Jame Varner released

http://mmajunkie.com/news/21870/former-wec-champ-jamie-varner-released-by-promotion.mma

Former WEC Champion Jamie Varner Released From WEC/UFC Following Loss

Damn. Bye mom.

0-3-1 in his last 4 fights. Not going to cut it with the merger. Also he was on his way to a loss in his last "win", saved by an injury.

Varnar was handily on his way to a decision in Cerrone 1. He also really beat Shalarous. The Roller fight was surprising for me because although Varnar isn't likable, he is a fairly talented LW. Figured they'd give him another fight, but the UFC can afford to cut him obviously. I bet he's a contender in Bellator or SF is a couple fights.

he's on his way down IMO, the losses are indicative of that

LA wrote:

Varnar was handily on his way to a decision in Cerrone 1. He also really beat Shalarous. The Roller fight was surprising for me because although Varnar isn't likable, he is a fairly talented LW. Figured they'd give him another fight, but the UFC can afford to cut him obviously. I bet he's a contender in Bellator or SF is a couple fights.

If it wasn't for a point deduction he would have lost the Shalarous fight. The last real wins he has is over Hicks and Razor Rob, two guys who also couldn't cut it in Zuffa.

Discredit the fact he was handling Cerrone most of their fight. And Varnar had done enough without the point in that fight, he outboxed Shalarous.

Like I said with the merger expect alot of cuts

Yeah Varner was going to decision Cerrone and beat Shalarous for sure. That Roller fight was pretty crazy. Just one of those crazy things where Varner was picking him apart and dropped him and then out of nowhere in a scramble Roller had his back and it was over from there

Varner needs to heal up properly, take some time off and comeback later this year. He should have never forced the Roller fight so soon, he wasn't ready for it, even with the good early performance.

A lot of WEC guys just wont cut it in the UFC, especially at the 155 level. There's a reason he had to go to WEC in the first place, guys. I don't think Varner could beat any of the top 10 UFC LWs right now, maybe even top 12-15.

joshkellerseattle wrote:

Varner needs to heal up properly, take some time off and comeback later this year. He should have never forced the Roller fight so soon, he wasn't ready for it, even with the good early performance.

A lot of WEC guys just wont cut it in the UFC, especially at the 155 level. There's a reason he had to go to WEC in the first place, guys. I don't think Varner could beat any of the top 10 UFC LWs right now, maybe even top 12-15.

It's good to see you posting here again Josh. I disagree though on most WEC guys not being UFC level. The ones they're keeping are UFC level already. The WEC LW division has been built almost entirely by Zuffa as I don't think there are many if any hold overs left from before they took over, and 55 is three times as deep as any other division on the regional level. Many of these guys could have been offered a UFC contract just as easily. S This is the reason they kept the division in the first place while they dissolved the others. ame reason that every other TUF season is a LW season. There is not a significant talent gap between most of the WEC guys and the middle of the UFC LW division. I'm not saying a ton of them are gonna march into the UFC top ten, but that isn't the measure of "UFC Level".

Yeah, we'll see how long I post...I really don't do much with message boards in general any more, but we'll see.

And yes, while there will be some 155ers that can hang with the UFC guys, it's really only a handful from the WEC. If Varner can't hack it in the UFC, then most other guys won't make a dent either. Only the WEC top 5 (Pettis, Bendo, Cerrone, Roller, Varner) has a chance to do anything and even with that, I think we'll see Roller get cut within the year and Cerrone will have his hands full. LW is just a damn tough division!

joshkellerseattle wrote:

Yeah, we'll see how long I post...I really don't do much with message boards in general any more, but we'll see.

And yes, while there will be some 155ers that can hang with the UFC guys, it's really only a handful from the WEC. If Varner can't hack it in the UFC, then most other guys won't make a dent either. Only the WEC top 5 (Pettis, Bendo, Cerrone, Roller, Varner) has a chance to do anything and even with that, I think we'll see Roller get cut within the year and Cerrone will have his hands full. LW is just a damn tough division!

Varner couldn't hack it in the WEC bro. He's never fought in the UFC. Who is gonna be beating these dudes, Mac Danzig, Mark Bocek? Yves Edwards? Antiono Mckee? Cody Mckenzie? There is just as much if not more dead weight under contract to Zuffa. There is no talent disparity.

He fought twice in the UFC, going 1-1, before getting sent to the WEC by Zuffa. I thought everyone knew this by now.

And out of those names, yes...Antonio McKee can beat most if not all those guys. At least for the next year or two before his body finally quits on him.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

joshkellerseattle wrote:

Yeah, we'll see how long I post...I really don't do much with message boards in general any more, but we'll see.

And yes, while there will be some 155ers that can hang with the UFC guys, it's really only a handful from the WEC. If Varner can't hack it in the UFC, then most other guys won't make a dent either. Only the WEC top 5 (Pettis, Bendo, Cerrone, Roller, Varner) has a chance to do anything and even with that, I think we'll see Roller get cut within the year and Cerrone will have his hands full. LW is just a damn tough division!

Varner couldn't hack it in the WEC bro. He's never fought in the UFC. Who is gonna be beating these dudes, Mac Danzig, Mark Bocek? Yves Edwards? Antiono Mckee? Cody Mckenzie? There is just as much if not more dead weight under contract to Zuffa. There is no talent disparity.

Why you be hating on my man Bocek? He should be on a 5 fight winning streak right now IMO including a win over the flava of the month, Jim Miller

No kidding, Bocek has some of the best jits in the division, he's a handful for anyone in the world at that weight!

I'm not hatin' just listing guys that are not any better than most of the remaining WEC crew.

joshkellerseattle wrote:

He fought twice in the UFC, going 1-1, before getting sent to the WEC by Zuffa. I thought everyone knew this by now.

And out of those names, yes...Antonio McKee can beat most if not all those guys. At least for the next year or two before his body finally quits on him.

That's what I am thinking also. McKee is gonna beat some guys in the UFC. He might be the "Fitch" of the LW division, but he will win some fights imo.

Awesome...another lamb for Eddie Alvarez.

Haha, I thought Bellator aswell Kings or a SF shot in 2 wins

And yes there is a speration between UFC and WEC LWs, it'll be more evident as they get incorperated into the mix. Most will find themselves bottom middle of the pack. I see Pettis as the one with the best chance, then Bendo, and finally Cerrone but not as much. the rest of the adds will be on a fight by fight basis just like those LWs listed

Bocek however doesn't belong in that mix, he's better then all WEC LWs but Pettis.

Kind of surprising, but 0-3-1........


And he seems like damaged goods.

Varnar released and Shalarous gets a 4 fight extension, what that decision may have changed.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

He's never fought in the UFC.

LA wrote:

Varnar released and Shalarous gets a 4 fight extension, what that decision may have changed.

Shalarous is a guy that could do decent in the UFC if he continues to mix in his wrestling. He's still pretty new to the MMA game if I'm not mistaken and has nice power in his hands/legs albeit a wide punching style

joshkellerseattle wrote:

He fought twice in the UFC, going 1-1, before getting sent to the WEC by Zuffa. I thought everyone knew this by now.

And out of those names, yes...Antonio McKee can beat most if not all those guys. At least for the next year or two before his body finally quits on him.

Admittedly, I did not know that. However I suppose it could be noted he won his last UFC fight. I am not high on Mckee and feel he'd be a contender in the WEC but probably not dominant above guys Kamal, Varner, Cerrone, Bendo, Pettis or Roller. All of those guys will be middle of the pack UFC LW's. A champion could emerge from that group the same as it could from the bulk of the UFC's division.