3 Times the Charm for Torrez Finney
Torrez Finney has had the toughest tryouts for the toughest sport in recent history.
Not many fighters get as many chances to get into the UFC, especially on Dana White’s Contender Series. Fans have seen fighters get second chances, but to be brought back on a third time is rare. Some fighters, you just can’t let go though.
Finney’s First Time
Finney faced Yuri Panferov for the first time on Dana White’s Contender Series last year. Panferov and Finney were both undefeated fighters with records of 6-0 and Finney was able to secure a submission victory in the second round. When selection came up, UFC President Dana White felt Finney needed more experience and more fights.
Finney’s Second Time
On his second Contender Series appearance, Finney now with a record of 8-0 faced a very tall Cam Rowston who was 8-2 at the time. The fight was tougher, but Finney was able to wrestle a decision win over the towering fighter. The reason he did not get a contract, according to UFC President Dana White was because he “gassed” and did not get enough fights after it was recommended he do so last year.
Well, there was a reason for that.
Finney would have gotten more fights had he not been on the hook as a potential contestant on “The Ultimate Fighter.” Finney was expecting the fights he needed in White’s eyes to happen there until they decided they were not going to have him on the show. As soon as he knew that he was no longer going to be on the show he went looking for fights. Weeks before his second Contender Series bout, Finney told Spectation Sports, “I was selected to be on Ultimate Fighter. They flew me out there. For some reason, they just told me that I was, not the person they were looking for, for this year’s cast.”
But he was preparing to fight a few fights since that’s the point of the show.
He added, “Preparing for the Ultimate Fighter, then not being selected. I said to myself, ‘I don’t want my first fight back in the cage to be on the Contender Series again, that’d be nearly a year, and I didn’t want that for me.” Because he understood he needed more fights and admittedly liked to be busy. So his inaction was not his fault because he thought he was doing what the UFC wanted.
It looks like the UFC is realizing that now, which brings us to…
Finney’s Third Time
Finney announced on social media he would be back again, this season on October 1. He will be facing Abdellah Er-Ramy (7-1) who brings five of his seven wins by way of knockout. Most of Finney’s wins (six) some by way of knockout as well so the fight will likely bring one to fans watching. Finney is currently 9-0 and all he seems to do is win. Only the UFC knows the true reasoning behind the way they have handled Finney but, they know, he’s got something they want.
So why not just give him a contract already?
