October 12th, 2007 by Jemaleddin Cole

The MMA news is reporting that because Randy “The Natural” Couture can’t have the fight he wants with Fedor Emelianenko in the UFC, he’s not going to fight anyone. Expect future reports indicating that he sucks his thumb, wears diapers, and would like some Wonder Pets DVDs for Christmas.

12 Responses to “Randy Couture to Fans: I Can’t Have My Way, So I’m Taking My Toys and Going Home”

1. I wonder if this means that we’ll be seeing him in the IFL ring. Either way, I could care less. There’s enough talent in the UFC that he won’t be missed as much as he thinks he will.

   And what the hell? I was planning to watch Fight Night tonight. Spike is really screwing me over with this ever-changing schedule!!

   — jerry October 12th, 2007 at 9:51 am #

2. Way to stand up to the man, Randy!

   — CanadiensFan October 12th, 2007 at 10:12 am #

3. I’d like to see Randy fight in M-1, since that’s where Fedor is. And since Bodog seems to be a thinly veiled M-1, I could watch Randy on BodogFight.

   What’s funny is to hear him complain about pay - he might not be getting what he wants, but there isn’t an organization in the world that will pay him more than the UFC was paying.

   — Jemaleddin October 12th, 2007 at 10:55 am #

4. I hope fighters everywhere learn from this.

   — CanadiensFan October 12th, 2007 at 2:09 pm #

5. What would they learn?

   “When negotiations get tough, the tough get going”?

   You’ll have to excuse me, but I’m all hung up on him bitching about money. He’s the one who came out of retirement - he was under no pressure to take a deal he didn’t need, and the contract he signed was for whatever amount of money he thought was fair at the time.

   For him to come back later and say that the $250,000 a fight (without bonuses) he’s been making is too little, and the two guys he’s fought (Tim and Gabriel) made a combined $140K, is pathetic. At Randy’s his last event (UFC 74), GSP made $140K - $70K for fighting and $70 for winning. Randy got $250K just to show up. And he’s pissed? Josh Koschek made $10K! Ryan Jensen got $4K! And he’s whining about half a million dollars this year for 37 minutes work?

   They gave him a sweetheart deal where he got paid big bucks and got a title shot for his first fight back in the octagon. Suddenly his feelings are hurt so he’s gonna quit? Screw him.

   — Jemaleddin October 12th, 2007 at 3:26 pm #

6. Hopefully they’ll learn not to be jerked around by Dana White or the UFC, or any other organization just because the company gets big enough that they can exploit fighters like those you mentioned. 10K? 4K? Please!
   From what I read, money wasn’t a major contributing factor. Randy was looking to keep his career at a high by looking to fight the best. He walked away because that wasn’t going to happen. He holds the title, he’s got a great record, he’s 44 years old, he has a clothing line, Xtreme Couture, gyms all over LA, and his movie career is apparently taking off. 250,000 doesn’t seem to be the motivator and is pretty easy cash in Hollywood. I might have done the same. Watching him win his latest title won a lot of respect from me and this only adds to it as far as I’m concerned.

   — CanadiensFan October 13th, 2007 at 7:42 am #

7. The money wasn’t a big factor in the resignation letter, but in every interview thereafter he complained about it. “Oh Dana told me I was the second highest paid guy, but now I find out I might not be from the rumor mill! Wah, wah, wah!”

   Evidently, there’s also a Yoko factor at work, according to some sources - his new wife motivated him to come out of retirement, get back the belt, and now thinks he should be doing even more.

   — Jemaleddin October 13th, 2007 at 3:11 pm #

8. Thanks for putting the wonder pets theme song into my head. I don’t get it enough as it is.

   — ses5909 October 14th, 2007 at 2:53 am #

9. Well, that is the goal of this blog. It’s sorta my thing.

   — Jemaleddin October 14th, 2007 at 6:21 am #

10. It’s sometimes good to listen to your wife - look at Michael Chiklis. :))

    — CanadiensFan October 14th, 2007 at 11:28 am #

11. What about Michael Chicklis? Did she talk him into doing a horrible job as the Thing?

    — Jemaleddin October 14th, 2007 at 6:13 pm #

12. From the Commish into the darkness to a bad ass on The Shield thanks to the wife suggesting he diet, work out, and shave his head. Revitalized his career! :) (Thing… um… I can’t argue with you there).

    — CanadiensFan October 14th, 2007 at 10:23 pm #