Rich Clementi and Luigi Fioravanti released from UFC contracts

by MMAmania.com on Feb 10, 2009 12:24 AM EST

Octagon veterans Rich Clementi and Luigi Fioravanti have been released from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), following their most recent losses at UFC Fight Night 17: "Lauzon vs. Stephens" at the University of South Florida (USF) Sun Dome in Tampa, Fla., on Feb. 7, according to FiveOuncesOfPain.com.

"No Love" is perhaps the biggest surprise -- he was on a six-fight win streak before losing back-to-back bouts. Two of those six matches, however, were for other promotions. Even still, he was a 10-fight UFC veteran and former contestant on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 4.

This is actually the third time the Louisiana native has parted ways with the organization, which is perhaps the silver lining when all is said and done. He is talented and experienced enough to make another return. And he is known for taking fights on short notice when called upon.

Clementi racked up notable wins against nemesis Melvin Guillard, Sam Stout and Anthony Johnson, among others, in his most recent stint with the promotion. Gray Maynard, Roan Carneiro and, most recently Gleison Tibau, are the key losses during that same span.

Luigi Fioravanti -- a former middleweight who made the trip south to 170 pounds -- was taken out by Johnson in the first round at UFC Fight Night 17. He was looking to string together two straight victories after outpointing Brodie Farber at UFC Fight Night 16: "Fight for the Troops" back in December.

Unfortunately for him, it didn't happen.

The heavy-handed American Top Team (ATT)-trained fighter split his last four appearances inside the Octagon, losing to Diego Sanchez via technical knockout at TUF 7 Finale in June 2008 and besting Luke Cummo by decision earlier that same year.

Fioravanti, too, had previously been released from a UFC contract like Clementi back in June 2007.

Hopefully, the pair can keep busy outside the promotion and work their way back to the eight-sided cage. There's also a certain promotion on the West Coast, Strikeforce, making big waves and is currently looking to hire.

Either way, best of luck to both of them moving forward.

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Comments

anthony jonhson is gonna kick a lot of people out of the ufc.

by TRIKZ on Feb 10, 2009 12:29 AM EST reply actions

i will never respect a guy that walks around at 205 and fights at 170

by Thebending on Feb 10, 2009 5:01 AM EST up reply actions

why if you can make that big of a cut its your advantage.

by Jared on Feb 10, 2009 7:36 AM EST up reply actions

luigi i can see but if u cut no love then i got 5 more names u can cut.
starting with lay n pray fighters

by Mikeybear2009 on Feb 10, 2009 9:15 AM EST up reply actions

Also cut were:
Eddie Sanchez
Christian Wellish

by john on Feb 10, 2009 11:29 AM EST up reply actions

Nick Diaz vs. Frank Shamrock set for Strikeforce in April

by JRE on Feb 10, 2009 11:38 AM EST up reply actions

anthony johnson walks around a 205?? thats an impressive cut.

by ruan-fiy on Feb 10, 2009 7:51 AM EST up reply actions

…but 2-3 Houston Alexander gets to stay.

by El Mexicutioner, formerly The Mexicutioner on Feb 10, 2009 12:30 AM EST reply actions

even though Houston is one dimentional he does draw a crowd..the ufc sees that and they know hes a keeper …for now.
plus his knockouts are pretty devestating

by HamiltonKC on Feb 10, 2009 12:57 AM EST up reply actions

yah, his knockout also against sandman draws the fastest ko in history…lol

by gaara on Feb 10, 2009 2:31 AM EST up reply actions

Yeah, after 3 straight losses I doubt people will be buying tickets based on weather or not Houston Alexander is going to be on the card, unless the UFC plans on having a ton of shows in North Omaha.

by El Mexicutioner, formerly The Mexicutioner on Feb 10, 2009 9:06 AM EST up reply actions

and that’s why they’re gonna make him win again..

by RoB on Feb 10, 2009 10:33 AM EST up reply actions

Enough with mma is fixed shit

by mike22 on Feb 10, 2009 3:29 PM EST up reply actions

Clementi, I thought would be a good gate keeper for the division.

by matthew on Feb 10, 2009 12:31 AM EST reply actions

Should have Danzig vs Clementi. Loser leaves town.

by Synyster [[2009 Year of Gegard Mousasi]] on Feb 10, 2009 8:33 AM EST up reply actions

If this were a pure sport and all that mattered were talent, then clementi would never be cut from the UFC…but so many other things factor into it so Clementi had to go! He really has NEVER had a fan base…

I am really disappointed that Luigi got cut! Win or lose, the guy is always in an exciting fight! I loved his fight against Diego and although he got dominated…it takes 2 fighters to have an exciting fight and Luigi did his part! I also think he was improving. I dont get this move at all.

