Escudero Plots Return after UFC Release

For Efrain Escudero, news of his release from the UFC came out of nowhere and left him with more questions than answers.

“When the UFC released me, it shocked me and made me a little sad,” said Escudero, who won Season 8 of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series and recently signed with the Shine Fights promotion. “I did ‘TUF’ and was a champion on that. I hadn’t lost two consecutive fights. Yes, I missed weight for my last fight, but that was the first time I’d ever not made weight in my career. My body just gave out on me. I was a little devastated, but I have to just move on.”

Escudero, who joined Travis Lutter as the only “The Ultimate Fighter” winners to be cut by the UFC, was released after missing weight prior to his loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC Fight Night 22 in September. He weighed in at 159 pounds for the lightweight matchup and had to forfeit 20 percent of his purse to Oliveira. After winning the first round with some elbows on ground, Oliveira took control of the bout in the second. In the third, Oliveira secured a takedown and, as Escudero was getting up, took his back and secured a standing rear-naked choke that forced him to tap out.

The loss was Escudero’s second in his last three fights; Evan Dunham submitted him with a third-round armbar at UFC Fight Night 20 in January. Still, Escudero was still a respectable 3-2 in the Octagon, with wins over Phillipe Nover at The Ultimate Fighter 8 Finale in December 2008, Cole Miller at UFC 103 in September 2009 and Dan Lauzon at UFC 114 in May.

“Yeah, I’d had a couple of losses, but I was still pretty surprised I got cut,” said the 24-year-old Escudero. “I’d done pretty well against [Dunham] before I got caught in the third round, and in the Oliveira fight, I just didn’t show up. I felt bad then and still feel sorry about not making weight. I’d never had back-to-back losses, but [UFC officials] have to do what they have to do.”

Questions about Escudero’s dedication have dogged him of late, and he said he was determined to put them to rest when he fights again.

“What I have to say to people who question my dedication and work ethic is that everybody is going to think what they want to think,” said Escudero, who has nine submissions among his 13 professional MMA victories. “My coaches and team know how hard I work. People have been talking smack on my Web site and Facebook page, but I live for fighting. I already have a career, so I don’t have to fight to make ends meet. I fight just because I love it and I love the competition. A lot of people have said I don’t work hard, but I’m telling them not to miss my next fight, the fight after that and the fight after that. I’m out to make a statement.”

Following his release, Escudero took some time off, but he has returned to training and has a charity fight scheduled for Nov. 19 in his hometown of Somerton, Ariz.

“I’m going to be fighting in my hometown in November, and I’m doing it because a close friend of mine has cancer and I’m donating my purse to help pay for her treatments,” said Escudero. “People from my hometown always have come out to support me and came to Las Vegas to see me when I was with the UFC. It’s always been a dream of mine to fight in my hometown, and this gives me a chance to fight in front of my friends and family before I sign with a bigger organization.”

Escudero, a product of Arizona’s MMA Lab, started his career with 12 straight wins before the loss to Dunham. He plans to return to the Octagon sooner rather than later.

“I’ll be back in the UFC,” said Escudero, who bested Ido Pariente, Shane Nelson, Junie Allen Browning and Nover to win the “The Ultimate Fighter 8” lightweight tournament. “When I do, I’m going to go out there and do what [UFC President] Dana White originally hired me to do, and that’s to go out there and fight. I’m just going to come back stronger. Guys in the UFC lightweight division better be training, because I’m going to be training hard.”