Signings, exits, returns etc

[Egg Shen]

Nice little UK grab for the PFL:

 

[Egg Shen]

Our boy has a home:

 

[Egg Shen]

Liking this

 

[wandshogun09]

Yeah wasn’t expecting that, to be honest. 

[Carbomb]

Is he the first two-weight champ to become so by dethroning the previous two-weight champ?

[Egg Shen]

No idea. He did attempt to become a 3 weight champion in One, fell short at Heavyweight though.

Outside of Ben Askren (who was a trade) is this the first time the UFC has signed a former One champion?

[Ironic Indie Lad]

11 hours ago, Carbomb said:

Is he the first two-weight champ to become so by dethroning the previous two-weight champ?

Not only did he dethrone the previous double champ in back to back fights, he later lost both his titles in back to back fights against Anatoly Malykhin.

[Carbomb]

1 hour ago, Ironic Indie Lad said:

Not only did he dethrone the previous double champ in back to back fights, he later lost both his titles in back to back fights against Anatoly Malykhin.

Wow, just read Malykhin's wiki, and the fucker is a monster! First ever three-weight champ, and undefeated. Surprised that White hasn't tried to sign him yet.

[wandshogun09]

Dana’s rarely arsed about legit signings now. So many good fighters out there but they’ll usually either throw them a low-ball offer and let them slip away to another promotion, or they’ll try to make them go through DWCS for a poverty contract at the end of it, or they just won’t show any interest at all. You’ll get the odd good signing but on the whole, I don’t think there’s ever been a time when the UFC have seemed less bothered about snapping up top talent than they are now. Even the recent Kai Asakura signing (and where is he by the way?) and this De Ridder one feel like they’re coming slightly late. 

Edited September 25, 2024 by wandshogun09

[Carbomb]

Smacks of general complacency born from their global brand recognition. They're behaving like WWF/E. Maddening to think people's careers are at the mercy of these cunts.

I hope the PFL takes full advantage of this and makes up at least some of the ground on them. They need shaking out of their near-monopoly.

[wandshogun09]

Well PFL managed to cling onto Cedric Doumbe when he nearly wound up in the UFC last year. So that was good for them as he’s one of the bigger, more marketable stars outside the UFC these days. Years ago I don’t think the UFC would’ve let that happen considering Doumbe was so close to be locked in he was already being reported as booked on the Paris card at the time. Like you say though, they’re so complacent/arrogant now they don’t seem to care. 

[Carbomb]

One thing that's encouraging is that they've appointed Jake Paul as Head of Fighter Advocacy. Whatever one thinks of him, he seems to be taking this issue very seriously, and someone with his level of exposure and profile doing this is only going to be a good move for them in terms of chipping away at the UFC's monolithic presence.

[wandshogun09]

They’re not fucking about…

 

[Egg Shen]

£1 on Gerald.

[Egg Shen]

Cowboy Cerrone coming back for 2 more fights. I aint so sure about that hair.