
(Jens Pulver finds himself in an all-too-familiar spot against Urijah Faber at WEC 38. Photo courtesy of WEC.tv.)
From JensPulver.com via MMA Mania:
well shit. damn that body shot hurt like no other and damned if I fell into his choke, and well fight is over. I never meant to get all emotional in the interview after the fight but when he asked me if I am still relevant it got me thinking. I could hear the crowd and boy I have to tell you it was loud and really started to move me inside that cage. Thus the F bomb at the end, I guess I was saying that to myself just happened to be out loud. There is nothing but doubt running through my mind, wondering if I am hanging on to long or am I really just at the point of turning things around. I do feel great when I am getting prepared, just had so many things going against me this time it was tough to get away for a good solid two months to give myself the best chance of winning. I do not know where I am gonna go from here and I do not know if you all just watched the last fight for lil evil. I know this I have battled all they put in front of me and I know I have always tried to do my best out there. I have been open and honest for the most part when talking and answering any question asked. I love this sport and I have loved watching it grow and become bigger and bigger as each month passes. I guess it is time to just go home and figure out where to go next. I can say this it has been an honor to fight in front of all of you who have taken the time [to] watch and all of you who take the time to come on here and say whats up. I wish you all the best in the world. again my apologies to my family, my camp at AMC and to my fans.
Sucks to hear a legend like Pulver come face-to-face with the end of the line. But to me, Pulver’s loss to Urijah Faber on Sunday didn’t prove much — we already knew he couldn’t hang with the California Kid. Any fighter needs to do some serious re-evaluation after taking three straight losses, but the WEC can at least partially be blamed for Pulver’s last one. They’re the ones who booked him against Faber (again) after he was already on a two-fight skid, and didn’t let him postpone the match to March even though he was dealing with a new baby and the death of a close friend.
Between the two losses to Faber, Pulver got wrecked by Leonard Garcia, who may become the WEC’s next 145-pound champion. But in his first fight in the WEC, he choked out the very-respectable Cub Swanson in 35 seconds. Has Pulver really deteriorated that much in the last two years, or did he just run into Garcia on a good night, and Faber on any night? Why pack it in when you’re still skilled enough to beat good fighters (though not great ones), and when fans still love to watch you compete? Or is there no point when you know you’ll never be a champion again?
New nickname Jens “little putz” Pulver. What what in the butt?