Jon Fitch Cut By UFC

[Marquis]

Jon Fitch, who went five rounds with UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre in August, received notice Wednesday that he had been released from the UFC.

MMAMania.com was the first to report Fitch’s dismissal. A source close to the situation told Sherdog.com that Fitch had refused to sign an agreement that would have relinquished his likeness rights for video games.

Christian Wellisch, an American Kickboxing Academy teammate of Fitch, was also released. The source suggested that other AKA fighters could be cut if they lose their next bouts.

Fitch had won eight straight fights before dropping a gutsy decision to St. Pierre. His undefeated run tied Royce Gracie’s for the most consecutive wins in the UFC.

Jeff Sherwood contributed to this report.

Words cant even describe how fuckin pissed i am to read this. Wtf has this become Pro Wrestling? Where your fuckin company owns all rights to you? These are people not Characters. I am still in shock about this. I really can't believe the UFC would cut him just for something like this. It gets worse there are rumors going around since Koscheck and a few other fighters did not sign they will also be cut. Now no offense to the other fighters but Koscheck and Fitch getting cut? This is fuckin insanity. There o so deep WW division wont be so deep anymore. Fitch has me pissed enough but the thought of Koscheck possibly getting cut gets me even more pissed since I am a huge Koscheck fan.

You know you read alot of shit how these fighters are underpaid or how the UFC management is horrible and that the fighters need to a form a union. Now i agree more then ever these fighters need a union. This is getting out of hand. The ranked #3 and #4 best WW in the world getting cut should be the final straw. This is basically saying they are not afraid to cut anyone if needed to except maybe the big boys. These fighters need to stand up and form a union with some of the top players like GSP,BJ,Forest,etc or else who knows who elses job is in jeopardy next.

 

[CCS]

This is possibly the dumbest thing the UFC has EVER done. releasing a fighter just because he wont sign a LIFETIME videogame contract is IGNORANT. Jon Fitch is one of the best Welterweight fighters alive right now and he didnt deserve to be released. Now their's a rumor that Josh Koscheck and Cain Velasquez could be next on the chopping block. If they release those two fighters they're ignorant. Both of them have a great future in the buisness and could be future champions in the sport. I hope Affliction seizes the opportunity to sign these fighters and builds up a good welterweight division. That would show UFC that they arent the only MMA promoters in the world thats worth fighting for.

 

[Kasey]

All the AKA fighters have signed new agreements. Good for Bob Cook and Fitch for fighting this thing like two rational adults. Oh, Dana, you overgrown fifth-grader way to continually support the notion of a fighter's union, dumbass. Yet again, another relationship (as with Tito Ortiz) that Lorenzo had to come patch up because you can't bite your tongue like any self-respecting businessman. Even Vince McMahon isn't that stupid. What's the lesson, here? Simple. Don't guarantee EVERY UFC fighter's name and likeness to the game publisher (THQ) when you don't have EVERY UFC fighter's name and likeness.