.

“We were made aware that newly-signed UFC competitor Joe Riggs was involved in an unfortunate accident last night. While cleaning his permitted firearm (a pistol), the gun discharged, injuring his hand and upper thigh. Riggs was transported to a nearby hospital in Arizona where he is being treated by physicians. We wish Joe a speedy recovery.”

A replacement opponent for Thiago is being sought and will be announced shortly.

Gun accidents claim the lives of hundreds of people every year in this country. We like to bust balls and crack wise on CagePotato, but this is a topic we would never joke about.

[*snort*]

We’ll keep you posted on Joe’s condition as we get more details.

Paulo Thiago vs. Joe Riggs Booked for UFC Fight Night 51 — Yes, *That* Joe Riggs. Seriously.


(Photo via Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com)

Brazilian welterweight Paulo Thiago was slated to face Mike “Biggie” Rhodes in a “win or get fired” fight at UFC Fight Night 51: Bigfoot vs. Arlovski (September 13th; Brasilia, Brazil), but Rhodes has withdrawn from the fight due to injury. Coming in to replace Rhodes against Thiago is…Joe Riggs? Really?

UFC officials confirmed the unexpected booking after an initial report from Combate. Riggs is on a six-fight win streak, most recently out-pointing Mike Bronzoulis at Bellator 106 in November to win the first (and last) season of Fight Master. Riggs hasn’t competed in the Octagon since a 4-4 UFC stint way back in 2004-2006, which ended with a quick ‘n’ gnarly knockout loss to Diego Sanchez at UFC Fight Night 7.


(This is the only theory that makes sense.)


(Photo via Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com)

Brazilian welterweight Paulo Thiago was slated to face Mike “Biggie” Rhodes in a “win or get fired” fight at UFC Fight Night 51: Bigfoot vs. Arlovski (September 13th; Brasilia, Brazil), but Rhodes has withdrawn from the fight due to injury. Coming in to replace Rhodes against Thiago is…Joe Riggs? Really?

UFC officials confirmed the unexpected booking after an initial report from Combate. Riggs is on a six-fight win streak, most recently out-pointing Mike Bronzoulis at Bellator 106 in November to win the first (and last) season of Fight Master. Riggs hasn’t competed in the Octagon since a 4-4 UFC stint way back in 2004-2006, which ended with a quick ‘n’ gnarly knockout loss to Diego Sanchez at UFC Fight Night 7.


(This is the only theory that makes sense.)

Still just 31 years old — he made his pro debut in September 2001, just days after his 19th birthday — Riggs is already a veteran of 55 MMA fights. It’s hard to say how much gas “Diesel” has left in the tank, although it’s good to see him potentially earning some paychecks again, considering that he recently got his ass dug out by the IRS.

Paulo Thiago is desperate for a win these days, having just lost to a non-wiki fighter named Gasan Umalatov at the TUF Brazil 3 Finale, which represented his sixth defeat in his last eight fights. This summer, Thiago helped maintain order at the World Cup in Brazil, and now he has to fight Joe Riggs to save his UFC contract.

It’s a crazy world.