Jorge Santiago Released by the UFC
by Fraser Coffeen on Oct 18, 2011 6:58 AM EDT
in UFC News
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Jorge Santiago has been released by the UFC. The Middleweight fighter is coming off a loss to Demian Maia at UFC 136. Santiago made his return to the UFC earlier this year, losing to Brian Stann at UFC 130 before falling to Maia. This was Santiago's second run in the UFC as he was 1-2 in the company back in 2006.
In the years between his two UFC runs, Santiago established himself as one of the top Middleweights in the world outside of the UFC, putting together a solid 11-1 record. His major success came in Japan, where he claimed the Sengoku Middleweight championship and turned some heads with a pair of classic fights against Kazuo Misaki. His work in Japan earned him a lot of respect, and many fans were excited about his return to the UFC.
At 1-4 in his combined UFC runs, and at nearly 10 years into his pro career, it's hard to envision Santiago making his way back into the UFC in the future. Although the Maia fight was a bit lackluster, Santiago still has the ability to put on very entertaining fights. With Bellator looking to build up champion Hector Lombard, Santiago would make a fine challenger. The two men are former training partners at American Top Team.
Source: Tatame.com
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i'd like to say im surprised
But we all saw it coming
by Silvio Dante on Oct 18, 2011 7:07 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
smart move by the ufc, even though I do believe he’d make a good mid -teir gate keeper
by justin9234 on Oct 18, 2011 7:08 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
I’d say it is an understandable move, but I wouldn’t call it ‘smart’.
Santiago’s fights are almost always entertaining. I think keeping him around as an entertaining gatekeeper would have been just as ‘smart’ as cutting him outright.
Well, his fight with Maia was pretty boring, and he had nothing to do with his fight with Stann being entertaining, other than serving his head on a platter for Stann’s fists.
The guy has been in some of the most entertaining fights in the history of the sport. Judging his ability to entertain based on one fight seems a little silly.
Just about any professional fighter can put on entertaining fights against sub-par competition… very few can maintain that same level of entertainment against quality competition.
Santiago is 1-4 in the UFC… of these 5 fights, which have been entertaining?
As I said, his demolition at the hands of Stann do not count as all he did was put his head in front of Stann’s fists.
He got KO’d by Belcher, Leben, Stann and then decision’d by Maia. Clearly, he’s not an elite MW, and if he were to fight mid-tier competition in the UFC, he’d need a salary that reflects that. Either the UFC didn’t want to waste a roster spot on him anymore preferring to open up some space for younger newcomers, regardless of his price, or they offered him less money and he refused. Either way, it’s easy to understand the UFC’s decision here.
Either way, it’s easy to understand the UFC’s decision here.
Which is exactly what I said in my first post
And you also said it wasn’t a smart idea… the UFC knows how to make money, and if they decided to cut Santiago, it’s obviously because they didn’t think they could make money with him to balance his salary. So, it was a smart move.
Classic case of "good, not great".
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on Oct 18, 2011 8:31 AM EDT up reply actions
Maybe kenflo should head back up to 185 to take santiagos place?
by Silvio Dante on Oct 18, 2011 9:40 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Cheap shot.
Learn JiuJitsu.
"Come on you sons of bitches, you wanna live forever!?" -- Dan Daly
by RolloTomasi on Oct 18, 2011 11:55 AM EDT up reply actions
True.
Kenflo has a better chin. He went toe-to-toe with Leben and took some nasty shots before finishing him with a standing elbow.
Man, that's crazy they fought.
Kenny Florian, the featherweight, fighting Chris Leben, the middleweight.
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on Oct 19, 2011 5:54 AM EDT up reply actions
Lombard is the Santiagos worst nightmare
A guy with massive KO power and elite takedown defense
Lombard would shatter Jorge’s glass jaw
Lombard would destroy Stann who also destroyed Santiago.
by Tairy Hesticles on Oct 18, 2011 9:12 AM EDT up reply actions
i’d like to see him stick around and fight tim boestch
sucks but thats how life is
"I have smoked weed with alot of UFC champions" - Joe Rogan
"Você ta fudido. Se vai levar muita porrada, ta ligado?" - Anderson Silva
but would they have really matched the two guys?
Tim is on a 2 fight win streak in mw while Santiago is on a 2 fight losing streak.
Anderson Silva, Edson Barboza, Jose Aldo, Charles Oliveira, Thiago Alves = Muay Thai wrecking machines!
by SentientAndroid on Oct 18, 2011 10:19 AM EDT up reply actions
Maia vs. Boetsch, please
I respect your opinion even though it's wrong.
by SSreporters on Oct 18, 2011 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m more partial to boestch vs belcher and maia vs palhares.
KEMvP
"You know Joe, if Keith Jardines last name was Johnson, the nickname 'The Dean of Mean' wouldn't work at all."
by T.C. Engel on Oct 18, 2011 1:04 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
He said himself he took Stann lightly...
