UFC: Lorenz Larkin Hoping Free Agency Will Pay Off
Now a free agent, UFC middleweight Lorenz Larkin is looking for more than just a new contract.
With free agency being such a huge deal now days, more and more fighters are dipping their toes into the market and UFC middleweight Lorenz Larkin is now one of them.
Just this year alone we have seen household names like Rory MacDonald and Benson Henderson dive into free agency. While both men seemingly came out the other side unscathed they were not re-signed by the UFC and both call Bellator their new home. Another man who ventured into the unknown waters of free agency was Aljamain Sterling who is a young up-and-coming bantamweight, on this occasion the promotion chose to re-sign him.
The latest to enter the free agent market is Lorenz Larkin. Now fighting as a middleweight the 30-year old former Strikeforce standout has won two in a row over Jorge Masvidal and most recently in his most impressive performance to date he TKO’d Neil Magny in the first round of their fight at UFC 202.
Get the FanSided App
Having four of his last fights inside the Octagon, Larkin has entered the world of free agency at a pretty good stage in his career. Fighting at a more natural weight his performances have grown and grown and he hopes that the gamble he is taking on himself will pay off.
During a recent chat with MMAFighting.com, Larkin opened up about his concerns going into free agency as well as what he hopes to come away with.
It was a big gamble man, I know that. I’m pretty sure anybody who follows MMA knows that. Especially the last fight, and especially the guy I won it against. It’s really a big gamble, but it’s something that at this point in my career I was willing to take to see what I’m really worth. I think maybe a lot of fighters should find out what they’re worth, because you never know.
While Larkin started his UFC career in disappointing fashion losing four of his first five fights, he made some key changes and immediately saw the fruits of his labour. Now considered by many as a prospect in the promotion he followed his losses with victories over John Howard, Santiago Ponzinibbio, Jorge Masvidal and Neil Magny.
It’s just two things I’m looking for, and It’s not like I have a vendetta against the UFC, it’s just whoever can meet my two needs. It’s pretty much me getting the money I deserve, and the marketing. I feel like I’m an exciting fighter. Fans like to see me fight, and I’m not boring. I feel like I have personality. So my thing is, they just never use me. I want to work. And that’s my thing. I’m not being selfish, being like I want this and that.
So in simple terms for Larkin to call any promotion, including the UFC, home they need to meet two very simple needs. Firstly that they pay him what he feels that he deserves and that he gets the marketing that he wants.
Lorenz Larkin has the skill set both inside and outside of the cage needed to become a star. All that he feels is needed is a promotion who will use and treat him as such. The willingness he has to take the big time fights and work to promote them is what any promotion wants from a fighter on the roster. Where will Larkin call home in coming weeks? Only time will tell.
More from Cage Pages
This article originally appeared on 
