Whispers were in the wind that former UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez was on the fast track back to the Octagon. But after failing to make weight for today’s fight in Israel, failing by a whopping ten pounds, it’s safe to say the Ricco Rodriguez train has once again been derailed.
A gifted grappler, Rodriguez had seen his life fall apart, a victim of the fast life, overeating, and a general lack of giving a crap. Once a plump 300-plus pounds, Rodriguez was attempting to reinvent himself as a light heavyweight. Riding a nine fight win streak, the future looked bright for the former champ who, seven years removed from his title loss, is still just 33 years old.
The real victim in all this, according to ESPN’s Jake Rossen isn’t the perpetually troubled Rodriguez. It’s his opponent Daniel Tabera a professional who met his obligations and will now have to fight a heavyweight instead of a fighter at 205 pounds:
Rodriguez came in heavy, paid his opponent 20 percent of his purse and apologized. Great, right? But no amount of money or kind words is going to substitute for the fact that Dan Tabera now has to deal with a guy who seemingly didn’t put in quite the same effort to make weight as he did. A similar incident happened several weeks ago, when Murilo Rua took a catchweight fight against a guy who showed up heavy. It’s a predatory thing to do: No fighter wants to waste time and training, so they’re likely to accept the fight anyway. Rua did, and lost.
Making weight is one of the responsibilities of a professional fighter. Eleven years and 55 fights into his career, Rodriguez knows this. Now even if he manages to beat Tabera, a tough Spanish fighter, there will be a pall over the victory. Taber, the sport, promoters, and the fans deserve better. Rodriguez deserves better too. It’s time for the former champion to reinvent himself yet again – this time as a lithe and in shape heavyweight looking to take it to the big boys in the division. There is a future for Ricco Rodriguez in MMA. It’s just not in the light heavyweight division.