UFC 102 Fallout: Couture Re-Signs, Liddell Texts, More

Only in the career of Randy Couture could a loss precede a contract renewal: according to Sherdog’s Loretta Hunt, Couture has signed a new six-fight contract that will keep him in the UFC fold until he’s back in diapers. More importantly, it puts him out of reach of Strikeforce, Japan, or whatever other insidious force threatens to take even .002% of the UFC’s market share.

Apparently, Couture’s performance Saturday against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira -- a valiant effort that smothered any talk of retirement -- made Chuck Liddell agitated: according to Dana White’s post-fight press speech, Liddell texted him frequently during the show about returning to the cage.

Seeing Liddell against Mark Coleman would probably pique interest without being perceived as sadistic; seeing Liddell against a throat-slitting 205 pounder like Thiago Silva would be a brutal bit of work.

Both Couture and Nogueira pocketed $60,000 for Fight of the Night honors, which is deserved in one respect, but questionable in another: as headliners, the two have appreciably better salaries than undercard athletes. I’m guessing $60,000 isn’t going to change their day, but it could make a radical difference in the lives of guys fighting for $5,000/$5,000. I’d rather big-money athletes be exempt from bonus incentives.