Its not like either fighters was making a lot of money…I dont like it at all!

by john on Feb 10, 2009 11:00 AM EST up reply actions

2-3 in the UFC*

by El Mexicutioner, formerly The Mexicutioner on Feb 10, 2009 12:36 AM EST reply actions

damn thats sucks especially since the ufc is supposed to come here to louisiana …i hope to see rich back in there

by tuffguy01 on Feb 10, 2009 12:43 AM EST reply actions

theres no doubt that the ufc will bring him back…another guy getting screwed because of the monopoly strangle hold they have with the fighters and there contracts…like every ppv sombody is gonna get hurt and Rich will come in as a last minute replacement for probally half the money from his terminated contract…at least if the fighters had a union they would have a buyout or some sort of severance package for the fighters…

by jintao on Feb 10, 2009 12:58 AM EST reply actions

yep yep

by brendan on Feb 10, 2009 2:13 AM EST up reply actions

Not necessarily. The NFL has a players union and there’s often no buyouts or severance packages when players get cut. That’s why the real important thing for NFL players is what they earn in a signing bonus and have guaranteed. Either way, the UFC knows that eventually they will have a fighters union form which will equalize some of the revenue, it happens in all sports.

by GregC on Feb 10, 2009 3:17 AM EST up reply actions

GregC…I beleive u are correct with the nfl…the nfl is the only unionized pro sport that does not have guaranteed contracts. Although the nba and also the nhl do. Depending on individuals contracts in the nba, they can and cannot be guarenteed, however in the nhl all contracts are guarenteed, unless the player has signed a two way contract being: if he is sent to the minors he is paid minor league salary.

by jintao on Feb 10, 2009 4:32 AM EST up reply actions

NFL, NBA and NHL is not sports.. there are other Hockey leagues in the world like Russia where you can make good money

by RoB on Feb 10, 2009 10:36 AM EST up reply actions

You’re right Rob, but given that the UFC is based in the US, it makes more sense to compare them to other professional sports based out of the US. Disagree?

by GregC on Feb 10, 2009 1:56 PM EST up reply actions

this is exactly how the nhl was run before they brought in the union…..

by jintao on Feb 10, 2009 12:59 AM EST reply actions

Rich will be a good attraction for Strickforce for sure

by HamiltonKC on Feb 10, 2009 1:00 AM EST reply actions

Damn i’m actually bummed out for Rich. He was a great fighter on a roll and now this? 2 losses for him which were to much bigger guys got him cut. He was doing great before these two.

And Luigi was having a tough time with all the welterweights. I really think that would have stayed the case, although i loved always watching him fight.

by Chris on Feb 10, 2009 1:02 AM EST reply actions

I think luigi should try and drop to lightweight..
Rich i think eventually will be back.. If he doesnt sign with strikeforce..

by mike22 on Feb 10, 2009 1:07 AM EST reply actions

yea, he’s not toned at all.

by c-war on Feb 10, 2009 2:46 AM EST up reply actions

Luigi was def. a crowd favorite, I mean in this day in age with the war over in Iraq, how could you root against a former marine who did serve in Iraq. He may not have been the greatest fighter but I did like watching him

by Kibs on Feb 10, 2009 1:08 AM EST reply actions

when did the war in Iraq end Kibs?

by jintao on Feb 10, 2009 1:14 AM EST reply actions

I didnt mean over as in ended, I meant like “over there in Iraq” my fault

by Kibs on Feb 10, 2009 1:50 AM EST up reply actions

Ouch, No Love moniker holds true. He got dominated but happens to a lot of good fighters…it is a crowded division though.

