UFC Quick Quote: Efrain Escudero says his Zuffa release 'doesn't make sense'
"It was that Monday after my fight and I came back home from my parent’s and stuff, and first of all I was disappointed in my performance in the fight. I was kind of like sleeping, I had other things in my head instead of worrying about fighting. I’ll give it to (Charles) Oliveira, he capitalized on that little mistake and he came to fight, but I don’t know where I was at. Joe Silva was just like ‘we’re releasing you’ and at first I was like ‘whoa’, I didn’t know what to say, I was speechless. They know what they’re doing and for me it was weird because I don’t have consecutive losses. Yes, I lost to (Evan) Dunham, but Dunham’s one of the top guys right now, and I also lost to Oliveira, which are the only two losses in my whole career. Still to this day, it doesn’t make sense."
Winner of the "Ultimate Fighter" season 8, Efrain Escudero, talks to MMAWeekly.com about his abrupt release from the world's premier MMA promotion after losing to Charles Oliveira at UFC Fight Night 22: "Marquardt vs Palhares". Coming out of his impressive run on the popular reality show, Escudero was thought to be one of the hottest young prospects in the UFC. However, he failed to impress in his five fights with the organization, posting an underwhelming 3-2 record. After coming into the Oliveira fight four pounds overweight (the second time he came in heavy in his UFC career), company President Dana White didn't think Escudero was driven enough to remain employed. He will have to work his way back into the UFC and that starts with a November 19 fight against an unnamed opponent in former WEC featherweight Chance Farrar's Desert Rage promotion. Is he good enough to turn things around and make his way back into White's good graces?
47 comments
|
1 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
it makes plenty of sense bud
not making wieght is one of the most unprofesianal mistakes a fighter can make and you did it twice.
+1
Missing weight more then once should be grounds for going byebye….
"I only want to be known as the best ever. Is that too much to ask?"
-BJ Penn
"I dont know how GSP puts his jeans on with all those people hugging his nuts"... -Dan Hardy
No, that's stupid.
Thiago Alves has missed it plenty of times and he’s still kicking.
If Brock went up and punched Cain right in the face after the fight and didn’t get cut there would be a huge outburst.
The same should of been done for Efrain. At the end of the day UFC isn’t concerned about putting on good fights, they’re about having the big names.
Sonnen and Bisping = Pillow hands. The KO power of a paraplegic.
Jake Shields is the abortion of MMA. GSP would murder that clown.
--I did a lot of talking, but Brock Lesnar didn't back it up for me.--
then why cut a TUF winner? to the average fan, a tuf winner is probably more of a "big name" than jake shields
i think the UFC cares about putting on good fights. efrain wasnt doing that. I cant remember one good efrain fight (where efrain was responsible for it being exciting. the olivera fight was sick, but all because of charles). as for alves missing weight, i think hes only actually missed 2x, and once because of the ankle injury fighting hughes. hes weighed in at 171 multiple times, but thats not technically “missing weigh”. i could be wrong, he might have missed more than 2x, but im too lazy to go looking.
The only place that success comes before work is in the dictionary.
by Andrew Keller on Oct 27, 2010 10:16 AM EDT up reply actions
Alves has only lost to the top 2 guys...
that’s why. He’s not on the same level as Efrain.
An injured Anderson Silva managed to finish a cheating Sonnen who failed his drug test but GSP can't finish a natural WW who isn't a dinosaur and won't take a fight at an above weight class. Let's not kid ourselves about who the real P4P king is!
combination
he looked awful in his last three fights and missed weight in two of them
It is not enough to succeed. Others must fail.
by Jesse Holland on Oct 27, 2010 10:28 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Exactly
and pretty obvious.
Nothing Ever Changes When Nothing Ever Changes
To Be Clear
the “obvious” part was for Efrain, not Jesse
Nothing Ever Changes When Nothing Ever Changes
Awesome Efrain is really going out of his way to make sure
he never comes back. Have a nice career as UFC veteran headliner on battle at the barn shows in the midwest.
Big Nog for Life
Inventor/supporter of "Gleison Tibau to Featherweight" movement.
by NNR (formerly NameNotRequired) on Oct 27, 2010 11:36 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
i missed the dan lauzon fight but i thought the dunham fight was awesome, didnt efrain drop and almost ko evan in first, i could be wrong tho.
SHOGUN SLAYED THE DRAGON! Hell Yeah
by Phenomenal Angel on Oct 27, 2010 12:03 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
i missed the dan lauzon fight but i thought the dunham fight was awesome, didnt efrain drop and almost ko evan in first, i could be wrong tho.
SHOGUN SLAYED THE DRAGON! Hell Yeah
by Phenomenal Angel on Oct 27, 2010 12:03 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
It's more than just that though.
- He missed weight twice with one of those times being a pretty large number.
- He came out of the TUF season and hasn’t been overly impressive for the contract that he received.
- He made a lot of videos and such before his last fight and it made him look like he wasn’t taking it seriously.
I remember reading thoughts by a fighter recently (McCorkle if I recall) where he mentioned that the UFC has begun a new hardline stance on weight cutting as well. If you miss it, you’re gone basically. Perhaps it was everything or perhaps it was just the weight.