And he probably didn’t take Maia’s stand up very seriously either. Which led to complacency both times he fought.
by I_Mad on Oct 18, 2011 8:35 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
I get why he's been released
But I don’t understand why they cut good fighters like Santiago while giving the likes of Ryan Jensen chance after chance after chance.
Yeah. Santiago was making good cheddar, unlike guys like Jensen who never rise above the entry level purse amount.
Yep. If you’re expensive, and you lose, you should at least be well-known to make up for it by selling a few tickets. Santiago is pretty expensive due to his relatively high-profile coming from Japan, but can’t hang around the best in the UFC, and because he keeps losing in the UFC, he’s not a big name and doesn’t attract viewers. He’s just not a good fit for the UFC anymore.
Can't they
renegotiate his contract rather then cut him outright. I still want to see Santiago fight and he would put an absolute mauling on most mid-level middleweights.
It sucks that guys who were on TUF get to stay around but fighters who made their bones outside the UFC get cut for being too expensive.
"Serious sport is war minus the shooting."
George Orwell
Maybe, maybe not. I don’t know. Maybe Zuffa offered to keep Santiago around for less money and he declined. Maybe they just didn’t see the value in keeping him around, even at a lowered pay. Maybe Santiago figured he could make more money competing in Bellator, or going back to Japan. Who knows.
disappointing
but true. I hope to see him fight again soon.
"Serious sport is war minus the shooting."
George Orwell
The NFL
releases big names all the time. Do you think they aren’t better than the guys who never get in the game? It is all about money. Not only what theyt get paid, but what the player/fighter thinks they are worth. Why would JS want to stick around the UFC for 5 grand per, when he can go to Bellator and make 5 times that?
"Okay, Lindsay, are you forgetting that I was a professional twice over - an analyst and a therapist. The world's first analrapist."
I wonder if they give fighters like Jorge an option?
Pay cut, or termination.
"Hi. I don't know you." - me
"Cigano punch my face...all the time." - Anderson Silva
Well, I think this just about proves that every fighter that ever fought in japan sucks balls.
"UFC is so gay, pride is awesome!"
by Hendo_One-Shot on Oct 18, 2011 9:07 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Aside from most of the Pride fighters
I’m in agreement.
Anderson Silva, Edson Barboza, Jose Aldo, Charles Oliveira, Thiago Alves = Muay Thai wrecking machines!
by SentientAndroid on Oct 18, 2011 10:24 AM EDT up reply actions
How DARE you, sir.
MAAAAAAAAAAAARK HUNTUUUUUUUUUUU, KO!
"It's an odd thing, but anyone who disappears is said to be seen in San Francisco.
It must be a delightful city and possess all the attractions of the next world" - Oscar Wylde
by SanFranpsycho on Oct 18, 2011 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions
MARK HUNT 2011 - SIDE CONTROL!
I respect your opinion even though it's wrong.
by SSreporters on Oct 18, 2011 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions
Jorge must have cost a pretty penny,
But I don’t think I would have cut him. He would make a good gatekeeper and put on entertaining fights against mid-level strikers. Harsh.
by The Armchair Juggernaut on Oct 18, 2011 9:07 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
I just looked at the payout
for UFC 130. Jorge Santiago made $36,000 to show. On the same card Gleison Tibeau made $25,000 and he’s not going to be fighting for a belt anytime soon. They should keep Santiago around for the same money and give him an opportunity to put on entertaining fights.
"Serious sport is war minus the shooting."
George Orwell
Gleison is a 14 fight veteran in the UFC who’s put on more exciting fights than he did boring fights. He’s 9-5 in the UFC. To compare him and Santiago’s 1-4 record in the UFC doesn’t make a lot of sense, IMO.
but if you look at Santiago's record
overall he is known for putting on exciting fights. When he was brought back to the UFC it was see if he was a title contender for Anderson Silva. They gave him two chances and he failed. Now it seems as if they are cutting him for not being championship material.
The only reason that I chose to compare him to TIbeau was because they were on the same card and because he is paid to put on exciting fights rather climb the ladder.
If they moved Santiago to the mid-card and gave him lower ranked fighters I believe that we would get to see more exciting fights.
"Serious sport is war minus the shooting."
George Orwell
payouts dont tell us anything
"I have smoked weed with alot of UFC champions" - Joe Rogan
"Você ta fudido. Se vai levar muita porrada, ta ligado?" - Anderson Silva
The unequal treatment of fighters by ZUFFA is disgusting.
Santiago has been put against Top 10&20 fighters his whole UFC career, meanwhile Alex fucking Caceres gets to go 0-3 and don’t even get me started on Reinhardt,Jensen&garcia
Santiago has been put against Top 10&20 fighters his whole UFC career
Bullshit.
