Ryan Bader enters free agency but hopes to stay with the UFC
Ryan Bader has only ever really known what it's like to be a UFC fighter.
After winning "The Ultimate Fighter" season 8, Bader has competed in the UFC for 19 fights over eight years while rising up the ranks as one of the top light heavyweight competitors in the sport.
Now Bader enters uncharted territory as a free agent after fighting out the last bout on his old UFC contract Saturday night with a win over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and he's not sure what the future holds just yet.
The UFC offered Bader a new deal ahead of the bout with Nogueira, but he opted to pass on the contract and fight out his old contract instead. Now Bader will be a coveted free agent property as one of the top fighters in the world in a very shallow light heavyweight division.
"I haven't really thought about it. When it came time to re-up on that fight it was kind of like why not fight it out? I got the Lil' Nog fight and now here we are," Bader said following his win.
"Look, I love the UFC, I want to fight in the UFC. It's got to make sense though."
There are obviously financial concerns for Bader, who noted numerous times that he took a big hit from the loss of his sponsors when Reebok became the exclusive clothing partner of the UFC, which eliminated fighters wearing endorsements inside the Octagon.
There's also opportunity as Bader has long wanted to compete for a UFC title, but still never received that shot throughout his career.
"I've been top five for a while now and I want those big fights," Bader said. "There's a big fight coming up in December so we'll just have to get with them and see where we go from here really."
The big fight is the main event at UFC 206 as light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier takes on Anthony "Rumble" Johnson.
Bader has history with Cormier after the two fighters engaged in a bitter war of words a year ago. He also would love the chance to avenge his previous loss to Johnson when he fell to the heavy handed striker earlier this year.
"That's who I want to fight," Bader said about the upcoming title bout in Toronto. "I've fought everybody in this division and been consistent. I think I've won seven out of my last eight fights so I feel like I hit my stride now because I had the momentum after my last loss, I said screw it, I'm just going to go out there and do what I do and not over think it. That's my mindset and hopefully things fall into place."
Bader is poised to cash in with a new deal and from the sound of things, he would like to remain with the UFC but it all depends on the upcoming negotiations to find out whether or not he's going to stay.
