UFC releases Larson

Brock Larson has been released by the Ultimate Fighting championship less than a week after he suffered a TKO loss to Brian Foster at UFC 106. My full story with some big help from MMAJunkie.com editor Dann Stupp, is here.

Once considered a rising star in the WEC and the UFC's welterweight division, Larson has dropped his last two MMA bouts after winning 14 out of his last 15. Twelve of those wins came in the first round and Larson was pegged for stardom after his triangle-choke submission of Mike Pyle just 3:08 into their UFC 98 bout in May. However, newcomer Mike Pierce was pegged as a late preliminary card opponent at UFC Fight Night 19. Larson lost via unanimous decision before he was matched with Foster in the latter's second UFC appearance. That night, Larson's game collapsed. He had two points deducted in the first round for an illegal kick and an illegal knee, and was battered and beaten to where he was tapping right after the bout was stopped.

Larson's biggest difficulty was not his opponents, neither of whom he took lightly, but the challenge of getting motivated dropping down in competition - and card status - instead of stepping up.

"It's probably a good thing," Larson (26-4 in MMA) told me via text message. "I was having a hard time getting motivated for my last two fights. I needed a change. The undercards just didn't do it for me."

We spoke briefly off the cuff a short time after. He's a great guy who's taking it well and has options in Japan and Strikeforce. He knows he's better than what he showed against Pierce and Foster and will be re-energized by the new challenges that await elsewhere. And the UFC's door isn't closed permanently. If Larson can rebuild his game overseas, he'll get his second chance.