One of the most familiar faces in the UFC is about to end his association with the organisation.
Rumours circulated on Wednesday that Joe Silva, long-time UFC matchmaker, will leave his post at the end of the year.
Silva currently works alongside Sean Shelby in booking all fights for the promotion and was something of a stalwart for the company, often the first man into the Octagon to shake the hand of a fight winner.
I have confirmed that Joe Silva is parting ways with the UFC
— #Dizz (@TalkMMA) August 31, 2016
Departure to come by the end of the year, I'm told. https://t.co/oMZ1VUP4je
— Mike Bohn (@MikeBohn) August 31, 2016
Silva’s exit will likely cause shockwaves through the UFC as it was he who had booked some of the most legendary fights of all time.
Changes were always expected under the new ownership regime of WME-IMG, who acquired majority ownership of the UFC after Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta sold their stakes last month.
Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Snowden tweeted his theory behind Silva’s departure, suggesting that the recent matchmaking model pushed forward by the promotion went against what Silva stood for.
https://twitter.com/JESnowden/status/771014308268498945
Eagle-eyed viewers believed that they’d witnessed an angry exchange between Silva and new UFC CEO Ari Emanuel during the UFC 202 weigh-ins, as Cody Garbrandt and Takyea Mizugaki took to the scales, but that’s pure speculation at this stage.
With the exit of “babysitter to the stars” Burt Watson last year, fans will have to get used to the loss of another recognisable face from behind the scenes of the promotion.
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