UFC cuts Starnes after disgraceful performance

http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/mma_experts/post/UFC-cuts-Starnes-after-disgraceful-performance?urn=mma,78124

 

Maybe he took a dive?:dunno:

 

for someone who just ran all fight he has some nerve challenging someone else to a fight

::

 

Figured I would post this too...


Canadian fighter Kalib Starnes, vilified by mixed martial arts fans for his inactivity in a bout against Nate Quarry at UFC 83 on the weekend, has asked to be released from his UFC contract.

But the 33-year-old middleweight from Surrey, B.C., declined to discuss what happened in the lopsided fight Saturday night in Montreal or why he wanted out of the UFC, saying he would comment further once his UFC exit paperwork was complete.

"Until that happens, I don't feel comfortable talking any more about it," Starnes told The Canadian Press on Monday from his training base in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

"Personally, I couldn't be happier to be released from my UFC contract," added.

It's a far cry from his bio on the official UFC website (www.ufc.com) which quotes him saying: "It's an honour and pleasure to fight in the UFC."

Starnes denied the UFC had initiated the move, saying he had asked for the divorce papers in a call to UFC matchmaker Joe Silva on Monday morning.

Said UFC president Dana White: "I don't care if Starnes says we cut him, or he asked to be let go - at the end of the day if you're a professional fighter, and you are fighting in the UFC in front of your hometown crowd, you have to show up to fight,"

The Canadian fighter backpeddled like a hockey defenceman en route to losing a unanimous decision, with one judge scoring it a remarkable 30-24 for his opponent. Quarry mocked him late in the bout, miming Starnes' running and holding his hands high in front of his face, which he later said was an invitation for Starnes to hit him.

MMA Internet forums were filled with abuse for Starnes.

"I hope Starnes never fights MMA again. . . . What a gutless display, I was embarrassed watching it," said one post on fightopinion.com

"Starnes should be blacklisted from ever fighting MMA again," wrote another.

"I would have paid an extra $10 for them to not air the Kalib Starnes fight.," a third wrote.

"Starnes stinks," summed up another online critic.

White was dismissive of Starnes at the post-fight news conference in Montreal.

"It takes two guys to fight and Nate's the only one that showed up to fight tonight for that fight," White said.

The soldout Bell Centre crowd chanted "Boring, Boring," and cheered Quarry mimicking Starnes' running. And as they waited for the decision, they cheered Quarry when the American was shown on the big screens and booed Starnes when he came on.

Said Quarry: "I knew the Canadian fans especially, they were going to go for a warrior's heart more than who was just born there. So that's what I brought."

Asked about Quarry's posturing, Starnes said the American came to see him after the fight.

"He came and apologized to me afterwards. I understand what it's like when you become emotional and excited in the ring. I think he was upset that I wasn't standing there exchanging with him more, because he wanted to knock me out. He was disappointed, I think, that he wasn't able to put me away."

Starnes says he did not leave the cage unscathed, pointing to a possible broken bone in his right foot.

"I'm having difficulty getting a hold of the medical claims representative from the UFC to be able to go get my foot X-rayed," he said.

He also cited severe bruising on his left thigh, a black eye, sprained jaw and "some lumps all over my head."

Starnes was operating on the kind of contract often given to alumni of "The Ultimate Fighter" reality TV show. He says the deal guaranteed him three fights a year with the UFC holding an option at the end of each year whether it wanted to continue.

The Canadian fighter (10-4-1 including 2-3 in the UFC) has endured a slew of injuries in recent years including a fractured fibula, broken nose, rib injury, jawbone infection and torn shoulder muscle.

He needed 20 stitches to close a gaping cut on his forehead after a TKO loss lost to Alan (The Talent) Belcher in October at UFC 77. Before that he won a hard-nosed decision over Chris Leben, lost to Yushin Okami and defeated Danny Abbadi in the UFC.

Starnes has fought hurt before. On Season 3 of "The Ultimate Fighter," he competed with a broken leg. He thought he had a deep bone bruise but later found out it was a fractured fibula.

The six-foot-three Starnes is no ordinary fighter. The 185-pounder lists his heroes as Noam Chomsky and Bertrand Russell and talks happily of seeing Japan's cultural heritage in Kyoto during a trip to the Far East.

 

On sherdog they are saying that Starnes fought the way he did in protest. He says the UFC doesn't cover the fighters medical bills and that since it was his last fight under contract he "protested"

Fuck Starnes! I don't care what his excuse was, he should have never fought. I didn't pay to see a foot race.

 

if its true its an honorable thing to protest, the method he chose was fucked though, you shouldnt make a point at the expense of the public who is paying to see you and paying your check

 

It's no surprise that a fighter resorted to this, with the whack pay they are given. This might be the new way that fighters hold out to get more money because you are locked in tight with them UFC contracts.

