Couture Turns Down Title Bout, Mends Relationship With The UFC
UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture has declined a title bout against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and will now likely be stripped of his title. Despite declining the match Couture sounded optimistic about continuing a relationship with the UFC in an interview with MMA Weekly:
“We’ve cleared the air, and hopefully we’ll move forward with some sort of relationship. I’ve got a lot of fighters and a lot of things that hinge around mixed martial arts and the UFC as well. I want to continue to work with them and I think that they want to continue to work with me, so we’ll figure out how that happens.”
The 5-time UFC champ also addressed his future and rumors of a bout against top-ranked heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko:
“Obviously I have a contractual obligation with the UFC. There’s been some haggling and things going on with all that, and Fedor signing with M-1 made the possibility of that fight very difficult because of that and because of those contracts.
I think more than anything at this stage of things I want to slow down a little bit. I’ve been burning it for three or four years now … I want to take some time and go on a vacation, spend some time with my wife. We’ve been married a year now and we’ve been together very, very little in that year; it’s been crazy. It’s been difficult on us. I’ve got a nice house and I don’t even get to spend any time in it hardly, so take a little time now and just smell the roses so to speak.”
At least he has admitted that he has a contractual obligation…
It’s too bad though that Couture has to be stripped of his title. That kind of takes away a little bit to the legitimacy of the next champion.
I wish we could have had a dream match up of Arlovski vs. Couture: that fight if it ever happens would be absolutely amazing!!!!
Too bad Randy didn’t ask for a new contract that included a wrestling match with Dana.
Arlovski vs Couture a dream match… Uh no we’ve all seen how Randy takes care of guys with “destructive” stand up. Tim Sylvia for all his doofiness has a good sprawl could he stop Randys takedown? Gonzaga world class jui jitsu good grappling skills he couldnt stop Randys takedown. Chuck Liddel hes got one of the best sprawls in the game he couldnt stop Randy that first fight. The only reason Randy couldnt get him down in there 2nd and 3rd fight was because Chuck didnt let Randy get within an arms reach. Thats the only hope a striker has against Randy is to not let him get anywhere close and peck away from the outside and wait for a mistake. I think Arlovski would just be another head on Randys mantle. The Nogueira fight in my opinion is the most exciting matchup. Nogueira has a solid chin and great grappling ability. Although after Nogueiras last fight I dont think he deserves to even have a fight in the UFC he is the most exciting matchup.
Randy Couture and Dana White hmmm.. seriously Nogueira and Randy might well have been a decent fight however, Randy is right, he needs a vacation, what good do all the wins he has earned, the belts etc, if in the end he never gets to enjoy the fruits of his labors. Sure He loves to compete, but on the other end of those wins is the abuse his aging body is suffering without the needed respite and enjoyment of Life …..well take a long vacation Randy if any fighter has earned one it is you.
I am 65 years old, and do not promote fights/fighters anymore, but I can tell you there is a reason for having a retirement life and that is so whatever is left of your skills and ability to defend yourself you might just need it somewhere down the long road to life after MMA competition, and all of the hoopla and the more recent winners as the Fight promoters leave you and your record in the dust in search for new talent. Why not go out shakin’ the dust off your own shorts?
Nuff said!
Doc’ Davi-Manchaca
Randy Vs. Arlovski? Not even close to a dream match. That match is more of a day dream match. If Randy wants to enjoy his nice house and his wife, why did he come back? He was already retired, he should of enjoyed it then. He has an obligation to the UFC, his fans, and to the title. If he anyone wants to claim to be a champ then they should prove it. I love Randy and respect what he has done, he has inspired me to not give up, regardless of my age.
I think its petty for him to be arguing about his contract now, if hes complaining now about it, why did he sign it then? Did he read it or just sign it? To me it sounds like hes avoiding dangerous fights in the UFC in order to keep his status and get a HUGE pay day with Fedor. If he loses, a fight with Fedor may not happen. Just like the fight with Chucky and Wandi, which would of been bigger and a main event had both of them been on top with their titles.
Randy Vs Fedor? Randy hands down. Fedors great but hes not on Randys level.
I agree with oscar and want to see Randy keep his end of the deal and finish his contract. It is not right to his fans that he takes off at the best moments in his ufc carrer. He has an obligation to defend the title and fight two more fights. The Fedor fight may never come around and the Gonzaga fight left me wanting more.
I don’t care what that man does, he has nothing left to prove, don’t get me wrong, I wish I could go to vegas again and watch him fight but the guy has done enough, and you watch, just when we least expect it, him and fedor will announce something. Those two will fight someday. As for Fedor, he might as well carry a purse if all hes gonna do is dodge the best, because where he is going to fight, there ain’t crap, he might as well go wrestle for vince mcmahon for the amount of respect his future fights are going to bring him.
i think the way randy feels is if he cant have fedor then theres nothing left to prove.i dont think we will see him again in ufc unless by some miracle they can sort something out with fedor.its a shame the title cant be won or lost in the ring but if they have to strip him then strip him.
[...] yesterday’s news that Randy Couture has declined a title bout against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira into account it would appear extremely likely that Sylvia will [...]
Arlovski vs. Couture a dream Match… hahhahahaha.
Anyways, I hope that Couture gets a match against Fedor next fall when his UFC contract expires.
Randy may not have anything to prove in the UFC, win or lose hes done enough to prove himself as one of the greats. He just shouldnt of signed his contract. He made a deal, and as a man he should keep it!!!
Pride had a great method and TUF copied it with sucess, a tournament for the title.
Arlovski, Nogueria, Kongo, Cro Cop, Sylvia,Vera, Maybe Mir or Brock, Gonzaga should fight each other to determine a champ.
This would be a great first round to watch. But only in my dreams.
R.I.P Pride Bushido……
If Liddell and Silva were 65 and the fight was finally happening…I’d still watch it….if they were in Depends, crapping themselves….I’d want to see it. It is no less exciting…both guys have to win…both guys have lost their last two fights…this one makes them a 3 in a row loser. If Couture finally get’s a fight with Fedor in 20 years…I will be paying to see it.