Regardless, if he takes things serious he’ll get invited back eventually.
by Empty Thoughts on Oct 27, 2010 12:45 PM EDT up reply actions
I think he has a poor attitiude too...
Usually when guys miss weight they come out with the reasons why (or excuses) but he didnt have anything to say…Was he sick? Was he injured and he couldnt cut properly? That would be comforting to the UFC brass.
Also, his ‘win’ over Danny Lauzon was terrible. Lauzon was reportedly training a few days a week and his training camp was a mess (picking fights with his coaches/bro) …No offense to Lauzon, but all 155ers in the UFC should put him away. It was a poor performance.
agreed
he has to re-dedicate himself
It is not enough to succeed. Others must fail.
by Jesse Holland on Oct 27, 2010 10:28 AM EDT up reply actions
He will refocus and get the work in. Then he'll be back in the UFC
I like bacon...and Rashad Evans is a pussy..It does NOT matter who wins the Brock vs Cain fight because they are simply baby sitting the belt for Junior
As one of the guys that sets the arena up before events.
I agree.
Brock’s wrestling is more overrated than his 280lbs frame and athleticism. Cain would have outwrestled that ass up and down the mats in pure wrestling all day long and you all know it. Sidenote all hail NNR
Cain is w/o a doubt the greatest HW that has ever stepped foot in the ufc! The only belt Brock will ever get back is in the WWE. Hail king cain P4P best on the planet!
lmao Jay
I realize it’s a trendy thiing to hate on Dana White and the UFC, but look at their track record when it comes to letting talent go. If you really sit and think, just off the top of my head, the UFC, esp. DW have a great eye for talent. Who have they released that people thought was crazy and then it proved to ve a good move: Tim Sylvia, AA, Roger Huerta etc. DW has an eye for talent, like him or not, with very few exceptions, when the UFC releases you, u fall off and start losing to lesser competition.
mondaymorningblackbelt.com
"I thought I knew MMA until I met Two_Words"
by kevjack115 on Oct 27, 2010 10:50 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Fedor slayer...better point
I like bacon...and Rashad Evans is a pussy..It does NOT matter who wins the Brock vs Cain fight because they are simply baby sitting the belt for Junior
Werdum, Hendo and Diaz all left of their own accord.
I don’t think Dana ‘dropped’ any of them.
Brock’s wrestling is more overrated than his 280lbs frame and athleticism. Cain would have outwrestled that ass up and down the mats in pure wrestling all day long and you all know it. Sidenote all hail NNR
Cain is w/o a doubt the greatest HW that has ever stepped foot in the ufc! The only belt Brock will ever get back is in the WWE. Hail king cain P4P best on the planet!
Sylvia, AA and Huerta's contracts were up as well.
Daley is the only “name” fighter that had contract termination as far as I can remember, but I am not digging anywhere to remember.
I don’t consider TUF winners after season 4 or 5 to be “name” fighters, yet. They are all prospects and prospects get cut all the time.
Pain Train is a farce
Like Brock Lesnar has no heart
OJR speaks Truth
I think Tim Sylvia still had one more fight left on his contract.
The UFC let him leave since he was making more than he was worth. I won’t look it up either, but I remember hearing that he still had a fight left.
Brock’s wrestling is more overrated than his 280lbs frame and athleticism. Cain would have outwrestled that ass up and down the mats in pure wrestling all day long and you all know it. Sidenote all hail NNR
Cain is w/o a doubt the greatest HW that has ever stepped foot in the ufc! The only belt Brock will ever get back is in the WWE. Hail king cain P4P best on the planet!
that wasn't my point (how many fights left on contract)
point is the UFC didn’t resign them or keep them. So basically you guys are all saying that these geniouses CHOSE to leave the UFC? That may be true, but only because Dana wasn’t willing to pay them what they wanted
mondaymorningblackbelt.com
"I thought I knew MMA until I met Two_Words"
Whose a genious?
Sorry couldn’t resist.
Both Sylvia and AA got amazing offers from Affliction or Elite XC because they were overpaying to get talented names, not talented fighters. I can’t blame either of them for jumping ship. I also agree that DW would not match them, but there was a market for both of them. DW just got outbid
DW now has a history of overpaying fighters based upon name. Look at Tito and Yvel from the last card. Both are WAY overpaid for the quality of performance or position on card. He got burnt by letting Timmay and AA walk, even if the honchos at Elite and Affliction did not know how to promote MMA. Tehy still pulled off some amazing events with really big names.
Pain Train is a farce
Like Brock Lesnar has no heart
OJR speaks Truth
Not asking anyone to kiss my ass
I just don’t get the argument, and don’t understand why some guys (not you ULF) refuse to just agree sometimes.
DW NEVER gets out bid, if he wants a fighter, he gets that fighter. Diaz was on a 3 or 4 fight skid and is the exception to the rule when it comes to Dana’s eye for talent, not to mention that him not “playing the game” is one of the main reasons he wasn’t signed by now.
