UFC News: Is Randy Couture Coming back to the UFC?

Posted on September 2nd, 2008

The Rumors have been flying around that Randy Couture (16-8 MMA, 8-5 UFC) could make his return to the UFC. These rumors recently continue to build momentum. It was recently reported that preliminary negotiations have begun between the UFC and Couture that would have Couture return for UFC 91 on Nov. 15 in Portland, Oregon. Additionally, reports claim that Couture’s next fight would be the UFC 91 main event against Brock Lesnar (2-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC). Of course with rumors none of this can be proven at the time of this article and should be taken with a grain of salt, however, this has not stopped the world of MMA from continuing to discuss this topic as if it were a reality.

Couture is currently waiting out the end of his contract with the UFC, which ends on October 11th. Naturally, waiting out the end of his contract with the UFC would allow leverage for Couture to re-negotiate a new contract with the UFC that perhaps might be more lucrative for him. More money, less fights or open up some new challenges Couture would like to accomplish. This of course would, if true, place the fight with Brock Lesnar under this new contract. It has been over a year since we last saw Couture fight in the octagon.

Randy Couture New UFC Contract a Possibility

Other reports are on the basis on the amount of fights Couture will perform in under the new contract. Possible names for opponents have surfaced like Chuck Liddell, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Fedor Emelianenko from M-1.

Thus a new rumor is born from another. It was recently reported that the UFC is considering a departure from recent policy and may try to co-promote a bout with M-1 Global between Randy Couture and Fedor Emelianenko. M-1 Global currently holds Emelianenko’s contract.

The UFC previously tried and failed to secure Emelianenko’s services. As of this article it is unclear if the issues that previously prevented the bout between Couture and Emelianenko have now been solved.

With the ongoing legal battles between the UFC and Randy Couture, the only thing that is clear is that hostilities between the two are still strong. Only time will tell if Couture will fight one last time for the UFC under his current contract, re-negotiate for a new one once this contract is expired or walk away from the UFC once and for all. At 45 years old, Randy Couture could make his return to competing in the MMA in another organization all together. There’s always room for new rumors and that will get us all talking even more about the things that might not come to be.