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Jorge Santiago Released by the UFC

UFC 136 Live on Pay-Per-View at the Toyota Center on October 8, 2011 in Houston, Texas. via UFC.com

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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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.

by Steve4192 on Oct 18, 2011 7:35 AM EDT up reply actions  

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.

by Shnak on Oct 18, 2011 7:51 AM EDT up reply actions  

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.

by Steve4192 on Oct 18, 2011 9:44 AM EDT up reply actions  

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?

by Shnak on Oct 18, 2011 10:16 AM EDT up reply actions  

His first four fights in the UFC were all entertaining, fast-paced brawls.

by Steve4192 on Oct 18, 2011 10:21 AM EDT up reply actions  

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.

by Shnak on Oct 18, 2011 11:02 AM EDT up reply actions  

Either way, it’s easy to understand the UFC’s decision here.

Which is exactly what I said in my first post

by Steve4192 on Oct 18, 2011 12:44 PM EDT up reply actions  

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.

by Shnak on Oct 18, 2011 12:50 PM EDT up reply actions  

explain Matt Brown then, please.

Who's the only one here who knows illegal ninja moves from the government?
No holds barred, no time for move fakin,
Gots to get the loot so I can bring home the bacon - Charlie Brown

by tigerlee on Oct 18, 2011 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions  

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.

by Steve4192 on Oct 18, 2011 12:45 PM EDT up reply actions  

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

by Steve4192 on Oct 18, 2011 7:33 AM EDT reply actions  

I’m not so sure about Lombard ‘destroying’ Stann.

Hector certainly has the grappling chops to take advantage of Stann’s weakness on the ground, but Hector doesn’t always fight smart. He loves to get into standup brawls, and I think Stann is more skilled on the feet and packs just as much power.

by Steve4192 on Oct 18, 2011 9:38 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

by milk72 on Oct 18, 2011 8:08 AM EDT reply actions  

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.

by Newman24 on Oct 18, 2011 8:38 AM EDT reply actions  

Yeah. Santiago was making good cheddar, unlike guys like Jensen who never rise above the entry level purse amount.

by smoogy2 on Oct 18, 2011 9:09 AM EDT up reply actions  

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.

by Shnak on Oct 18, 2011 9:10 AM EDT up reply actions  

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

by malkav on Oct 18, 2011 9:26 AM EDT up reply actions  

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.

by Shnak on Oct 18, 2011 10:18 AM EDT up reply actions  

disappointing

but true. I hope to see him fight again soon.

"Serious sport is war minus the shooting."
George Orwell

by malkav on Oct 18, 2011 3:13 PM EDT up reply actions  

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."

by BJJDenver on Oct 18, 2011 12:27 PM EDT up reply actions  

this definitely comes down to money … sad though .. I would have given him one more shot

by HNDA on Oct 18, 2011 8:59 AM EDT reply actions  

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

by POW on Oct 18, 2011 9:05 AM EDT reply actions  

They did with Fabricio Werdum after the JDS loss.

by Steve4192 on Oct 18, 2011 9:40 AM EDT up reply actions  

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  

The question is, why would you pay a gatekeeper a pretty penny?

by Steve4192 on Oct 18, 2011 9:42 AM EDT up reply actions  

Gatekeepers prefer ugly pennies anyhow. All scratched and rusty.

by Cocytus on Oct 18, 2011 11:20 AM EDT up 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

by malkav on Oct 18, 2011 9:30 AM EDT reply actions  

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.

by Shnak on Oct 18, 2011 10:20 AM EDT up reply actions  

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

by malkav on Oct 18, 2011 1:36 PM EDT up reply actions  

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

by milk72 on Oct 18, 2011 10:51 AM EDT up reply actions  

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

by KOQ24 on Oct 18, 2011 10:10 AM EDT up reply actions  

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).

by Steve4192 on Oct 18, 2011 10:24 AM EDT up reply actions  

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
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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.

by Steve4192 on Oct 18, 2011 12:48 PM EDT up reply actions  

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

by sitnam90 on Oct 18, 2011 3:38 PM EDT up reply actions  

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  

I thought Reinhardt was released

by Holls Hoyce on Oct 18, 2011 11:51 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.

by Shnak on Oct 18, 2011 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions  

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.

by CalicoTomcat on Oct 18, 2011 10:43 AM EDT reply actions  

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.

by mmaprophet on Oct 18, 2011 12:20 PM EDT reply actions  

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.

by chrisbboy82 on Oct 18, 2011 12:22 PM EDT reply actions  

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  

Field GULLS!

NEVER DIE!

JSWO - Josh Scobey World Order 4 Life!

by Christian on Oct 18, 2011 1:23 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.

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My twitter: @TB_Money

by Tim Burke on Oct 18, 2011 4:41 PM EDT reply actions  

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

by savik on Oct 18, 2011 6:16 PM EDT reply actions  

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