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 159: Rustam Khabilov
MMA Record: 9-0 (0-0 UFC)
Why he could be cut: It may be strange to see an undefeated fighter on this list. but Medeiros enters his UFC debut under unusual circumstances. A Strikeforce crossover, Medeiros hasn’t stepped foot in a cage since June 2010. Since that time period, he’s worked on dropping weight and starting fresh, as the former middleweight will be taking on Khabilov in a lightweight contest on Saturday night. Considering that he likely only got the chance to fight in the UFC because he was owed fights from his old Strikeforce deal, he’s not likely to get many chances in the UFC, and a loss in his promotional debut may be reason enough to cut him.
Opponent at UFC 159: Cody McKenzie
MMA Record: 15-10-1 (2-6 UFC)
Why he could be cut: Garcia is the ultimate poster boy for the UFC’s inconsistent rulings on who they cut from the roster and who they keep. Despite the fact that Garcia has lost his last four fights, and despite him not having picked up a victory by a method other than split decision since 2008, he somehow still has a job with the UFC. That’s because his fights are usually stand-up brawls that excite the fans, but still, at the end of the day this is a sport that’s based on winning and losing, and Garcia hasn’t been winning fights for a long time. This is Garcia’s last chance to stay in the UFC, and he absolutely needs to defeat McKenzie to keep his job.
Opponent at UFC 159: Leonard Garcia
MMA Record: 13-3 (2-3 UFC)
Why he could be cut: McKenzie is great at one thing – the guillotine choke – and he’s pretty much awful everywhere else. Really, it’s surprising he’s stayed on the UFC roster this long, but I guess the UFC wants to give him one more chance at 145 pounds, considering his lone loss in the featherweight division came to Chad Mendes. However, McKenzie’s only two wins in the UFC have come over fighters no longer with the organization, so that, combined with his losing skid, puts him in a must-win situation at UFC 159.
Opponent at UFC 159: James Head
MMA Record: 9-4 (3-4 UFC)
Why he could be cut: Catone is a solid wrestler, but his UFC record is mediocre and he’s lost his last two fights. Considering that he’s been finished in three of his four losses, that he’s dealt with a variety of injuries over the last few years, and keeping in mind that he missed weight for this fight against Head, Catone absolutely needs to win on Saturday night in order to avoid the dreaded pink slip.
Opponent at UFC 159: Nick Catone
MMA Record: 9-3 (2-2 UFC)
Why he could be cut: Head has been inconsistent in the UFC, going 2-2, including a TKO loss to Mike Pyle in his last outing. With the welterweight division being one of the UFC’s most stacked divisions, fighters have to consistently win in order to keep their jobs. Although Catone missing weight might help Head keep his job should he lose, it’s not a sure thing the UFC will be so forgiving, so this is definitely a must-win fight for Head, who has lost three of his last seven fights overall.
Editor’s Note: This piece was written before the injury to Nick Catone, and the subsequent cancellation of the Catone-Head bout.
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UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen is due to take place on April 27, 2013 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
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