zatoicchi
02.08.08, 10:02
Last year, Jamie Varner was given an option. He was asked by Zuffa management to give up on what had been his dream since high school, to be a UFC fighter. But in agreeing to do so, it led to what he called the happiest moment of his life.
Varner, 22 at the time, had just run through previously unbeaten Jason Gilliam in 1:34 on UFC 68 on March 3, 2007, in Columbus, Ohio. He was told with the loaded lightweight division in UFC, it could be a long road to title contention, since he had a loss to Hermes Franca in his UFC debut in 2006. But he was promised that if he made the move to World Extreme Cagefighting, he would need only one win to get a shot at the title.
After talking it over with his friends and sponsors, they decided to take a detour of sorts, although his long-term goal still remains to be considered the best lightweight in the world.
Varner's detour a good move (http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news;_ylt=AnA6V6yz18.supA7IPXHHyQ9Eo14?slug=dm-varner080108&prov=yhoo&type=lgns)
Varner, 22 at the time, had just run through previously unbeaten Jason Gilliam in 1:34 on UFC 68 on March 3, 2007, in Columbus, Ohio. He was told with the loaded lightweight division in UFC, it could be a long road to title contention, since he had a loss to Hermes Franca in his UFC debut in 2006. But he was promised that if he made the move to World Extreme Cagefighting, he would need only one win to get a shot at the title.
After talking it over with his friends and sponsors, they decided to take a detour of sorts, although his long-term goal still remains to be considered the best lightweight in the world.
Varner's detour a good move (http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news;_ylt=AnA6V6yz18.supA7IPXHHyQ9Eo14?slug=dm-varner080108&prov=yhoo&type=lgns)