5 former UFC fighters Dana White might rehire
The UFC has no shortage of superstar fighters. Dana White's mastery of promoting ensures audiences are kept on their toes from show to show for the most part.
As loaded as the UFC roster is, there are both superstars and journeymen alike who fall by the wayside and are let go. The reasons vary from the outrageous to a simple lack of winning and/or drawing power.
As unfortunate as losing a place on the world's most prestigious MMA roster is, it's not necessarily the end of the affair. Many fighters have come back to the UFC after long lay-offs or stays in other promotions. Next month, the legendary Nick Diaz will be making his return after six years away from the fighting game.
With 'Diablo' on the way back, it's safe to say Dana White is open to re-hiring when there's good reason. Here are five former UFC fighters who might return to the promotion one of these days.
#5. Former UFC featherweight Jordan Griffin
At 18-9, Jordan Griffin’s record isn’t exactly outstanding. Despite the alarming amount of losses he’s eaten in his 10 years as an MMA fighter, Griffin has shown moments of greatness.
His technical submission win over TJ Brown is a perfect example. Sinking in a fatal guillotine choke in round two, Griffin also netted himself Performance of the Night honors. The skill and precision he displayed here was nothing short of exceptional. Outside of the UFC, ‘The Native Psycho’ has bagged featherweight gold in King of the Cage, Big Guns and Dakota FC.
Following his unanimous decision loss to Luis Saldaña in April, Griffin was cut from the UFC roster. Interestingly, there was a lot of controversy surrounding his final defeat in the promotion. A whopping 16 out of 18 media scores had Griffin as the winner of the bout. Despite the contentious nature of his loss, Griffin was still dropped from the promotion.
At 31, Jordan Griffin has plenty of years left in him. If he can improve his win-loss ratio elsewhere, it’s perfectly plausible Dana White will give him a second chance in the UFC’s featherweight division eventually.