Double Trouble: After Losing at UFC 122, the UFC Releases Peter Sobotta and Goran Reljic

The recent ufc 122: “Marquardt vs. Okami” event in Germany was a pretty big night for several of its performers. In the main event, Yushin Okami finally chased down the UFC Middleweight Championship title shot that he had been hunting for so very long. Dennis Siver also landed himself on everyone’s radar in a big way with his dominant performance at UFC 122. But it was also a rough night for many, with several humbling defeats. And recently, it’s gotten out that two fighters have been released from the UFC following their losing performances at UFC 122. Here are all the details.

First up is Five Ounces of Pain, who reports that Goran Reljic has been let go by the UFC. Reljic entered the UFC with considerable hype, sporting a 7-0 record with only one fight having gone the distance. Reljic looked to be a potential can’t-miss prospect when he won his debut, but unfortunately for him, his career took a swift downturn. After taking almost two years off, Reljic would return to the UFC, drop down to Middleweight, and post back-to-back losses. His recent bout at UFC 122 marked his return to Light Heavyweight… but also his third straight loss in a row.

Next comes word from Cage Potato, who recently reported that Peter Sobotta has also parted ways with the UFC. Sobotta entered the UFC 8-1 with all wins by stoppage, but was never able to find any firm footing in the sport’s biggest MMA promotion. When he lost via Unanimous Decision to “The Ultimate Fighter” winner Amir Sadollah at UFC 122, it marked the third time in a row Sobotta had lost by Unanimous Decision. Unlike Reljic, Sobotta couldn’t win a single fight while inside the organization.

To be perfectly honest, neither of these releases surprise me and I think both are warranted. I know that’s an incredibly harsh view to take, but I’m not without sympathy. I realize the hardship that must be involved when you’re forced to go back to the minors after competing in the big leagues. It’s a tough challenge for anyone, regardless of who you are or what your record is. So at least part of me can certainly empathize with both men.

However, another part of me realizes that both men pretty much dug their own graves. The UFC is as competitive as it gets, and things are only going to get tougher now that the WEC/UFC merger is going to bring a lot of top-level competition into the UFC. In that type of environment, you simply have to win on a consistent basis. The UFC can be criticized for keeping on hit-or-miss fighters past the point of them having any sort of relevancy, but they’ll outright lose credibility if they retain the services of fighters on big losing streaks. And a three-fight losing streak is huge in the UFC.

Ultimately, I think there’s a chance that we may see these two back in the UFC. Their records spoke for themselves when they debuted, so there is a chance that a trip back down the food chain will give them the much-needed victories that have eluded them. I can’t say I was a fan of either man, but I think both entertained at UFC 122 despite their losses. So while I don’t have any objections to raise regarding their firings, I certainly don’t think the future is hopeless for either man.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you think of the UFC releasing Goran Reljic and Peter Sobotta?