Who are some fighters you think the UFC will never cut, despite long strings of losses? Whether they have such seniority with the company, value as a personality, put on exciting fights (win or lose), etc.
Dan Hardy - mostly comes to fight and they can't really afford to lose a big name in the UK market.
Rich Franklin - they may try to force him in to retirement, but will never cut him.
Wandy - too valuable and beloved of a personality. He can get KOd 5 times in a row and he won't be cut, but much like Franklin they will try to force him in to retirement.
BJ Penn - too beloved of a fighter, has such seniority with the organization.
GSP - Canada's poster boy, most dominant WW of all time. He can lose every fight from now until infinity and he won't be cut. Canada would explode.
Forrest Griffin - TUF golden boy.
Chael Sonnen - need I explain?
Anderson Silva - despite the threats, Dana would never dare cut Anderson Silva. Sensei Segal wouldn't have it.
Pat Barry - always comes to fight and has to be one of the most lovable personalities in the UFC roster. People will always tune in to watch Pat, regardless of how his record reads.
Frankie Edgar - lil Rocky ain't going nowhere til he decides to retire.
Big Nog - Another beloved veteran that will kick around until he decides to hetire.
Ronda Rousey - too important to the history of WMMA as a whole. Only chance of getting cut is UFC dissolving women's division(s)
Anybody I missed?
The only way I can see any of these people being cut is if they really cross Dana or Joe Silva in the wrong way. Except Anderson.
Melvin Guillard, Silva, and Cheick Kongo.
Blacks just dont cut during fights.
Joe Lauzon
GSP
Edit - woops, you have him.
Cain - I doubt he'll ever put himself in a position to be cut, but either way he's just too valuable to the Mexican MMA market to let him go.
UltimatePower - Melvin Guillard, Silva, and Cheick Kongo.
Blacks just dont cut during fights.
Lol tell that to Marvin Eastman.
CB Dolloway & Matt Riddle. Even if they lost a proverbial baker's dozen in a row, they'd probably still be kept on as cannon fodder to let the up and comers go over.
Cerrone
ThatKickDidntHuroooohhhhhhhh -Cain - I doubt he'll ever put himself in a position to be cut, but either way he's just too valuable to the Mexican MMA market to let him go.
Good point.
I also think JDS.
Like you said with Cain, I doubt he'll ever be in that position with a string of losses, but even so, he always brings it, his heart is unreal, and he is just such a likeable guy. Good to have in the company regardless of record.
Faber.
The dude could lose 3 times in a row and the UFC would find a way to schedule him to fight for the interim belt.
Isn't Renzo still signed to the UFC? Lol
It's kind of a difficult question. My mind immediately goes to guys like AS, GSP, Aldo, Cain etc. But the trouble is that I don't think these guys would ever be in a position to get cut anyways.
The more interesting question is naming the fighters that you can envision being eligible to be cut, but won't be.
I think Hardy is an excellent example of this. Even though he retired, Hominick is too.
Some more:
- Sam Stout
- Leonard Garcia (has lost 4 straight and is 2-6-1 in his last 9 but still has a job)
- Again, retired, but Stephan Bonnar
- TKZ
SMS89 -Isn't Renzo still signed to the UFC? Lol
LOL, I think he is, but who does he fight at this point? IMO, I doubt he'll ever take that last fight on his contract at this point.
Some say Bisping because of the British market
As much as it pains me Mr. Jones
ThatKickDidntHuroooohhhhhhhh -It's kind of a difficult question. My mind immediately goes to guys like AS, GSP, Aldo, Cain etc. But the trouble is that I don't think these guys would ever be in a position to get cut anyways.
The more interesting question is naming the fighters that you can envision being eligible to be cut, but won't be.
I think Hardy is an excellent example of this. Even though he retired, Hominick is too.
Some more:
- Sam Stout
- Leonard Garcia (has lost 4 straight and is 2-6-1 in his last 9 but still has a job)
- Again, retired, but Stephan Bonnar
- TKZ
True, but I think Garcia will eventually be cut. I think his super brawler routine is going to wear thin eventually.
Barry (as I mentioned in the OP) I think is a good example. I can see him losing 3 or 4 in a row and sticking around.
Now that I think of it, possibly Mir and Struve.
Oh and can't forget Shogun.
I think Rashad might be slowing down, and I could see him dropping a couple w/o being cut.
I know the UG is gonna hate this but i just dont see guida getting cut
Bisping
Because he is the biggest Biritish fighter, i think he is probably one of the most talked about fighters and he is loyal to the UFC.
Koscheck, Fitch.