Report: Couture leaves UFC

[Tha_Wood]

Breaking News: UFC Champion Quits

At the height of its power and popularity, the Ultimate Fighting Championship today lost the man many recognize as the face of mixed martial arts. UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture announced his resignation from the Las Vegas-based promotion, leaving two contracted fights, his job as an on-air analyst and his heavyweight crown on the table.

In South Africa shooting scenes for his lead role in the upcoming feature film “The Scorpion King – Rise of the Akkadian,” Couture made the announcement official in a letter to UFC president Dana White. The UFC’s inability to land PRIDE heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko played a prominent role in the decision to walk away, according to Couture.

“I appreciate this opportunity the sport of MMA and the UFC has given me,” the UFC Hall-of-Famer said. “However, I’m tired of swimming upstream at this stage with the management of the UFC. It only makes sense at this point in my career to fight Fedor Emelianenko, and since he’s now signed with another organization, I feel like it’s time to resign and focus on my other endeavors.”

24wrestling.com

 

[Glockmatic]

I just read this too. Fedor signed with M-1, a Russian MMA organization, man if Fedor signed with UFC he would get so much more exposure. I guess M-1 just payed a lot more for him.

 

[WayCide-Ridah]

i heard fedor wouldn't sign with ufc cuz they wouldn't let him do sambo tournaments when he wanted to with the russian nationals.

 

[Get In The Van I Have Candy]

Wow, this is shocking considering he is the face of UFC with Chuck Lidel falling off recently. I guess he wants to start with a new direction in movies, hopefully he did not burn any bridges with UFC because being in movies does not mean you will be guaranteed any job offers.

 

[SicC]

The Ultimate Fighting Championship appears to have lost its ultimate fighter.

Randy Couture, UFC's reigning heavyweight champ, has resigned the promotion, according to a report from The Fight Network.

Couture leaves UFC with two fights already contracted, the report said, abandoning his on-air analyst job, as well.

According to the report, Couture notified UFC president Dana White with a letter written from the South Africa set of the movie "The Scorpion King — Rise of the Akkadian," which will feature Couture.

The Fight Network reported one of the major factors in Couture's decision was the fact that UFC was unable to sign PRIDE heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko.

"I appreciate this opportunity the sport of MMA and the UFC has given me," Couture said, according to the report said. "However, I'm tired of swimming upstream at this stage with the management of the UFC. It only makes sense at this point in my career to fight Fedor Emelianenko, and since he's now signed with another organization, I feel like it's time to resign and focus on my other endeavors."

In a release from the UFC, White said Couture's retirement was not shocking.

I'm not surprised at all by Randy's decision," White said in the statement. "I talked to Randy several weeks ago and he said that if he couldn't fight Fedor, then he has nothing left to prove in the sport of mixed martial arts.

"He has been doing a lot of acting, and I know he is in South Africa right now filming a movie. I think it's a great move for Randy's acting career to retire from fighting while he is on top.

"As we all know, Randy retired before. The landscape in MMA changes every day. So when he is ready to come out of retirement again, he is still under contract with me, and I'm ready to promote him."

A former All-American wrestler at Oklahoma State, Couture captured the UFC's heavyweight title for the first time in 1998. Over his 10-year career in the UFC, he won the heavyweight belt three times, the light heavyweight belt twice and an interim light heavyweight title. He leaves with a record of 16-8 for his career.