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Jan 24, 2012 - Brazilian featherweight Junior Assuncao (13-5) has been released from the UFC following a late-December loss to "The Ultimate Fighter 9" winner Ross Pearson at UFC 141.
Assuncao announced the news via Twitter on Tuesday.
"I just got cut from the UFC," he wrote. "Apparently they did not like my last fight. I'm not in control of all this. Thanks UFC for the opportunity.
"The boss himself told me the fight was good, got a performance (bonus), was in a good win streak before that last fight. I don't understand."
Assuncao is 7-1 over his last eight fights, including a UFC 135 win over former Tachi Palace Fights champion Eddie Yagin, so the fighter's confusion is not without merit.
The 30-year-old went on to attribute the decision towards "politics behind scenes" and say he had "no leverage to argue with the UFC."
"Maybe it was personal," Assuncao explained. "There wasn't any improper behavior. I'm not the one talking to the UFC so I'm helpless on this decision."
Assuncao is now 2-3 over two stints inside the UFC, with notable losses to Pearson, Nate Diaz, and Kurt Pellegrino. The Pearson fight, in particular, was as hard-fought of a loss as they come, and marked the first time the Brazilian tasted defeat since mid-2008.
6 comments
Junior Assuncao Cut From UFC
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Comments
That was surprising
Didn’t expect him to be cut after this fight.
"To me in this sport, it’s fighting, it’s mixed martial arts, and I feel there’s too many athletes and not enough fighters…I think these people going in taking these sports enhancement drugs, they’re not real fighters, they’re athletes. I’m a fighter. I’m a real fighter. That’s all I did my whole life." - BJ Penn
by Triangled on Jan 24, 2012 9:57 AM PST reply actions
I don’t have a problem with this. He made it a very bad fight with Pearson, he was just playing defense the whole time basically. After that performance I’m not in a hurry to see him fight again.
"I want to tell me what you see, let's go ahead and see by the fight, what you saw, in the ring."
by Horselover Fat on Jan 24, 2012 10:15 AM PST reply actions
It is perhass a little harsh, but as Horselover says, his style of fighting was not eye catching at all. Against Yagin he basically clowned him, made little effort to finish the fight. And against Pearson he basically got a takedown then didn’t engage at all after that each time
Proud veteran of the elite unstoppable predictions juggernaut known as the K1 Level Predictions Team (2011-2011)
by StevenGiles on Jan 24, 2012 11:03 AM PST reply actions
Duffee Treatment
I don’t really care that he was cut because for me he’s “just another Brazilian” but 1 loss in 8 shouldn’t lead to him being fired. He’s got the Todd Duffee treatment here, although like I said this one doesn’t really bother me whereas Duffee’s release was a complete travesty.
by caseytanner on Jan 24, 2012 12:56 PM PST reply actions
More like Gerald Harris treatment
expendable, unmarketable, boring fighter. Dime a dozen.
Cecil People's Champs
Still the head conductor of the Charles Oliveira hype train.
by Stiff Jab on Jan 24, 2012 6:24 PM PST up reply actions
I thought that he was acting like a dick in the fight against Yagin. He was doing some lameass showy shit as if he was destroying Yagin, which he wasn’t doing. I so wanted Pearson to pound his face in. Oh well he still got cut. BOOYA!
by pingpongplaya on Jan 25, 2012 7:03 AM PST reply actions
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