Outside Source
The UFC’s release of Almeida set fire to the internet on Wednesday. After two lackluster fights, the top-10 UFC heavyweight was let go despite a promotional record of 8-3. The unexpected cut immediately reached the trending topics of MMA world with media, fans and fighters discussing the reason in a division where Tai Tuivasa suffered his sixth straight loss and still remains on the roster.
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Some of performances rubbed the UFC brass the wrong way, namely when Almeida outgrappled Derrick Lewis in a dreadful five-rounder where he unleashed very little damaging offense. His slow, plodding decision defeats to Alexander Volkov and Rizvan Kuniev spelled his undoing, and UFC veteran Gilbert Burns picked up on that. “Durinho” shared his opinion through his YouTube channel on Thursday about his countryman’s release, bringing up two very important points that may explain the UFC´s decision.
“I think it was a warning from UFC to all fighters,” Burns remarked. “Paramount just put a lot of money here. We are in a new era. We need entertainment.”
“Durinho” also made sure to add another aspect most did not address: the athlete’s management team might not have been doing the best job they could to keep him under contract.
“I don’t know [Almeida’s] manager and I don’t want to say anything bad about this guy,” Burns noted cautiously. “But the managers must understand that they work for the fighters. After Lewis and Volkov, probably [the] UFC told him that they didn’t like his performances. The manager should have warned the trainers and ‘Malhadinho’ about that in order to totally change his attitude in the Octagon.”
Manage This
Furthering his point on the role of managers in the sport of MMA, Burns harped on the importance of the manager to maintain a solid relationship with the company. He noted that his management team helmed by Ali Abdelaziz handled a similar issue for a future champion, helping out a fighter that may have not reached that opportunity if not for them.
“I remember that Ali once told me the UFC didn’t like Kamaru [Usman],” Burns recalled. “He promoted a dinner with Kamaru and [UFC President and CEO] Dana [White], who finally started to like Kamaru and created a relationship. After that, his career reached another level. And something similar happened to me when I accepted to face [Khamzat] Chimaev. But unfortunately, most managers don’t behave like Ali, they think that fighters will fire them if they have a good contact with the boss.”
The ex-welterweight title challenger knows that the MMA landscape outside of the UFC is not what it once was, and options for big men like Almeida are limited. Burns only saw one reasonable path for his fellow Brazilian to carry on at the highest level.
“Before we had Bellator and other events, today there is just one way, PFL. I truly hope ‘Malhadinho’ gets two amazing knockouts there and gets his way back to the UFC. I really wish the best for him,” Burns finished.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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