UFC 144 was some show, but long-time fans of the sport must have had to watch through their fingers a couple of times.
Whilst Yoshihiro Akiyama was a tad unlucky to come out on the wrong end of a decision against Jake Shields, completely nullifying his opponent for two rounds, it’s still a crushing blow.
Akiyama looked good enough and is popular enough to get another go-round in the UFC, but how much does he want it? How much motivation can there be left for the 36-year-old?
He just hasn’t been able to get it right in the UFC and he’s got a lot going on outside the cage. I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the last we see of him in the Octagon. I’ll stay away from the inevitable “Time to Say Goodbye” puns.
The beatings handed to Rampage Jackson and Norifumi Yamamoto were far more resounding. To put it crudely, watching two guys who gave us so much during their careers get decisively beaten was just a massive bummer.
It’s the same for so many fighters.
Rewind back to UFC 137 last year when Mirko Cro Cop bowed out with a loss against Roy Nelson. At one point he found an opening, hit Nelson with his trademark left high kick and then teed off with uppercuts. But, unlike so many others down the years, Nelson just didn’t go down.
Like Cro Cop, Rampage and KID both hit their trademark moves on their opponents last night. Rampage slammed Ryan Bader almost squarely on his head, and KID was wailing away on Vaughan Lee with one of the swarming flurries that used to be his bread and butter.
And just like Nelson, Bader and Lee seemed to almost instantaneously shake off the cobwebs and go on to score decisive wins.
Yamamoto just hasn’t looked the same since his two-year layoff, and could likely be receiving a pink slip on Monday morning after posting three straight losses. There are probably a few money fights for him back in Japan, but when you saw his face after tapping for the first time in his career, after seeming so close to victory, you just felt for the guy.
Like Akiyama, Rampage has got plenty to keep him busy away from the sport, and there are really no logical opponents for him going forward. He won’t be getting another title opportunity, and the motivation factor of fighting in front of the Japanese fans he loves so much won’t be available again.
I’m sure we’ll find out more about the issue that caused him to miss weight soon, but it really wouldn’t be a shock if he walks away from the sport sooner rather than later.
These guys are bona fide stars of the game. if they walk away they leave behind three impressive records and some unimpeachably cool highlight reel moments; one more each tonight would have been even cooler.
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