Pink Slip Saturdays is a new addition to MMARatings.net,
where Adam will write about five fighters on each card who could literally be
fighting for their job, given UFC president Dana White’s recent comments about cutting 100 fighters from the roster.
Opponent at UFC on FOX 7: Tim Means
MMA Record: 23-7 (0-0 UFC)
Why he could be cut: I feel bad putting Masvidal on this list considering he’s the only fighter coming off a win that will be mentioned, but the fact of the matter is the UFC’s lightweight division has too many fighters in it, and it seems as though the leash on former Strikeforce fighters is shorter than UFC fighters. Therefore, Masvidal could be in a must-win situation this Saturday when he meets Means on the FX portion of UFC on FOX 7. However, his exciting style is likely to earn him brownie points with UFC president Dana White, so if Masvidal goes out and puts on a good show for the fans this weekend, he should be safe. But if he lays a stinker, don’t be surprised if his UFC stint is cut short.
Opponent at UFC on FOX 7: Roger Bowling
MMA Record: 15-7, 1 NC (2-3 UFC)
Why he could be cut: Once a promising prospect in the WEC organization, Njokuani has been maddeningly inconsistent since coming over to the UFC, alternating wins and losses in his five Octagon appearances. In a deep UFC lightweight division it’s vital that fighters put together win streaks, and if Njokuani loses on Saturday night, it’d be his third loss in four fights , which would probably be reason enough to cut him from the roster.
Opponent at UFC on FOX 7: Anthony Njokuani
MMA Record: 11-3 (0-0 UFC)
Why he could be cut: It was kind of surprising that Bowling got a shot in the UFC, considering he lost his last fight in Strikeforce and only went 4-3 in the promotion. But UFC matchmaker Joe Silva must have seen some potential in him, especially since he’ll be dropping from 170 to 155 for this fight. Nevertheless, Bowling surely knows he’s in a must-win matchup on Saturday night, and he desperately needs a win to keep his job with the UFC.
Opponent at UFC on FOX 7: Clifford Starks
MMA Record: 4-1 (0-0 UFC)
Why he could be cut: Romero has fought only one time under the Zuffa umbrella, a knockout loss to Rafael Cavalcante back in September 2011. Since then the Cuban has dealt with a nagging neck injury, so he’ll be battling not just Starks this weekend, but also 19 months of ring rust. This will be Romero’s first fight at 185 pounds, and although he is a former Olympic silver medalist in freestyle wrestling with Cuba, he needs to win on Saturday night and prove that he’s not just a wrestler, but a true mixed martial artist.
Opponent at UFC on FOX 7: Yoel Romero
MMA Record: 8-1 (1-1 UFC)
Why he could be cut: He hasn’t fought in 14 months and is coming off a loss to gatekeeper Ed Herman, so there’s no doubt Starks is fighting for his job this weekend. There’s a reason why his fight is the first Facebook match of the night, and that’s because either he or Romero, who was discussed above, will be cut with a loss.
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UFC on Fox 7: Henderson vs. Melendez is due to take place on April 20, 2013 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California.
Click the stars to rate how good you think UFC on Fox 7 will be.
