Kalib Starnes, who fought on the most recent UFC card, was given his walking papers for refusing to engage, creating one of the most boring and sadly comical spectacles ever witnessed in the octagon.

Dana White, president of the UFC, said, “”He just doesn’t belong in the UFC and after his performance the other night, he should consider a new line of work.” Ouch.

I watched UFC 83 live, as one of my buddies had money on Starnes, and we couldn’t believe what we were watching. I didn’t think it was possible for someone to lose a three-round fight 30-24. That’s so bad that it’s impressive in it’s own way.

If you didn’t see the fight, Starnes was matched up with Nate Quarry in a middleweight bout, but Starnes spent most of the fight going backwards, refusing to engage. By the end of the fight, Quarry was mocking Starnes by doing the “running man,” much to the crowd’s enjoyment. Sadly, Starnes was the Canadian, but the locals quickly turned on him and began cheering Quarry.

By the end of the fight, it was as if Rocky had gone to Russia again, as the crowd turned and started rooting for the invader, turning their backs on the hometown star.

Starnes has said that he broke his foot early in the fight, which led to his defensive and elusive style, and that after the fight, he asked for his release from the UFC.

From MMA Junkie:

“In my opinion, it was inappropriate to make public statements regarding my character and my future and so on the way that he has, especially without having the courage and the respect to call me up and speak with me personally,” Starnes told The Fight Network. “All of these comments come from a man that has never had a fight in his entire life who claims to be the ultimate authority on fighting and courage. I couldn’t be happier than to be released from the most oppressive contract I’ve ever been under in my life.”

While he did perform embarrassingly, he may also have a point. I have long said that Dana White is a terrible representative and executive for the UFC, and that the UFC contracts are an embarrassment to professional sports. Maybe Starnes figured out the way to get out of this league.

Perhaps now we can convince Anderson Silva to refuse to engage and run in his next fight. If White fires Silva, maybe Silva can land the Roy Jones fight that he’s been seeking.

Starnes apparently tracked down Quarry after the fight to apologize for his actions — or lack thereof.

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