Eyebrows were raised yesterday when it was emerged that the UFC had cut 16 fighters including welterweight star Jon Fitch, but the suggestion now is that could just be the tip of the iceberg.
“Surprised at some of names but not number of guys released by UFC,” respected MMAJunkie.com journalist John Morgan stated on Twitter yesterday. “Was told they need to trim about 100 guys right now.”
It’s believed that this is primarily down to the influx of new fighters into the UFC via Strikeforce, while the introduction of the woman’s 135lb division in addition to the 125lb men’s flyweight division last year has also played it’s part in the promotion now having a surplus of fighters for the 33 events they plan to hold in 2013.
Fitch’s release indicates that no-one is currently safe from getting released, though I’d imagine that the new Strikeforce recruits in particular are on thin ice and will have to bring their A-game to the Octagon if they want to stick around for the longer than just one fight.
