Poor Ricco Rodriguez: Former Champion Battling Weight in Israel
by Jonathan Snowden on Nov 9, 2010 12:50 PM EST
in MMA Editorial
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Whispers were in the wind that former UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez was on the fast track back to the Octagon. But after failing to make weight for today's fight in Israel, failing by a whopping ten pounds, it's safe to say the Ricco Rodriguez train has once again been derailed.
A gifted grappler, Rodriguez had seen his life fall apart, a victim of the fast life, overeating, and a general lack of giving a crap. Once a plump 300-plus pounds, Rodriguez was attempting to reinvent himself as a light heavyweight. Riding a nine fight win streak, the future looked bright for the former champ who, seven years removed from his title loss, is still just 33 years old.
The real victim in all this, according to ESPN's Jake Rossen isn't the perpetually troubled Rodriguez. It's his opponent Daniel Tabera a professional who met his obligations and will now have to fight a heavyweight instead of a fighter at 205 pounds:
Rodriguez came in heavy, paid his opponent 20 percent of his purse and apologized. Great, right? But no amount of money or kind words is going to substitute for the fact that Dan Tabera now has to deal with a guy who seemingly didn't put in quite the same effort to make weight as he did. A similar incident happened several weeks ago, when Murilo Rua took a catchweight fight against a guy who showed up heavy. It's a predatory thing to do: No fighter wants to waste time and training, so they're likely to accept the fight anyway. Rua did, and lost.
Making weight is one of the responsibilities of a professional fighter. Eleven years and 55 fights into his career, Rodriguez knows this. Now even if he manages to beat Tabera, a tough Spanish fighter, there will be a pall over the victory. Taber, the sport, promoters, and the fans deserve better. Rodriguez deserves better too. It's time for the former champion to reinvent himself yet again - this time as a lithe and in shape heavyweight looking to take it to the big boys in the division. There is a future for Ricco Rodriguez in MMA. It's just not in the light heavyweight division.
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god dammit ricco
"I have smoked weed with alot of UFC champions" - Joe Rogan
aggravating
Ricco is one of those guys who could have been talked about as one of the best heavyweights ever, but he just didn’t (doesn’t?) have the discipline to realize his potential. Disappointing, to say the least.
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So missing weight on his first attempt means he’ll never make it to LHW and will never have a future there?
If he shows up around 215, it might be easier for him to fight at 265 in the future.
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by Monday Morning Martial Artist on Nov 9, 2010 1:21 PM EST up reply actions
Basically, yeah. He was apparently drained at 215 too. Who in their right mind would take a fight with him at 205?
T. Alves has missed weight multiple times and he has been a WW for some time but fighters keep taking WW fights with him.
Alves never missed by 10 pounds. I can’t think of anybody off-hand who missed weight by 10 pounds. It shows how wildly unprofessional it is on his part.
And maybe relative unknowns will fight him, but anybody with something to lose stands to be much less willing. As it is in his lat fight Alves faced heavy criticism from Dana White for missing by a half-pound and he was the number three ranked welterweight.
I could have phrased it better, but I don’t think anybody with real standing in the division is going to want to take a fight with him at light-heavy, promoters included. That makes it really hard for him to climb up to more legit opposition.
Sure it is unprofessional, but it isn’t some career ending episode the article makes it out to be.
Rumble Johnson missed by 7 lbs and is still gainfully employed.
And I still disagree about him getting fights. I think he could go out tomorrow and get a deal with Dream to face Mousasi, Filho, etc
I also think Strikeforce would put him in the mix with Lawal, Hendo, Feijao, Sobral etc.
It’s like you’re arguing against some article on another site.
by Jonathan Snowden on Nov 9, 2010 2:10 PM EST up reply actions
it isn’t some career ending episode the article makes it out to be.
There is a future for Ricco Rodriguez in MMA
It really doesn’t seem like it is. Strikeforce, Dream, they don’t appear in this article. Howling at the moon…..
by Jonathan Snowden on Nov 9, 2010 2:18 PM EST up reply actions
You gotta quote the last sentence too.
There is a future for Ricco Rodriguez in MMA. It’s just not in the light heavyweight division.
My first comment was about him not having a future at 205 after one missed weight. (an unsubstantiated claim) TLow took it down the road that no one in their right mind would fight him at 205.
I think if Ricco wants to fight at 205 he still can. Is goal of 205 isn’t over after one missed cut (his first time as far as I know). TLow took the side that no one that matters would ever want to fight him at 205. I disagreed, and I feel he could get a contract at 205 with a number of organization tomorrow.
I’m howling away, but thanks for following the whole conversation.
it isn’t some career ending episode the article makes it out to be.
