- Jan 23, 2010
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Absolutely. I'm a huge fan of his and really enjoyed getting to see pretty much every one of his fights, but I get it. He can go to ONE, win the belt and have a much easier time being the big fish in a little pond over there, and presumably make more money than UFC offered. What's he going to do in UFC at this point? Be a stepping stone or gatekeeper for the younger guys to prove they're ready for a title shot? I say this because it's clear he's not going to get a title shot any time soon over here. He's on the back 9 of his career. Take the money and easier fights.
Not sure how it works out in terms of money - I'm sure Eddie took the best deal for him.
I do think there was lots for him in the UFC still though. There are so many great fighters at 155lbs that he never fought, would have been nice to see how those styles matched up.