5 UFC fighters who were accused of being unprofessional
The UFC, a global powerhouse, rosters well over six hundred fighters. With a promotion as successful as the UFC, unprofessionalism is, unfortunately, a byproduct of its prosperity. After the organization caught fire in 2001, the UFC brass restructured the promotion into a highly sanctioned, organized and controlled environment.
Nonetheless, there are bad apples in any fighting promotion. The UFC remains the top fighting organization in the world. Oftentimes, fighters are tasked with competing through regional circuits before getting a UFC contract. Once a fighter makes it to the big show, there is little, if any, room for unprofessionalism.
Six years ago today, @nickdiaz209 taunted Anderson Silva by literally lying down in the Octagon 😅 https://t.co/wqi0sKOZnM
However, that does not mean there is no unprofessionalism in the UFC. While some fighters continually fail to make weight, others violate the UFC's code of conduct policy. There are also those who do not fulfill their media obligations. Of course, some acts are so egregious that the promotion has even parted ways with such fighters for their lack of professionalism.
UFC fighters are accused of being unprofessional at an alarming regularity. With a sport as visceral as mixed martial arts, fans get a unique perspective into the fighters they connect with most. On that note, here's a look at five UFC fighters who were accused of being unprofessional:
#5. Paulo Costa
Paulo Costa's ink just dried on this list. The Brazilian admitted he would be unable to make the contracted 186-pound limit for his UFC Vegas 41 fight with Marvin Vettori. With a few days out from the event, many were surprised to see that Costa still had time to cut weight.
After 'The Eraser' seemingly shrugged off the weight miss, a proposal for a catchweight bout of 195 pounds was formulated. When the promotion moved forward with Costa's demands, in the eleventh hour, the contest was once again moved, this time to 205 pounds.
The recent fiasco is the latest example of unprofessionalism in the UFC. Considering Paulo Costa has been away from the octagon for over a year, some thought the former title challenger would be dialed in and on weight, given the time allotment. After surrendering 20% of his purse, the UFC Vegas 41 headliner eventually took place as planned, but at 205 pounds.
Paulo Costa has found himself in hot water before. After facing a USADA violation for illegal IV use, the 30-year-old was suspended from UFC action for six months.