Report: Marquardt Has Not Signed New Contract With The UFC
Posted by Kris Karkoski on Nov 21, 2007 at 9:48 am ET9 Comments
According to The Fight Network middleweight fighter Nate Marquardt has not signed a new contract with the UFC. Marquardt has one fight let on his current deal and is actively working with the UFC on a new deal according to the report:
“We’re working on [a new contract],” Marquardt said. “Hopefully, it will happen soon.”
Still considered one of the top contenders inside what many view as the UFC’s weakest division, Marquardt called reports of a February bout against Thales Leites at UFC 81 “just talk.” The 28-year-old Coloradan holds UFC victories over Dean Lister, Ivan Salaverry and Joe Doerksen.
Tags: Nate Marquardt
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The UFC has to get a contract done with this guy. I would love to see him fight tough guys like Franklin and Okami. I wouldn’t mind seeing a rematch between him and Silva.
Silva makes it tough (I am sure) for guys he beats to get a good deal. He makes them look bad , when in all actuallity, he is just that good. I hope the UFC realizes this, and doesn’t base his contract on the Silva fight, but bases it on his potential.
I see Nate as currently #4 at 185 (I had Okami ahead, but he’s leaving — Silva, Henderson, Franklin, Marquardt & Swick). They need as much depth right now at 185 as they can get. One thing about Dana though, he will find top competitors for the Silva/Henderson winner (look at the HW Division – once looked as the weakest and now on par with the Welterweights). He’ll sign at least 2 currently ranked Top 10’s in the world before 2008 is finished (that are currently free-agents or with other companies).
Totally agree that this devision is the weakest in the UFC. That really just says so much for the UFC stable of fighters, and the relative strength of the other devisions. It is funny to think that the weakest devision include fighters like Silva, Hendo & Franklin. These are the top 3 middle weights in the world on my books. Followed up with Swick, Okami, McDonald, Marquart… Wow, hows that for ‘weak’ devision. We need to see more fights between these guys. Thats the problem. That and Silva does make everyone else look like level B. Fighters. I think the devision needs a little more spotlight, and I would like to see a couple of faces from LH weight to drop down, glad that Hendo did, now I am waiting for Bisping.
Cheers
Bob, you bring up a good point. While it is arguably the “weakest” division in the UFC right now, there is plenty of depth. The problem they are facing is that before Hendo dropped down, the drop-off from Champion to “next in line” is so dramatic as opposed to how much closer the #1 and #2 are in the other divisons. With Dan making the move, we see the two top ranked (with apologies to Filho) Middleweights in the world about to face off. Should Silva finish off Henderson as “easily” as he did Franklin, then we’ll again see a huge drop-off and a perceived “weak division”. Hopefully Marquardt and others can close the gap.
Marquardt is the one guy I can’t comment on. You guys make valid points. I didn’t look at it like that. I’ve only seen him fight once and he got walked through like a hot knife through butter. I was thinking all the hype I heard about this dude and he’s a bumb.. But I need to go back and see some of his other fights before I can make a fair assumption about this guy.
Okay, now Okami has resigned with the UFC, so Nate’s #5. ;^)
I agree with everything you said scotchydow. Hopefully Hendo can beat Silva and shake up the Middleweight division. We all wouldn’t mind seeing a Hendo vs. Franklin match up.
Red, so would the UFC.