The UFC released bantamweight Miguel Torres after the former WEC champion joked on Twitter about a “rape van,” UFC President Dana White told SI.com on Thursday.
“Miguel Torres has been cut from the UFC and his career with us now is over,” White said. “There’s absolutely nothing I could say to make any sense of that. And the fact that he even thinks that’s funny or that’s a joke, it disturbs me. It bothers me. Again, you’re dealing with a guy that’s a smart guy, that owns his own business, that’s been one of the top fighters in the world forever. And I cut him today. He’s no longer with the UFC.”
“If a rape van was called a surprise van, more women wouldn’t mind going for rides in them. Everyone likes surprises,” Torres’ reportedly wrote. The Tweet has since been deleted.
Torres (39-4) topped Nick Pace at UFC 139 just over two weeks ago for his second UFC win in three fights following a narrow loss to Demetrious Johnson in May and successful debut over Antonio Banuelos in February.
Torres’ comment followed similar statements by Forrest Griffin, who recently Tweeted “Rape is the new missionary,” and Rashad Evans, who told Penn State alum Phil Davis at Wednesday’s UFC on Fox press conference that he would “put [my] hands on you worse than that dude did them other kids at Penn State.” Neither Griffin nor Evans were cut, though White said Thursday that he spoke to Evans about his comments and called them the “dumbest thing you could say.”
UPDATE: Torres apologized to the UFC and fans in a statement on his release
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Pictured: Miguel Torres
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It’s a shame that there is a double-standard in the UFC. I guess that we will see Miguel Torres in DREAM.
torres was done anyway didn’t really see him getting that belt back
Really!? Forest Griffin’s comment was way worse than this and he didn’t even get a slap on the wrist. I guess we got a new bellator champ
i agree, forrest’s comment was way worse and more on the serious side. miguel’s comment was clearly a joke and taken out of content.
dana just wants to keep things squeeky clean, which is understandable. but why cant players get fined like other sports or get suspended.
it just goes to show he doesnt give a shtt about his fighters as human beings. he smiles in there face and tells them a good story, then all of a sudden u feel coldness and u start to see the blood dripping down ur leg.
such a heartless dude!!
I don’t know, I see Griffin’s comment as an exaggerated metaphor. Torres is actually referring to someone, a woman in particular, being raped. Nothings really funny about rape.
Now Evans statement could definitely be on the same level. Both tasteless jokes.
i think forrest comment was worse as well plus at least give this guy a warning at least.
I think DW might be taking his frustration from Rashad’s comment out on Miguel, since they both made silly sexual comments/jokes. Probably since Miguel was the most recent one to make that type of joke, Dana’s making and example out of him. Also Rashad and Forrest are more marketable so Dana wouldn’t fire them over a comment or joke that was inappropriate and he really disliked. It is very unfair to Miguel, his family, his friends and his fans that Dana fires him over this. He should of got some different type of punishment that wasn’t as harsh. I know what Miguel did was stupid but not stupid enough to lose his job over, in the end it’s a joke. A joke that might be unacceptable in many peoples eyes but that’s very pathetic and sad to cut him over it. Good luck to Miguel and best wishes to him and his future.
I gotta say Rashad’s comment to Davis was much worse, especially considering the “realness” of it. Kids actually got raped at Penn State.
This is beyond double-standard.
Either way it was a stupid comment.
This really upsets me, Torres is young guy with great potential. At one time he was one of my favorite fighters. The comment was clearly a joke and the punishment was unjust.
Wow! I have been watching Torres from the start and I can’t believe this. This kid is a great fighter and I’m sure someone will pick him up right away. Regardless, this is a real embarassment for him and his family, and I hope DW realizes what he’s doing to this guys life and career.
If Torres would be Sonnen, he would headline the next PPV for saying that!
Not sure I can disagree with that.
Bad job by DW. A suspension?…sure. Not worthy of being cut. A very exciting former champ who helped build the WEC during it’s “heyday”. Yes, the joke was in BAD taste, but c’mon! Bad taste is getting people cut these days???
@sifusscott
Good point. Chael has made way more comments that are arguably worse and dana’s his biggest cheerleader because he sees $$$$ when he looks at chael.
