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Randy Couture is in a holding pattern. The 47-year-old doesn't want to retire from fighting, but he also wants folks in and around the MMA world to show him some respect. In his last two fights, he smashed one older dude in Mark Coleman and buried James Toney, an unqualified opponent. UFC president Dana White said Couture is top five or six at light heavyweight, so he wants to be in there with one of the best.
It sounds like he's done with fights booked primarily to help sell pay-per-views.
"My last two fights were of the novelty nature," Couture told Joyce Valdes from RawVegas.tv. "I've been through the wars; I've had the battles. I don't know if I see myself stepping up for any more of those kinds of battles. And there's a lot of tough guys in the division at 205 (pounds) right now."
Fans, media and the UFC need to decide whether they want to see Couture make another championship run.
"I think style-wise I match up better against (Mauricio) "Shogun" Rua or (Lyoto) Machida but I don't know if the UFC wants to throw me in for a title fight right away," said Couture.
If he doesn't get a big fight, Couture sounds like he's comfortable walking away from MMA. When he said this to a British blogger around the time of UFC 120, fans freaked out.
"The chatter is always funny because when I'm actively fighting, they're like 'we think Randy should retire' and then (when there's) the inkling that I might actually retire, and everybody goes 'no, no, no stay in, fight some more.' You know, make up your mind," said Couture.
It appears that the retirement talk was an attempt to send the message - it's a big-name opponent or bust.
Can Couture beat guys in the top five like Rua, Machida, Quinton Jackson or Rashad Evans? Don't scoff. Back in 2007, most of us thought that he had no shot to regain the UFC heavyweight title at age 44 and he did. Couture's been a good company man and is far from finished. He deserves to go out on his own terms
It sounds like he's done with fights booked primarily to help sell pay-per-views.
"My last two fights were of the novelty nature," Couture told Joyce Valdes from RawVegas.tv. "I've been through the wars; I've had the battles. I don't know if I see myself stepping up for any more of those kinds of battles. And there's a lot of tough guys in the division at 205 (pounds) right now."
Fans, media and the UFC need to decide whether they want to see Couture make another championship run.
"I think style-wise I match up better against (Mauricio) "Shogun" Rua or (Lyoto) Machida but I don't know if the UFC wants to throw me in for a title fight right away," said Couture.
If he doesn't get a big fight, Couture sounds like he's comfortable walking away from MMA. When he said this to a British blogger around the time of UFC 120, fans freaked out.
"The chatter is always funny because when I'm actively fighting, they're like 'we think Randy should retire' and then (when there's) the inkling that I might actually retire, and everybody goes 'no, no, no stay in, fight some more.' You know, make up your mind," said Couture.
It appears that the retirement talk was an attempt to send the message - it's a big-name opponent or bust.
Can Couture beat guys in the top five like Rua, Machida, Quinton Jackson or Rashad Evans? Don't scoff. Back in 2007, most of us thought that he had no shot to regain the UFC heavyweight title at age 44 and he did. Couture's been a good company man and is far from finished. He deserves to go out on his own terms