 

I concur. It's something that more fighters should start protesting, Starnes should have simply found a better way ::

 

He fought under a TUF contract. That sh*t can go on for as long as 8 fights. Most he could do is keep fighting, keep winning most of those, and then wait for a contract renewal where he gets a new UFC contract. Griffin did that.

 

if fighters want better pay and benefits they should all gather and agree together to not fight until they get better shit

shut the entire production down and theyll get what they want

 

There are better ways to protest than taking 150 kicks to the thigh.

 

::

starnes is a modern day martin luther king alright

 

:laughing: :laughing:

 

I call bullshit.

TFK

 

I admire his reason,but he went about it the wrong way unfortunately ::

(Some) Internet fans give fighters shit everytime they demand to get treated and paid like real professional athletes(FEDOR) .I'm rooting for the fighters to take a stand and make a change,fuck the companies.


Anderson Silva promised $70,000 a fight::

 

Silva didn't seem to mind $70,000 a fight when he signed his UFC contract.


TFK

 

He wasn't there best fighter at the time,things have changed now.

 

on the other hand, getting 70K for one nights work aint all that bad ::

we have fuckers working 60 hours a week in this country who dont make that much ::

 

And how much is he paying for training, travelling expenses? And his camp's fees?

 

The Question is, How Much is UFC GENERATING Off of Silva???...Or Better Yet, How Much Did UFC Generate Last Weekend Off of St. Pierre vs. Serra???:dunno: ...

If St. Pierre Walked Home w/$70,000, that's CRIMINAL...

NOBODY Orders UFC or Shows Up to a Venue to Watch Dana White...Shit, NOBODY Tunes In to Watch TUF to See Dana White, Either:: ...

Even YOU have to Admit that UFC Fighters Get ASSRAPED w/NO Vaseline or Condom, TFK...

For as VIOLENT as that Sport is, those Cats DESERVE ALOT more Money...Sure they SIGNED for a Certain Amount, but they had NO Leverage @ that Point...

Why Else Do U Think Silva is even MENTIONING Fighting Roy Jones???...For the MONEY...

REED

 

Is there ANY 60 Hour a Week Job that Compares to even a NON-Title MMA Match???:dunno: ...

When U're a LEGITIMATE MMA PPV Draw, Getting $70,000 for a Nights Work Ain't Shit...


REED

 

Yep...

After All that, REED DOUBTS if Silva Took home 50g's from the 70 he Grossed...

That's CRIMINAL...

REED

 

Ortiz, Couture and Sylvia are the only three 'stars' right now who have spoken up about the UFC's unusual payscale. Several other lower level fighters have also spoken up. The UFC payscale is sh*t. Bottom line.

 

He'll be gone from the UFC within a year. More and more will be leaving.

 

The issue is, the UFC was on life support only 5 years ago. When it blew up exponentially in popularity, nobody knew really how to deal with it. The model they use is still the same.

 

Elite XC and IFL have both recorded tens of millions in losses thus far. The UFC realistically doesn't have competition to be feared at the present time. There's not really anybody who's going to outright 'steal' their talent as Ted Turder did to Vince McMahon during the pro wrestling wars.

 

Well, SOMEBODY's Pockets R Getting FAT...

But NOT the Fighters...


REED

 

I agree with all of that, but nobody is holding a gun to these fighter's heads and forcing them to sign a UFC contract.

Right or wrong, that is the current payscale for MMA fighters.

And if the fighters are OK with it, so am I. Hell, look what the out of control payscales did to boxing. One of the biggest reasons why boxing undercards have been so shitty for the last several years is because the main eventers are getting paid so much, that there isn't money for a good undercard.

And also remember, business is great now. But that's no guarantee that business will be great 5 years from now. Who knows if MMA is gonna be as popular or more popular in 5 years as it is now. Interest could very well cool, and PPV numbers could drop drastically. Look at Pro Wrestling. A few years ago, WWF and WCW were both drawing ratings in the high 5.0's\low 6.0's, and they aired at the same time. WWF's rating when into the 8.0's at times. These days, WWF, airing unopposed, is barely drawing in the 3.0's.

But if the bar is set to pay UFC fighters 10 Million per fight, the bar is set. The fighters aren't gonna want to settle for what's less then the norm, regardless of PPV numbers and ratings being down. That will lead to less money available for undercard fighters, and that leads to shitty cards.

But the bottom line is, if the fighters don't like the money, nobody is forcing them to sign the contract.

TFK

 

To play Devil's Advocate, the people whose pockets are getting fat are the same people whose pockets were getting emptied in a big way when they bought the company.

TFK

 

The people come to see the Main event fighters in boxing just like they do in the UFC. The pay is not out of control in boxing. The fighters make their money based on live gate and PPV buys AKA the draw power.

I don't see how there would be less money for undercards because most undercard fighters make less then 10 g's anyway. Not like they are shelling out millions to put on these so called great U/C's that have been shitty recently anyway.