Dana White messed up on this one. He’s clearly making an example out of Torres. I’m not sure if anyone saw the interview Ariel Helwani posted last night on twitter. Dana said that after the forrest and rashad comments, he himself spoke to both of them and gave them a chance to explain themselves. Then he said that he hadn’t spoken to Miguel that someone from his company did. Dana said he was going to speak to Miguel’s manager. That right there alone is complete bullshit especially when you consider that both forrest and rashad’s comments were clearly worse than miguels. Not saying it’s ok to ever joke about that subject. Just saying Dana white is coming off like a hypocrite and that Dana looked like an a$$ trying to explain himself. He made an example out of Miguel and that’s it.
@RickyBobby
I have to 1,000 % disagree with you. In no way was Miguel “finished” or “done”. He’s one of the most talented figthers out there. He hasn’t looked “spectacular” or anything because he’s been rebuilding himself and his style of fighting at tri star. When you want to grow as a fighter and make some serious changes in your game and make some pyschological adjustments, that takes time. Miguel imo still has a solid chance at making it back to the top.
If your girlfriend, mother or sister didnt come home from work one night and the next day you found out that a group of guys pulled her into a van and raped her all night long I’m sure the joke would not be “ok” to you or anyone in your circle. Lets joke about Mexican mullets and the new weight divions that are smaller then my nuts!
Everyone has forgotten the first amendment as well. To fire, criticize, fine, cut, or in anyway cause a change in condition to some one for something they have the right to freely say is a very sad thing. I am in no way, shape or form, condoning any of this, but as a former US Marine, I know exactly why I willingly went to 4 battlezones and took human life….To protect the rights of not only my people, but of those we were sent to protect. Now you can make any arguement you want as to wether the “wars” are right or wrong, but that is beside the point here. The point is, I was there to protect human rights as written in my country’s constitution. So for some one to be fired, fined, suspended, etc over spoken word….that is truly sad, and it is in fact DW that should be dealt with for violating the constitutional right of another man.
I wonder if some would argue the point? Of course they will. No matter what anyone would try to argue, the real fact is that the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights clearly state that people have the freedom of speech, and may say anything they want to without reproach. Argue with that.
Aaaaactually, the First Amendment only protects speech from Governmental censorship. Given that Zuffa is a privately owned company, they can more or less do anything they wish as far as public speech goes.
Jackpot, Mr. Mod. NO WHERE in the Constituion of the United States of America does it say you can say anything you want without reproach. If you think it does, you are illiterate.
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Yup. Just says the government can not pass any law limiting free speech (though the US Supreme Court long ago held exceptions to that since your free speech can infringe on other people’s rights – like yelling “fire” in a theater creates a public safety issue). Zuffa is not the government. And Torres does not have a RIGHT to work for Zuffa.
Ah, indeed.
Dana White has no business running the UFC. His double-standards are UNACCEPTABLE. He is a MINORITY shareholder in that company…10% I think. It’s time Lorenzo and Frank buy him out and send him on his way.
social media is cancerous. double edged sword.
I would have no problem with the release if Rashad and Forrest had been let go too. The UFC needs to decide what kind of sports league it is: if it is going to be a fringe sport with a niche audience then this type of inconsistent management is acceptable; however, if the UFC wants mainstream acceptance there must be a behavior policy in place with precedents and accountability. I really like all the guys I mentioned, but for the sake of long-term success in the sports landscape they all should have been let go.
On a separate note, I wonder if this release is a permanent move or one that could be forgiven if Miguel does community outreach or service to benefit rape victims or support groups?
No opportunity for an apology first…seriously? I agree it is in bad taste but freedom of speech does not apply when you represent the UFC…their way or the highway. What a shame for Torres, a 40-4 record, harsh punishment, i think the UFC would have been better served having Torres make a public apology or statement.
Obviously, this is Dana White being his normal cliquish self.
Forrest Griffin can say “rape is the new missionary”…Rashad Evans can make inappropriate comments regarding Penn State. But hey, those guys took the prize on his TV show, so they can ride.
And of course, there’s Chael…
But Torres, no let’s make an example of him. Seriously, the double-standards and inconsistent discipline has grown quite tiresome.
My simple thoughts on the matter of why Torres was cut and Griffin was not:
http://mmafrenzy.com/26877/the-ufcs-reasoning-to-cut-miguel-torres-is-not-going-to-cut-it/#comment-205497
I don’t remember word for word how it went but didn’t Mir basically say that he wanted to kill Brock in the ring.