Santiago has five fights in the UFC and Maia was the first ranked guy that he faced.
Before you come back with ‘Brian Stann’, check the rankings archives. Stann was ranked 14th before that fight. The only reason he entered the top 10 was because he knocked off Santiago (who was ranked 8th).
You do realize that he said Top 10 & 20 ranked guys, and you just listed Stann as 14th…so I don’t see how that’s really a valid point on your part
Dear audio diary: Today I may have accidentally registered myself as a sex offender! WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY LIFE
- T-Rex
by sitnam90 on Oct 18, 2011 12:21 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Who did you expect them to match him up with? Santiago was ranked #8 in the world when he signed with the UFC. I don’t think there is anything untoward about matching him up with a guy ranked six spots BELOW him.
That's not the point
You said Maia was the only ranked fighter he fought, then came up with a preemptive argument that Stann was only ranked #14 when they fought. However since KOQ24 explicitly stated Top 10 and Top 20 guys, your Stann argument holds no water since he wasn’t talking strictly about top 10 guys.
Dear audio diary: Today I may have accidentally registered myself as a sex offender! WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY LIFE
- T-Rex
Caceres
prolly fights for a cheeseburger and a coke…
Anderson Silva, Edson Barboza, Jose Aldo, Charles Oliveira, Thiago Alves = Muay Thai wrecking machines!
by SentientAndroid on Oct 18, 2011 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions
Dan is well-known, well-liked, is great at promoting, was involved in a high-profile title fight, and is usually involved in exciting fights, usually. And, correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe he’s only paid in the 30k range to show, less than Santiago is/was.
yeah but...4 STRAIGHT losses?
That’s pretty crazy.
I mean, in his last 4 fights, in 2 of them he was given guys that absolutely obliged a standup game, and both defeated him.
Johnson was given to him after a long layoff…and was a fighter with a presumed ‘always stand an bang’ attitude…and he wrestlehumped Hardy.
GSP absolutely wrestle humped Hardy.
So he can’t beat strikers and he can’t beat wrestlers….his next fight is going to be so low on the totem pole it’s not even funny.
PACIFIC RIM
in theaters
July 12th, 2013
by Chris Groves on Oct 18, 2011 4:07 PM EDT up reply actions
Santiago would be a good fit for Mark Pavelich ...
… who needs to develop his MW division; indeed, the last time I looked, the MFC MW title was vacant!
And Santiago’s loss to Maia drops Imperial Athletics’ combined record to 4-8 since the camp was founded in March. You have to start wondering if that camp will survive much longer – especially after Rashad Evans gets utterly desecrated by Jon Jones, as he surely will.
Who all is with Imperial Athletics?
Jorge Santiago you mentioned – he went 0-2
Rashad Evans clearly – he’s gone 1-0
I believe Michael Johnson is as well – he’s gone 1-1
PACIFIC RIM
in theaters
July 12th, 2013
by Chris Groves on Oct 18, 2011 4:09 PM EDT up reply actions
His performance against Maia
was uninspiring to say the least. Several moments in that fight Jorge’s corners were screaming for him to engage while he stood and stared. There’s probably many reasons why he fought like that, but on TV it did not look good.
by Scribonius Curio on Oct 18, 2011 10:56 AM EDT reply actions
All I have to say is.....
Dan Hardy is garbage. He is not even a mid tier fighter but because he comes to fight he keeps his job. I don’t know about Dana but I am not one who wants to see Hardy fight, especially headlining a main event or even on the main card. He should be FB prelims until he learns how to fight.
I do think that Santiago should have gotten another chance against weaker competition in the UFC, but two losses in a row is not uncommon for a fighter to be released. With Strikeforce Middleweights coming in, the UFC could understandably cut some guys. I can see Santiago finding his way to Bellator or something.
Check out the C&D Channel on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/Gobusiness123 for MMA reviews, predictions, analysis, and other MMA related content.
Why the hell did the Raiders give up picks like that?
I respect your opinion even though it's wrong.
by SSreporters on Oct 18, 2011 12:40 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
Wrong thread. Wrong wrong wrong.
I respect your opinion even though it's wrong.
by SSreporters on Oct 18, 2011 12:40 PM EDT up reply actions
Doesn’t matter if it was the wrong thread. Apparently even without Al they still make terrible decisions.
KEMvP
"You know Joe, if Keith Jardines last name was Johnson, the nickname 'The Dean of Mean' wouldn't work at all."
by T.C. Engel on Oct 18, 2011 1:07 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
36k/36k (or more) and no name value for the organization. Seems like a wise decision to me.
"You are a miserable human being." - Mike Fagan
My twitter: @TB_Money
Jorge gets cut after two losses to top 10 fighters?
There’s another middleweight with a record of 1-3(which should be 0-4) who just got KO’d in devastating fashion and he gets paid much much more, and he’s still in the UFC
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