by scissorfight on Feb 10, 2009 1:56 AM EST reply actions

that’s a bummer cuz both of those these guys are pretty entertaining to watch

by ShitleTot on Feb 10, 2009 2:46 AM EST reply actions

Harsh on Clementi IMO. He was never gonna challenge for a title but was a decent fighter, and there are a few i thought they would have cut before him. Is a packed division though with a lot of guys fighting on roughly the same level (if that makes sense).

by UKMMA on Feb 10, 2009 4:29 AM EST reply actions

It may appear a harsh decision with these two, however, at the end of the day they were never going to challenge for the title. No Love is but past his prime, Luigi never really got going. I hope to see the marine back in the cage, however, I think no love is gone.

by DownUnder on Feb 10, 2009 5:17 AM EST reply actions

Stephan Bonnar, Chris Leben, Matt Hughes, Matt Hammill, Rich Franklin, etc…..I could go on all day naming people that will never challenge for a title. That’s a lame argument. If you cut people based on who you think will never challenge, there’d be nobody left. Hell, why does the NFL even have a regular season?….they should just go straight to the playoffs.

by introvert on Feb 10, 2009 9:26 AM EST up reply actions

Are you saying that in the NFL you can just go straight to the playoffs because you already know who’s going to be playing? That’s just not true at all. The Cardinals, Falcons, Eagles, Dolphins and Vikings were far from locks to make the playoffs, and how many people thought the Cowboys and Patriots wouldn’t be there? Poor comparison.

by GregC on Feb 10, 2009 2:02 PM EST up reply actions

So this is the thanks Clementi gets after stepping up on short notice to help the ufc out on 2-3 occasions, and before these 2 losses he was on a SIX win winstreak..

by Lester the Pimp on Feb 10, 2009 6:50 AM EST reply actions

Yeah, and after all the BS Guillard has pulled, he is still set to fight at UFN 18.

by El Mexicutioner, formerly The Mexicutioner on Feb 10, 2009 9:18 AM EST up reply actions

Good point Lester. I don’t like the cut myself either.

by LJ on Feb 10, 2009 6:17 PM EST up reply actions

I can see Luigi, but Clementi? WTF? The f#cking guy was always stepping up on short notice to fill in for an injured fighter….always BIG, BIG, BIG props for a guy who does that. Another cut-throat move by the UFC. I’m just waiting for Fitch to lose 1 fight….he’ll get cut too….you watch.

by introvert on Feb 10, 2009 9:22 AM EST reply actions

I almost see this as a good thing for Clementi. If the UFC knows that they’re not going to use him for quite a while, this at least allows him to look for fights elsewhere. He’s not making any money sitting on the sidelines in the UFC, locked in by whatever contract he had signed.

by jr on Feb 10, 2009 10:37 AM EST reply actions

the UFC is a piece of shit stinking company.. Dana White is laughing all the way to the bank, while he’s using these guys..

by RoB on Feb 10, 2009 10:39 AM EST reply actions

Clementi is a bum, Im surprized he lasted this long.

by Spyder on Feb 10, 2009 1:36 PM EST reply actions

lol.. your f’n crazy, that guy has alot of talent and although he lost that fight last week, he showed some awesome defense from his back. he got out of a full mount like 3 times.. i found that fight to be a real good show of jsut how good a defense he has on the ground. yes he got caught in a choke but these things happen.155lb does have alot of talent but i would agree that Rich needs to be the gate keeper for this divison. he has great all round skills in striking and ground. its sad his fan base isnt as high as it should be. and its a shame he is gone. I hope he goes to WEC or Strikeforce.

by Salatious on Feb 10, 2009 3:03 PM EST up reply actions

He also lost his fight before that.

by the spyder on Feb 10, 2009 4:53 PM EST up reply actions

i also dont agree with rich getting cut. maybe we dont know the full story. but he wasnt making that much a fight and before his gray manard loss he was gunning for a title shot.

by COR on Feb 10, 2009 3:22 PM EST reply actions

I completely don’t agree with Rich getting cut. If they were going to cut Rich, might as well cut Karo. Atleast rich doesn’t say bro in every sentence and use excuses..

by mhk on Feb 10, 2009 5:20 PM EST reply actions