Another Rant by yours truely on Open Contracts.

PART FOUR: OPEN CONTRACTS This subject can be up for debate everytime we see a new fighter on another show display talent amongst the Elite. But everytime a fighter like this comes along this phrase is mentioned. "He should fight in the UFC". Now I've heard this comment one too many times, and I'm not sick of it(not at all). I have always believed a fighter can make his name anywhere that isnt UFC and still be legit & credible.

So this is my opinion on the Open Contracts: You're a fighter who just fought at Strikeforce and won, and is waiting down the road for your next match. But one doesn't come up. But another organization wants you to fight on their card until a fight comes up. You take the fight wherever & whenever its offered. But you still belong to Strikeforce.

Its seems with MMA growing out of control(I'm Joking), its kind of hard to keep a fighter in one place, or have good competition for their fighters. The World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts(WAMMA) organization has been doing of this for quite some time now. Even now their fighters who fight under their banner dont belong to them at all. All these fighters belong to other companies, who share fighters to make great match ups. Strikeforce, M-1, Affliction are all a part of WAMMA, and still have their own champions. Affliction is the only company to have the WAMMA champion.

So this is the Idea. UFC, should they allow their fighters open contracts? They will still be UFC fighters, but they can go to M-1, or Strikeforce to face someone they match up well against. If this could be the case, this would also allow fighters outside the UFC like Fedor, Josh Barnett, Geghard Mousasi, Jake Shields & Shinya Aoki to fight in the UFC. With no worries of stealing/losing fighters from someone else's company. They can just lend the fighters to compete.

Of course there would be some grounds for the contracts to be changed, if by saying Fedor fights the UFC Champion and wins. He will then be UFC champion. Then a new kind of contarct can be made. Not limiting him to only fight in UFC, but anywhere he wants too since he didn't belong to UFC at the time. But when its time to defend the title, they go back to the company where the belt is from(UFC) and defend it. This could finally bring the Unified Undisputed Champion to rest.

But this is only speculating if UFC is willing to follow suit. These other companies have open contracts, why not UFC. This is the only way we as fans can see Fedor(heavyweight) or Shinya Aoki(lightweight) fight UFC fighters of their divisions. Since they are both the WAMMA champions it would be great to show how they compare to UFC so called Best fighters(I'm still joking).

1st Example was Elite XC. Jake Shields became the 1st(and last) Elite XC Welterweight Champion by defeating Nick Thompson. At that Time Thompson was the BodogFight Welterweight Champion. His 1st title defense was against Rage Cage's Welterweight Champion Paul Daley.

2nd Example: Renato "Babalu" Sobral is the Strikeforce Light Heavtweight Champion. And fights for Affliction. Soon to be the WAMMA Light Heavyweight Champion.

Last Example: Alistair Overeem. He's the Top Heavyweight in DREAM, and the Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion. He defends his title whenever a challenger comes for it.

This is what I can come up with on the whole 'Open Contract' theory in UFC. Tell me what you think of it. If you have any Examples please add as your comments.