IT'S FIGHTING STUPID: 2011-05-08

Monday, May 9, 2011

Injuries Scratch Edgar vs Maynard III, Rampage vs Hamill to main event UFC130? and The UFC introduces fighter insurance.

UFC 130 will no longer feature Franie Edgar vs Gray Maynard III as Frankie Edgar was forced to pull out sighting broken ribs. Gray Maynard will also sit the card out, electing to rehab his knee and wait for Edgar to get healthy. Though Maynard was reportedly offered former WEC Lightweight Champion Anthony Pettis as a replacement opponent for the UFC 130 main event.

Anthony Pettis:

"They were going to have me fight Maynard on that card. I said yes to that deal right away. I guess it turns out that it’s not going to happen. I’m back to fighting Guida," Pettis told HeavyMMA.com. "It sucks that he got injured, because it kinda puts the whole lightweight division back on standstill."

"For three or four days I thought I was going to fight on May 28 and now it’s just killing me, so I’m going to take it out on Clay Guida."

ht:heavy.com

Yep you read that right, with Edgar vs Maynard on hold till the fall it looks as though Rampage vs Hamill, will go from the co main event no one wants to see. To the main event that no one wants to see. Though with Rick Story vs Thiago Silva, Big Country vs Frank Mir, and Jorge Santiago vs Briann Stann there is plenty to be excited about at UFC 130, May 28th. It's to bad the main event is no longer one of those things. Rampage vs Hamill does nothing for the division, does nothing for fan interest, and probably isn't as competitive as the -300 (Rampage) vs +225 (Hamill) line would have you believe. A rare miss step in match making from Joe Silva if there ever was one.

It seems only fitting that on a day dominated by the injury news related to Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard. That the UFC would make one of the biggest announcements in company history, rolling out a comprehensive year round, %100 company funded, out of the cage medical, dental, and life, insurance package. Worth up to $50,000 annually the policy would cover injuries and illnesses sustained in and out side the cage. Weather it be from a car accident or an injury sustained in training. Everything with the exception of cold, flu and certain diseases will be covered for Zuffa contracted fighters.
This is a huge step forward and away from one of the worst things about this sport. The neglect of the fighters health and well being by the major organizations. You have guys like Gary Goodridge getting UFC tickets in exchange for his video game rights in perpetuity. Even though Gary is known to have neurological issues related to his fighting career, that's the best Zuffa had for the 4 time UFC tournament vet. Hopefully with the implementation of this new policy we wont have to see this kind fate befall another generation of martial artists.