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The UFC has released perennial Japanese contender Yushin Okami (29-8 MMA, 13-5 UFC). MMAjunkie.com today confirmed the company's decision with UFC officials.

Okami's UFC run lasted more than seven years, and included four separate winning streaks of at least three fights. A top-ranked fighter throughout his tenure in the promotion, UFC President Dana White once labeled Okami as "the best fighter to ever come out of Japan."

That praise was offered up after Okami went 10-2 in his first 12 UFC appearances and earned a shot at then-champ Anderson Silva at UFC 134, which took place in August 2011 in Rio de Janeiro. Okami suffered a second-round TKO loss and fell short in his one shot at UFC gold. He would lose again in his next outing, a surprising TKO loss to Tim Boetsch.

Despite his numerous UFC wins, Okami was often criticized for his wrestling-heavy fighting style, which saw him earn eight of his 13 career UFC wins by decision.

Okami fought most recently at "UFC Fight Night 28: Teixeira vs. Bader," where he suffered a first-round TKO stoppage at the hands of Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza. The loss snapped a three-fight winning streak for Okami that saw him earn wins over Hector Lombard, Alan Belcher and Buddy Roberts. Despite the loss, Okami still sits at No. 7 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie.com MMA middleweight rankings.

http://www.mmajunkie.com/news/2013/09/u ... shin-okami

In much the same way as veteran and former title challenger Jon Fitch before him, Yushin Okami had become a "gatekeeper" in the UFC, and it was time for him to go.

That's how UFC President Dana White on Sunday characterized the promotion's decision to part ways with the Japanese fighter this past week, a little more than two years after he fought for the middleweight title.

Okami (29-8 MMA, 13-5 UFC) left on a loss, a first-round TKO against Ronaldo Souza earlier this month in "Jacare's" home country of Brazil. But prior to that, he had won three straight fights.

Earlier this year, the UFC released Fitch (24-6-1) after a loss to Demian Maia at UFC 156, a decision that at the time was looked at as one of the most surprising UFC cuts in history, given Fitch was a former title challenger in the welterweight division and was 14-3-1 with the promotion. Fitch went on to sign with World Series of Fighting, and in June was choked unconscious in 41 seconds by Josh Burkman in his promotional debut.

With Fitch, White said money played a part. The veteran made a disclosed $66,000 for his loss to Maia, a number that would have doubled with a win. And White said paying that kind of money for someone whose previous four fights featured just one win, two losses and a draw didn't make much sense.

But in the case of Okami, White on Sunday, speaking to a small group of reporters following a "World Tour" stop for UFC 168 in Rio de Janeiro, said money wasn't a factor. But like Fitch, "gatekeeper" status was.

"It was the same thing when we were talking about (Fitch). You have to look at a guy," White said. "Yushin Okami's been there forever, and I've said many times I have nothing but respect for Yushin Okami. I think he's one of the best Japanese fighters ever. But a guy gets to a point where he becomes the gatekeeper, and they start to go on a skid."

White, of course, no stranger to Monday morning quarterbacking and criticism from fans and media members, knew there would be some controversy with the Fitch release, just as he knew there might be with Okami.

"When I said this about Jon Fitch, all these f---ing idiot experts on the Internet and all over Twitter and everywhere else (were upset) – these guys are big experts, yet I've been doing this for 13 years," White said.

With Fitch, White's argument that the fighter's skills may be winding down were in some ways validated with his loss to Burkman. With Okami, time will have to tell. The fighter has not announced a new deal elsewhere, though the Las Vegas-based WSOF has indicated interest in signing him.

White didn't rule out the opportunity for Okami, who is 32, to fight his way back into the UFC.

"It's time for Yushin Okami to go out and test himself outside the UFC, get some wins and maybe come back, and it's time for some other guys to fight in that division," White said. "Yushin Okami's had every opportunity in the world, taking on all the best. He even got a title shot and didn't win. It is what it is. It's no different than the NFL, soccer or any other sport. There comes a time when a team moves on and does other things, no matter where the guy ranks."

http://www.mmajunkie.com/news/2013/09/d ... shin-okami