Lightweights in the UFC and Jens Pulver

**owlex** · Posted On: 9/17/2002 8:04pm

So this weekend the UFC kicks off its lightweight tournament to crown the nextlightweight champion. This brings to mind several interesting thoughts....

1) WOuldn't it be cool if they'd do a four man tournament in the same night for the belt.

2) Is the lightweight champion really a the champ if he doesn't beat jens pulver?

what do you think whoever wins the title gets a shot a Jens? How hard would it be for Zuffa to cough up the $$$$$ to get Jens back in the ring. I'm not talking about a multi fight deal, just a contract that pays him what he is worth for one fight at a time......

9chambers · Posted On: 9/18/2002 5:03am

By now there have been so many champs in the UFC at every weight class .. I don't think anybody can really claim to be the people's champ. If a guy wins a few times and he retires, then great. I don't think that makes him Muhamed Ali. I am not going to think he would beat every guy that comes after him just because he was undefeated for a short run.

Respect to Frank Shamrock, Mark Kerr, Rickson Gracie and everyone ~ but compete long enough and you are going to lose a bunch. This isn't a sport that lends itself to creating icons.

Maybe I am wrong. Any thoughts?

**owlex** · Posted On: 9/18/2002 5:25pm

You're absolutely right, most NHB fighters don't go 31-0 like boxers do. That is because for the most part NHB fighters get matched up with the best in their weightclass after winning 8-9 fights.

Not like boxers that get "fed" a bunch of chumps to beat up on for 20 fights or so....

The things with Jens Pulver is not that he retired, but the UFC basically didn't renew his contract while he was the champ. Its all cause they won't give him the $$$ that he is worth. His challengers are making more than he is sometimes. He holds the belt, thats just not right.

Its one thing to retire, or to leave, but basically the UFC dumped its lightweight champ in his prime and are now looking for another champ.

BJ Penn, one of the contenders for the title has even stated that he wants a shot at Jens again....

To sum it up, I think the UFC screwed a fighter and now they are hoping we don't notice when they put a new champ in his place...

9chambers · Posted On: 9/19/2002 1:52am

What kind of a salary should a UFC fighter get and who should decide?

**DLirag** · Posted On: 9/19/2002 5:19am

Market forces should decide. Zuffa should offer enough money to keep UFC more lucrative than the competition, but not to the point where they can't profit.

**owlex** · Posted On: 9/20/2002 5:36pm

I agree the market should decide to a degree... typically they way many NHB fighters are paid is:

$XXX to show, $YYYY to win.

With that being said, Jens pulver in his last fight with BJ Penn made some $20,000 (I think it was like $10,000 and $10,000). He was the winner and the current champ at the time.

BJ Penn made $19,000 for losing.

The gripe for Jens was that even though he was the champ he needed to win the fight just to make a bit more than BJ.

That is crazy. Also Jens is making much less than any other UFC belt holder.

9chambers · Posted On: 9/21/2002 3:49am

Did the other guy have a better record in other NHB events or something? I don't understand why they gave him so much money?

Man, I am not going to complain if someone gives me $20,000 for a night's work.