Each month, several UFCmania readers either send me emails or leave comments, wanting to know the reason former UFC middleweight fighter Matt Lindland was released from his contract in 2005.
InsideFighthing.com has one side — the "official" reason, anyway — included in an article on "The Law" today.
Here it is:
"Lindland and the UFC's executives had a well publicized falling out in the lead-up to UFC 54, where he would go on to decision win over Joe Doerksen. During the weigh-in, Lindland wore a shirt that included the logo of one of his sponsors, Sportsbook.com. The UFC determined that he had violated the organization's policy against wearing clothing with the online gambling sponsor's emblem."
Yeah, rather ridiculous.
That's why most think that it was just an excuse to mask the real reason the UFC fired one of its most talented fighters:
The UFC brass didn't want Lindland — a stinky, not-so charismatic and rather unexciting fighter at the time — to potentially beat its rising and incredibly marketable poster boy, former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin.
Take both theories for what their worth and draw your own conclusions.
I'll hold onto my own ... all I have to say is karma sucks.
Get the latest gear
