In wake of rescinded suspension, Cung Le requested release from UFC contract

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Cung Le (9-3 MMA, 2-2 UFC) today said he’s lost the motivation to fight for the UFC and requested his release from the promotion after it accused him of using performance-enhancing drugs.

“I asked (my manager) Gary (Ibarra) to ask the UFC to release me for … what they’ve done to me,” Le (9-3 MMA, 2-2 UFC) said on the Gross Point Blank podcast. “I really don’t want to be a part of a promotion that doesn’t (give) their fighters the benefit of the doubt.”

The middleweight’s request comes more than one month after the UFC rescinded a one-year suspension given to the fighter after doubts were raised about the validity of a post-fight drug test that found elevated levels of human growth hormone following a fourth-round TKO loss to Michael Bisping at UFC Fight Night 48.

The UFC said it could not prove Le had elevated levels of HGH in his system and elected to rescind the suspension after standing by the results of the test, which was conducted by an independent laboratory not certified by the World Anti-Doping Agency to conduct HGH testing.

For Le, the experience of being accused and then exonerated left a “bad taste in his mouth” that made up his mind about his future with the UFC. However, he said his request isn’t ultimately aimed at continuing his career in Bellator, which is headed by his longtime former promoter, Scott Coker.

“Just because I asked to be released doesn’t mean I’m going to run over to Bellator,” he said. “Yes, Scott’s been my friend for 20 years, and he would have never done anything like that. He would have given me the benefit of the doubt, and he would have gone out and done his research that all the facts were straight before they would have released it, because that’s the kind of person he is.

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With the odd situation he is in I wonder what the UFC will counter with... if he is let go, I feel like it's guaranteed he just goes and runs to Bellator. What the fuck else is he going to do?
What do you guys think?

i never got behind cung le. a few impressive kos on his record but i was never a fan. i dont think he offers the ufc anything. let him go fight in wsof or bellator. or better yet put him in one fc and he will be the biggest star in asia right behind sexyama

drainbamage wrote:

i never got behind cung le. a few impressive kos on his record but i was never a fan. i dont think he offers the ufc anything. let him go fight in wsof or bellator. or better yet put him in one fc and he will be the biggest star in asia right behind sexyama

This. i like cung le and all and he does put on good fights but he just cant hang with most of the UFC roaster now. Best bet for him like drainbamage said go to FC and be the next big thing for them.

He seems to be a little too butt-hurt over the whole situation, but I do think this is the best way to handle it. Don't go the Rampage/Tito/Couture route, where you talk mad shit about the UFC for 2 years while simultaneously collecting a paycheck and phoning it in during your fights.

I think he is doing the right thing if he feels his relationship with the UFC is un-mendable; just a quick, clean break so both parties can move on.

Meh he's more a novelty draw than anything else and kinda old. Perhaps he's so quick to bail cause he doesn't want to get caught with HGH or PED's and got scared off. Anyways no real loss. He can fight Tito over in Belator.