# Ricco Rodriguez talks UFC return, move to LHW?



## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

http://www.observertoday.com/page/content.detail/id/528261.html?nav=5010



> Former Ultimate Fighter Championship heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez hasn't stepped into a UFC octagon since 2003 when he lost to Pedro Rizzo by unanimous decision.
> 
> However, Saturday night at Knockout Promotions' presentation of There Will Be Blood 3, Rodriguez told the OBSERVER, the time for a return to the UFC may not be too far away.
> 
> ...


Here is another link about it, also talks about his recent win at a smaller show
http://mma.fanhouse.com/2009/08/31/weekend-results-2008-olympian-ben-askren-stays-undefeated/


> Former UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez picked up his third victory of the year Saturday, stopping Justin Howard in the first round with punches in a featured bout at King of Kombat 7 in Austin, Texas.
> 
> Rodriguez has now won eight of his last ten as he works towards a UFC comeback. Speaking last week to The Observer, Rodriguez said that he wants to shock the world and move down to light heavyweight if he receives the call from the UFC.
> 
> Headlining the card was 2-time Bellator featherweight Nick Gonzalez, who snapped a two-fight losing streak with a first-round TKO over Dustin Neace.


Here is the most recent pic I could find.










And he does look much slimmer on the event poster for his last fight.









At 6'4" and being a guy who regularily fought at around 250 (as high as 350) is this even possible? Do you think Ricco could be competitive? It would appear Ricco has been training hard lately, he has spent alot of time at Wolfslair, spent time working with Tito Ortiz and apparently spent some time working with Oscar De La Hoya's trainer working on his boxing. Ricco has had a rocky road but everyone loves a comeback.


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## AceFranklin88 (Apr 21, 2007)

Honestly, I think he's talking out of his ass with the 205 talk. He's a huge guy and I haven't seen him in shape in years. I would rather see him as a HW contender anyway. If Ricco can get in shape and look good in the cage, then I'm sure the UFC will look to scoop him up before Strikeforce can make a possible match for Fedor (or Rogers should he win).


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## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

I don't know if its really that crazy if he is going for an insane cut. I mean if a big Ricco is 250 and you consider that Thiago Alves and Anderson Silva both cut around 35 pounds to make lighter weights and Forrest starts his cut around 240. It really isn't inconcievable that if Ricco continues to get in shape that he could make 240 especially considering I've been unable to find weigh in results for his last fight but he looks much slimmer than when he fought BigFoot Silva. If Ricco can get down to 240 to 235 walking around weight it is possible he could cut to 205. That is one huge 205'er though and I think its funny that a guy as accomplished as Rodriguez (BJJ World Champion/Abu Dhabi Champion/UFC Champion) who made a name for himself as a quite large HW is considering moving to LHW and I think it really shows just how much weight some guys are really cutting.


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## Godzuki (Feb 26, 2007)

A fit, LHW Rico could be awesome IMO. I'm just sceptical that he can cut the weight properly and get in the kind of shape he needs to. :dunno:

I hope he can do it though.


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## HexRei (Apr 27, 2007)

yeah im not convinced ricco can make 205. it's lighter than he has ever been. and unlike coleman, he was never a guy that hovered within twenty or twentyfive pounds of 205. he'd have to be extremely lean to make this weight.


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## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

I don't know, he has never hovered close Hex but at the same point we still aren't really sure what a fit in shape Ricco Rodriguez looks like. I mean even when Ricco was the monster HW champ he was never ripped.


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## Soakked (Feb 5, 2007)

I think that he should try to get into the best shape of his life and stay at HW. Lose the flab and put on a little bit of muscle and try to Monson people. I think if he does come to the UFC as a HW they should give him a rematch with Big Ben.


That being said for some reason whenever I see Ricco I think of spagetti and meatballs dunno way :confused02:


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## vaj3000 (Dec 28, 2008)

lol at ricco makin lhw:confused02:dudes not the ideal candidate given his history (or so they say)


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## HexRei (Apr 27, 2007)

Soakked said:


> I think that he should try to get into the best shape of his life and stay at HW. Lose the flab and put on a little bit of muscle and try to Monson people. I think if he does come to the UFC as a HW they should give him a rematch with Big Ben.
> 
> 
> That being said for some reason whenever I see Ricco I think of spagetti and meatballs dunno way :confused02:


im not sure he could handle the amount of PED's monson consumes to make his body like that


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## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

If Ricco go Monsonfied he would be like Lesnar, I mean Monson is the same weight as Ricco despite being a full 7 inches shorter.


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## jennathebenda (Jul 24, 2009)

I never even thought of ricco being a LHW I always saw him as a natural HW. I will have to see it before I belive any of it though.


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## Villian (Jul 23, 2008)

UFC wont take Ricco back he walked away from his contract.


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## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

Wow just ran across this photo and had to bump this thread because it actually looks like this may be a reality, reportedly Ricco is 235 in this pic which would put him around the same size as many of the bigger LHW's and even smaller than Forrest.


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## Freelancer (Jul 5, 2007)

WTF happened to you Ricco?:eek03:


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## HexRei (Apr 27, 2007)

Freelancer said:


> WTF happened to you Ricco?:eek03:


doesn't look like he quit coke to me, unless he moved on to meth!


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## sfdgfgf (Nov 7, 2009)

HexRei said:


> doesn't look like he quit coke to me, unless he moved on to meth!


I don't know, he has never hovered close Hex but at the same point we still aren't really sure what a fit in shape Ricco Rodriguez looks like. I mean even when Ricco was the monster HW champ he was never ripped.
_________________
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## swpthleg (Dec 31, 2006)

What devoted team of people got him into shape like that?

Did he move in with his trainer to keep away from Oreos or something?


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## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

swpthleg said:


> What devoted team of people got him into shape like that?
> 
> Did he move in with his trainer to keep away from Oreos or something?


He actually has done it mostly on his own, while training periodically with Wolfslair. I watched his video blog a while back and Ricco has really rededicated himself and is also in pretty bad shape financially, in the blog his wife is looking at there bills and tells him that the money is getting low so he starts saying he needs to make some calls but he will line up another fight. I would love to see Ricco in the UFC LHW division, everyone deserves a shot at redemption and honestly a game Ricco Rodriguez is still a serious threat to anyone.


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