Det blev under gårdagen annonserat att XFC:s lättviktsmästare Nick Newell nu har blivit fråntagen sin titel då han tackat nej till en motståndare.
XFC:s president John Prisco var inte speciellt glad över hans beteende och menade på att Newell var rädd för motståndaren Scott Holtzman. Nedan följer en del av vad han hade att säga.
”Listen, when Nick came to us at the XFC Tryouts, his biggest complaint was that no one would take a fight against him. Everyone was telling him, it’s a no-win situation taking the fight. If you beat him, you beat a guy with half an arm…. and if you lose, you just lost to a guy with half an arm. He knew by signing with our promotion that he was going to be guaranteed fights, as our fighters fight the person I put in front of them. Nick built his name on fighters who were willing to step up and fight him. And now, the opportunity he received, he is not willing to extend to Scott, even though they both carry the same XFC record (4-0). To me, that’s hypocritical and I have zero respect and no room for any individual that acts like that in my organization.”
”I think Nick knows what I believe. He was going to lose. Nick knows he can’t defend himself when someone like Scott puts him on his back. I believe Scott is one of the most talented 155ers on the planet. He’s training on the west coast right now with Benson Henderson for that very reason. In my eyes, I saw the fight going 1st round stoppage – Holtzman by ground and pound.”
Nick expressed his wishes to me quite some months back, that he wanted to fight ex-UFC fighters, as it would be his best route to the UFC. While I have always said we are not here to be a feeder to the UFC, I understand any fighter wanting to test themselves against those higher in the rankings. Nick was offered to fight Eric Reynolds for that reason. Then Holtzman earned his shot, in much of the same fashion Nick did. Had Nick gotten past Holtzman, we then would have put him up against one of the few new veteran’d Lightweights we are about to sign.”
”Nick is being stripped of the title and Scott Holtzman will fight June 14th vs a new opponent for the XFC Lightweight Championship Belt. Contracts are going out today and we’ll be making the announcement over the weekend.
Nick is wished the best in his future endeavors and we’ll leave it at that.”
Holtzman var besiken att Newell inte såg honom som en värdig motståndare och ansåg precis som Prisco att Newell var rädd för en förlust mot ett mindre namn.
“Its disappointing to hear that Nick Newell doesn’t feel I’m worthy enough to step into the cage with him. This is what happens when a fighter is surrounded by a bunch of “yes” men. He starts to believe his own hype. Don’t get this story twisted, Nick Newell isn’t concerned about the “name” he’s wanting to beat, he’s concerned about the name that was about to beat him. He’s gonna tell you all that this was about him wanting to beat a “UFC vet”, but its not. He knew a loss was coming and he’s playing damage control. He’s making sure he covers his ass. He’s making sure he can say, “yea I lost, but it was to a UFC vet”, instead of having to say he lost to Scott Holtzman.”
Strax efter så tweetade han följande.
@notoriousnewell don’t be scared homey
— Scott Holtzman (@HotSauceHoltzy) May 9, 2013
Newell förklarade sig senare via Facebook.
EVERYBODY CALM DOWN! First of I AM NOT UNDER CONTRACT WITH THE XFC. XFC promoted a fight that didn’t exist yet.
The headlines are misleading and imply that I was stripped of my title because I refused to fight when in fact I just chose not to renew my contract with the XFC. I am not scared to fight anybody. I have been through too much in my life to be scared of any man. All you have to do is look at one of my fights to see my heart & my fearless style. This has nothing to do with me being scared. It is more so just an attempt to bully me into a contract.
XFC trash talking me and trying to slander my name upsets me more then anything but they are promoters. XFC is promoting, thats what they do. They have to try and make their guys look as good as possible and I’m not one of their guys so it is at my expense.
Even though Scott is bad mouthing me as well, I have no ill will towards him. I consider myself to be a professional and as a professional I choose to stay away from negative talk towards other fighters, but I understand that he is an unfortunate victim of circumstance.
Definitely not scared just have my eyes on bigger pastures.
Vart tror du Newell hamnar härnäst?
