One way that Zuffa could avoid injury problems is to sign alternates for the important fights.
Always have another person training just in case someone gets injured like this UFC.
I'm sure there are plenty of up and comers who will train for free and be ready as an alternate in case of injury.
I think it is an idea worth considering so a train wreck like this card doesn't happen again....
Any thoughts on the matter???
I think it's a good idea.
Last minute replacements are really at a disadvantage when they have to fight a guy who has been training for 2 months.
I think that having alternates would be a way that you could still have a fair competitive fight despite last minute injuries.
Anyone agree??
Cote is an up and comer who was training anyway. You're not gonna get any big name fighters who will just train for free for the chance to maybe fight. Don't understand how moving someone up form the undercard is any different than having alternates.
I think its a good idea, maybe guarantee a spot on the next UFC in addition to being an alternate. This could also be worked into the contracts of the original fighters so, for example, Telligman can't say "No, I won't fight this guy". He'll already know that there is a chance he'll be fighting the alternate.
The only problem is that it will still more than likely have to be a no-name guy because I can't see Vitor or Randy preparing as hard as they do to "maybe" fight.
I think having a backup would help avoid situations like this IMHO.
Even if you had to pay them a small fee just to train as an alternate it would be better than not having one.
Then if the alternate gets to fight he would get the money the injured fighter would have got.
I'm not trying to play the Monday morning quarterback and knocking this card.
It will still have some great fights, but they could be better if the fighters actually got to train.
These injury situations happen pretty often and I think they could be better dealt with IMHO.
It is not Zuffa's fault that these injuries occured and I'm not knocking them.
MMA is a physical sport where there is always a high potential for injuries. Injury is the nature of the game.
You can't control injuries, but you can have a better response to them with a little forethought.
I think paying 3 or 4 fighters $500 just to train to be an alternate would be better than throwing in guys who only have a week to train.
Then if a fighter gets injured the alternate can win the money the injured fighter would have got.
Just food for thought....
I have alot of respect for Travis Lutter and Tony Fryklund for stepping up!!
They are at a HUGE disadvantage in this situation and I'll respect them no matter the outcome.
Their opponents have trained for 2 months straight and they get a week!!!!
They both have BALLS THE SIZE OF CLEVELAND!!
TTT 4 STEPPING UP!!!
they had like 6 guys drop out of this show. they had alternates.
Trevor Prangley, John Marsh, and Guy Mezger were the only fighters to drop out of the show.
Lutter, and Fryklund were last minute replacements, not alternates.
Cote was already scheduled to fight so he at least had a chance to train, but he wasn't an alternate either.
Lutter and the Freak deserve another chance in the UFC even if they lose IMHO.
It takes guts to step up at the last minute like this!