T.J. Grant’s Trainer Wants Cruz and Zingano Removed From Rankings

By Evan Stoumbelis

UFC Lightweight T.J. Grant hasn’t seen the Octagon since May of 2013 when he knocked out Gray Maynard in the beginning of the first round, extending Grant’s win streak to five. The fight served as a lightweight title eliminator and it appeared Grant would fight Anthony Pettis in December of 2013, however Grant withdrew from the bout due to the fact that he had yet to be cleared by a doctor due to his prolonged concussion symptoms.

Earlier this month Grant was removed from the UFC’s rankings due to inactivity, however former bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz, who hasn’t seen octagon action in nearly 2 years and was stripped of his bantamweight belt due to prolonged inactivity due to injury, and Cat Zingano who hasn’t seen the cage in a year are both still on the UFC’s official rankings. T.J. Grant’s trainer doesn’t like the double standards. Scott MacLean spoke to Full Contact Fighter about Grant’s removal from the rankings.

“I don’t think it matters in the long run regardless, but it seems a little silly, a little premature on their part. If he was refusing fights and healthy, well, then that’s up to them. But that’s not the case, they know the difference.”

MacLean went on to say:

I would question the UFC’s decision again as Dominick Cruz is still ranked at No. 9 and Cat Zingano at No. 1. I am sure there are others. In the long run I doubt it will make much difference, but that’s not the point. For me sometimes things are a little bit more about principle. The principle of knocking him off the rankings. It’s completely fine if they follow suit in everybody who hasn’t fought in eleven months and two weeks, and whatever days, whatever it happens to be, if they’re bumped from the rankings, but if not, then you know what’s the reasoning behind it? If it’s just due to inactivity, cool, then they’re going to have to do that for everybody

What do you think PENNation? Was T.J. Grant wrongly removed from the official UFC rankings? Should Cruz and Zingano be removed as well? Sound off in the comments section.