The following fighters got their walking papers from the UFC: Jon Fitch Vladimir Matyushenko Terry Etim Ulysses Gomez Josh Grispi Che Mills Jorge Santiago Paul Sass Motonobu Tezuka Jay Hieron C.J. Keith Wagner Prado Mike Russow Mike Stumpf Simeon Thoresen Jacob Volkmann Fitch was 14-3-1 in the UFC but has one win in his last four fights. Fitch's style went against him.
If the fans won't pay to see you fight you're going to have to win all the time. I guess that's the difference between Jon Fitch and Dan Hardy. Biggest disappointment in the group has to be Josh Grispi. Dude was on fire in the 00's. Some injuries kept him from getting his title shot. Completely fell off this decade.
White said today they would release 100 more fighters. Nine weight classes, 30 fighters per class, 270 fighters. The UFC has about 500. That's bloat.
How much did Fitch make? He was the top contender for a few years there so I would imagine he was making a LOT for a guy who everyone hates to watch fight and is no longer top tier. I assume he was making more than Hardy and Hardy at least has extra value in that people want to see him fight and, perhaps more specifically, hes a guy who you can throw on all the UK cards to make sure those do well.
Fitch was "fucking expensive" according to DFW. Too expensive for someone who is working his way down to becoming a prelim fighter.