I seem to recall that a standard clause in UFC contracts is that if a fighter is retired for a period of time (2 years? 3 years?), then he or she is free from any remaining obligations under the contract.
If true, this may explain why young fighters are "retiring" all of a sudden. 25yo now, can return and fight anywhere else in a few years while in their late 20s.
Then you got guys who want desperately out of their contract like Wand who decide to run the retirement clock. Sure he's old as fuck. But a couple of fun fights in his 40s is something to look forward to as opposed to nothing.
Am I the only one to hear about this retirement loophole?
It would make more sense to just fight out the contract wouldn't it? I doubt these young guys are on long contracts like andersons 9 fight deal or something. Sitting out 2-3 years without any fights doesn't seem financially better than fighting out 2-3 fights then moving on for a bigger check elsewhere.
I'll be interested to know how the reebok thing affects the ufc's matching rights. If another org has a contract that says the fighter can have as many cage sponsors as they want, the UFC can't match that clause so essentially lose negotiating power. The same defense they used when they fought bellator over Alvarez PPV issue 
newtotheinterweb - It would make more sense to just fight out the contract wouldn't it? I doubt these young guys are on long contracts like andersons 9 fight deal or something. Sitting out 2-3 years without any fights doesn't seem financially better than fighting out 2-3 fights then moving on for a bigger check elsewhere.
I'll be interested to know how the reebok thing affects the ufc's matching rights. If another org has a contract that says the fighter can have as many cage sponsors as they want, the UFC can't match that clause so essentially lose negotiating power. The same defense they used when they fought bellator over Alvarez PPV issue
You're right. Maybe it applies more to guys like Wand and Cung Le who actually don't want to fight for Zuffa anymore. Even though passed their primes I believe they, especially Wand, really want to continue fighting just not under the Zuffa banner.
Or like when Nick Diaz "retired." His old contract probably became null and void so they had to renegotiate from scratch.
Yeah I don't see the UFC UFC letting a draw wand fight for someone else. I was of the opinion that if retired the contract is essentially frozen indefinitely unless they return. That was the case with Couture and GSP so Id assume it's common practice in the contracts.
No, retirement puts contract on pause, ie , Randy Couture
I think it's more likely they realise that fighting with the deal as it is right now isn't gonna support their families unless they become champion. Mein must be especially hurt by the fact he's had 40 fights in ten years and is right at the bottom of the Reebok "to pay" list
newtotheinterweb - It would make more sense to just fight out the contract wouldn't it? I doubt these young guys are on long contracts like andersons 9 fight deal or something. Sitting out 2-3 years without any fights doesn't seem financially better than fighting out 2-3 fights then moving on for a bigger check elsewhere.
I'll be interested to know how the reebok thing affects the ufc's matching rights. If another org has a contract that says the fighter can have as many cage sponsors as they want, the UFC can't match that clause so essentially lose negotiating power. The same defense they used when they fought bellator over Alvarez PPV issue
The matching rights has already come into play with Josh Thomson. He said the UFC couldn't match Bellator's deal with their existing deals with Reebok and Fox