My first comment was about him not having a future at 205 after one missed weight. (an unsubstantiated claim)
By the way, how do you “substantiate” something that will happen in the future if it happens at all. I was told this will hurt his chances at making a return to the UFC. If you don’t believe that, well, OK.
by Jonathan Snowden on Nov 9, 2010 2:36 PM EST up reply actions
Then don’t make the claim. Making a return the the UFC and having a future at 205 are two totally separate things. You said he has a future, but not at 205. How do you know he doesn’t have a future at 205? You should have just ended it with “This could hurt his chances at making it back to the UFC” that isn’t how you ended it, so I never tried to argue that point.
It’s my opinion. That’s what an editorial is. It’s definitional. I don’t believe he has a successful future as a LHW.
by Jonathan Snowden on Nov 9, 2010 3:57 PM EST up reply actions
Just about any fighter wanting a pay day and to make a name for themselves by beating a former UFC champ…
by swells2048 on Nov 9, 2010 1:29 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Plus, you get a fifth of what Ricco would make. There are worse ways to get paid.
by Tedd Welch on Nov 9, 2010 1:42 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
If Ricco wins
convincingly all the weight stuff will be forgotten for the most part.
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by Chris Barton on Nov 9, 2010 1:21 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
shitty situation for both fighters
but to suggest it is a “predatory” thing to do, is frivolous.
Nobody goes through the humiliation of not making weight to get an advance over his opponent, this is probably the dumbest thing I have read on the internets in a while.
..!..
you didn't get Rossen's point at all
he said it’s predatory for the fighter who made weight to accept a catch-weight bout.
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A similar incident happened several weeks ago, when Murilo Rua took a catchweight fight against a guy who showed up heavy. It’s a predatory thing to do: No fighter wants to waste time and training, so they’re likely to accept the fight anyway. Rua did, and lost.
Rossen is referring to the heavier fighter being predatory. The heavier fighter didn’t have to cut weight so he will be heavier and fresher than his opponent who had to cut, which gives the fighter that did not cut the advantage. Explaining that’s why murilo lost.
Oh and , I hate Rossen’s articles! He is always throwing in his lame biased views.
Bigger punishment
so it seems that the 20% purse loss isn’t enough punishment to make weight. if it really is a predatory practice to come in over weight then increasing the purse loss would make it no longer worth while.
to add to the Rua comment
No only was the dude way bigger, He got wrecked by an illegal knee that the ref didnt call. Ninja didnt even know where he was. Prior it was pretty even with Ninja dealing with the heavier man.
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by Thats It For you! on Nov 9, 2010 1:40 PM EST reply actions
Sounds like he has problems
psychologically, a mental sabotage issue that will prevent him from returning to the big leagues. It’s a shame, I was rooting for him.
Ricco still has some weight to give, so it's not over yet
Whatever weight Ricco cut from, his body composition was not at 6% Body Fat. My point is, when you look at a guy like Thiago Alves, he’s already shredded so if he wants to loose more weight he either needs to somehow force more water out of his body or catabolize muscle. Neither option is easy. Ricco could still try and diet down a bit more if he wants to.
If Ricco was at 230 and tried to make it to 205 through a cut, but failed, I could still see him continuing to loose body fat and get to a lower walking around weight in the next few months. The man seems pretty determined. I don’t think this particular failure is the final chapter in the saga.
But no amount of money or kind words is going to substitute for the fact that Dan Tabera now has to deal with a guy who seemingly didn’t put in quite the same effort to make weight as he did
Did Rossen actually ask Tabera if he gives a fuck, or isn’t happy about his extra wallett-stuffing?
is it a given that Ricco will be fresher? maybe he tried the cut and didn’t make it but still feels the effects of a failed cut. is it even a given that Ricco will be bigger at fight time? Does Tabera cut zero water-weight to make 205? why does ESPN suck so much at actual facts?
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by eastcoastatlas on Nov 9, 2010 2:01 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Is this the first time he's tried to cut down to 205?
Actually, is this the first time he’s ever had to cut weight? I don’t think he was cutting when he fought at heavyweight.
yes and yes
give the dude some slack. failing to do something he’s never had to do in his life isn’t the worst thing in the world.
if he fails AGAIN, then by all means, he can probably forget ever ‘reinventing himself as a LHW’
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by Cory Braiterman on Nov 9, 2010 2:47 PM EST up reply actions
Hmm
I’m not so quick to write him off at LHW… They did make mention of a back injury. Could be BS, could be legit. I say give him another chance especially if he has been walking around much lighter lately (which he has been). Fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again (I know it doesn’t make sense, but I like the GW version better).
Unprofessional, but no advantage
Yes it is unprofessional to not make the weight you signed a contract to make. However, Tabera probably had to cut weight too and will likely be over 205 at fight time anyway. Ricco will have the added disadvantages that cutting weight brings. Ten pounds will not make any significant advantage for Ricco. Brock Lesnar outweighed Cain Velasquez legally by 20 pounds and it worked out pretty well for Velasquez.
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