I called Huerta not being that good when most jumped on his nuts I didn’t see what Yvel got paid, but he’s not a name or very talented. Tito, like to admit it or not, has a big fan base, not to mention those that aren’t fans, want to see him lose. It all comes down to asses in seats
mondaymorningblackbelt.com
"I thought I knew MMA until I met Two_Words"
Agreed (better? ;)), but
Affliction put asses in the seats, just not enough for what they were paying. Hell, their last card was better than almost every UFC PPV since then.
DW never gets outbid, now, for anyone but Fedor. He got outbid on AA and Sylvia at the time, but he hasn’t let it happen since. He learned his lesson. That is why Tito is getting $250k to get his cranium smashed in, DW did not want Coker to get Tito’s, the personality’s, fans. He could care less about Tito, the fighter.
Pain Train is a farce
Like Brock Lesnar has no heart
OJR speaks Truth
I agree and disagree
I don’t think he’s ever been outbid, I think he’s chosen not to match bids, but if he WANTED to, could have signed all aforementioned fighters, key word is if he “WANTED” to.
mondaymorningblackbelt.com
"I thought I knew MMA until I met Two_Words"
If DW wanted Sylvia or AA they’d be fighting in the UFC right now. Hell, Sylvia has publicly said he’s trying to build his name to get back in the UFC. As soon as they left UFC, they had 1-2 fights based on their UFC notoriety and their value has dropped like a rock right next to the quality of their performances.
Tito is a pretty unique situation, although I wouldn’t be surprised if he was going to either be taking a paycut or going on the chopping block after this last fight. Hardly anyone I talked to leading up to this fight gave a damn about Tito, and when his name came up, even the casual fans are just like “aw, man, Tito?”
It’s ironic how much Tito is becoming like Ken Shamrock.
not to mention
Diaz was yrs ago, Hendo lost to Shields so I don’t get why he was brought up, so U guys have Werdum, and I knew thatd be brought up, it’s easier to do that than to say “good poin tkev”
mondaymorningblackbelt.com
"I thought I knew MMA until I met Two_Words"
Why would I kiss your ass when I partially disagree?
It doesn’t matter how long ago Diaz left, he left and did not lose to inferior competition.
Pain Train is a farce
Like Brock Lesnar has no heart
OJR speaks Truth
Good point...
I like bacon...and Rashad Evans is a pussy..It does NOT matter who wins the Brock vs Cain fight because they are simply baby sitting the belt for Junior
I was surprized he got cut as well,
dia mette,
plenty of guys miss wieght and dont get cut, Alves is a good example. Not making wieght cant be a good arguement, causr Dana doesnt cut anyone for that. That said I do agree with you, Making wieght is the most important thing before you fight, if you miss it it shows a lack of work and respect for your sport and you should be dealt with accordingly. Alves is such a bitch, guy missed wieght in what? 3 fights in a row and we all look at him like he is some badass. He is just a punk that cant make wieght because he has know heart, he shouldve been sent packing a long time ago!
Yea prob in the minority but I think they coulda given him one more chance given Alves cant make weight worth shit but ya. Can see both sides of it.
Alves is a top 5 WW. Efrain isn't in the same situation.
Brock’s wrestling is more overrated than his 280lbs frame and athleticism. Cain would have outwrestled that ass up and down the mats in pure wrestling all day long and you all know it. Sidenote all hail NNR
Cain is w/o a doubt the greatest HW that has ever stepped foot in the ufc! The only belt Brock will ever get back is in the WWE. Hail king cain P4P best on the planet!
Agreed
But he still won TUF. You think its cause hes not very marketable? I think thats the fairly obv reason. If say Griffin didnt make weight twice i doubt hed be cut. Or Diego. But ya again with your point maybe they in diff sitchies. Just thought maybe one more chance. But ah well
He was out of shape in the last fight.
Coming in over by four pounds is a lot different than being over by 1. Plus he was exhausted by the second round in his last fight. He is not putting in his time at the gym to be in the UFC. So why keep him if he is not working?
It's all about the entertainment.
just like any other line of work
there are different rules for different people. Then again, tito is a proven draw and Dana said if he had been convicted of hitting Jenna, he’d be fired. Also, he had a “talk” with Brock after the whole coors light tirade. I don’t think anyone is above the law so to speak when it comes to being on Dana’s bad side. Some guys may get a little more leeway, but no one is 100% safe
mondaymorningblackbelt.com
"I thought I knew MMA until I met Two_Words"
Ya
I hear ya. Good point. But hes not the only one in that boat. Not that i care cause im no Escudero fan but just saying.
The more you educate yourself the more you understand where things come from the more obvious things become and you begin to see lies everywhere. You have to know the truth and seek the truth and the truth will set you free.
hencho en jobless-o
I know that doesn’t make sense
Activia; now with bullshitifus ridicularus
by salamagogo on Oct 27, 2010 12:45 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Travis Lutter was the first. Efrain is the second.
Forget it Donny, you're out of your element.
CagesideSeats.com
Follow me on Twitter at GenoMrosko

by 

























