Cirkunov, Larkin, Story mysteriously dropped from UFC ratings
The updated UFC rankings are out, and saw some changes from Saturday’s UFC on FOX 23 event: •Jorge Masvidal jumped…
The updated UFC rankings are out, and saw some changes from Saturday’s UFC on FOX 23 event:
•Jorge Masvidal jumped seven spots to reach #5;
•Cowboy Cerrone dropped three spots to #8;
•Francis N’Gannou jumped four spots to #6;
•Andrei Arlovski dropped three spots to #10; and,
•Julianna Pena dropped two spots to #4.
However, Rick Story, Lorenz Larkin, and Misha Cirkunov disappeared from the rankings. Story won three in a row before losing to Cerrone in the summer and had been ranked #9 in the welterweight division. Getting released on a single loss is reserved only for fighters the league wants badly to get rid of; and Story is an exciting fighter. Larkin is 4-1 his last five, on a two-fight wins streak, and had been ranked #6 in the welterweight division. And Cirkunov is on an eight-fight wins streak, the last four in the UFC, and had been ranked #8 in the light heavyweight division.
MMAjunkie’s Mike Bohn offered an explanation.
Misha Cirkunov, Lorenz Larkin & Rick Story have been removed from latest UFC rankings. I'm told none are currently under UFC contract.
— Mike Bohn (@MikeBohn) February 2, 2017
The fighters cannot have been released from their contracts over performance, so the removal from the rankings is due to contract negotiations. It is possible that the negotiations are at a close, and the fighters are seeking employment with a different promotion. If so, some promotion or promotions are going to sign some exciting fighters.