With Bellator’s sixth season (technically the seventh season overall if you count last summer’s “Summer Series”) wrapping up this past weekend, I thought I’d take a couple of minutes to reflect on the season that was. As we&rsqu…
With Bellator’s sixth season (technically the seventh season overall if you count last summer’s “Summer Series”) wrapping up this past weekend, I thought I’d take a couple of minutes to reflect on the season that was.
As we’ve come to expect from Bellator, this season offered us quite a roller coaster ride as fans–and I don’t necessarily mean that in a positive way.
We got everything from all-out wars, to contenders for “Snoozer of the Year.” We got dynamic, exciting tournaments right along with some headscratchingly-poor match-making decisions. We got excitement, fun fights, and a big ol’ dollop of weird–pretty much what we’ve come to expect from MMA’s “little promotion that could”.
And since I’m such a Clint Eastwood type of guy myself (I too, enjoy wearing colorful ponchos and not telling people my name) I thought I’d go all Spaghetti Western for our stroll down (recent) memory lane.
So without further ado, let’s look back on the season that was, and recall “the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” of Bellator’s sixth season.
What’s the simple answer to the question of which fight is most important Saturday night? The main event, obviously. That’s why it’s the main event.But it’s not always that simple with UFC cards, especially when it comes to thei…
What’s the simple answer to the question of which fight is most important Saturday night? The main event, obviously. That’s why it’s the main event.
But it’s not always that simple with UFC cards, especially when it comes to their UFC on Fox outings.
The first one obviously was all about the main event: Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos, in a real life clash of the titans. And while that fight is viewed today as something of a letdown, I take some comfort in the fact that unlike the film “Clash of the Titans”, Velazquez vs. dos Santos only took 64 seconds to disappoint you on every level, while not featuring Sam Worthington in any way. So there’s that.
Then there was UFC on Fox 2, headlined by Rashad Evans in his millionth or so No. 1 contender’s bout against Phil Davis. Now I don’t know about you, but to just about everyone at the bar I was watching at, the real main event was the Chael Sonnen vs. Mike Bisping co-main event.
Sure, both fights were slower, mostly wrestling-based affairs with little drama—yet the only complaint we leveled against Sonnen was that he didn’t insult nearly enough ethnic minorities in his post-fight interview.
Now we have UFC on Fox 3 (yep, I can still count) headlined by Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller. Again, it would seem that the main event is the biggest fight of the night—but I’m not so sure. This is the deepest card yet for a UFC on Fox event, stacked with interesting and relevant fights.
Which one is the most important—let’s find out, shall we?
And just to help you out (and because I’m feeling crazy), I’ve already numbered them in order of importance.
4. Josh Koscheck vs. Johny Hendricks
Is it just me, or do the fellows at AKA have a weird thing with avenging each other’s losses?
When Paulo Thiago knocked Koscheck out cold, the next guy he faced was Jon Fitch. Then he faced Mike Swick a few months later. For a long time, it seemed the entire AKA camp was calling out Matt Hughes—before Kos fought him. When Fitch was himself knocked silly by Johny Hendricks, Koscheck was eager to step up as his next opponent.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t make this fight all that important. Sure, Hendricks is one of the biggest rising stars in the welterweight division, while Kos is one of the biggest names at 170. But what would a win do for either man in this situation? Neither guy is getting a title shot until Condit/GSP happens (and it’s debatable if Kos will even get another shot), so they’re more or less spinning their wheels here.
Look at the list of who either man would face with a win, and who they would face with a loss. When they’re more or less the same list, you know it’s not the most important fight in the world.
3. Pat Berry vs. Lavar Johnson
Somehow, Pat Berry has managed to manoeuvre himself into an extremely enviable position in the UFC.
Why do I say that? Because despite being nowhere near the title picture, despite being only .500 in his UFC career and only 7-4 as a professional, despite obvious and glaring holes in his game, and despite some ridiculously high profile losses—Pat Berry is still, against all odds, “the man.”
He’s a guy the UFC pushes and that fans respond to, yet absolutely nothing is expected of him beyond an entertaining fight. He could do nothing but “fun” fights, and he’s still be one of the most well-liked guys in the heavyweight division.
Lucky guy.
In the night’s opening bout, Barry faces former WEC and Strikeforce veteran Lavar Johnson. Call me cynical, but the only Lavar I’ve ever cared about was the one who kept the engines of the Enterprise running while wearing a headband on his face and teaching children about the joys of reading in his spare time.
Fun fight, but not all that important to anyone not named Barry or Johnson.
2. Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller
OH SNAP! C’mon, you didn’t really think I would go to the trouble of making this list and then NOT swerve the main event out of the No. 1 spot, did you?
Now don’t get me wrong: Diaz vs. Miller is a very important fight, one that will determine the next challenger to the Frankie Edgar world title. Excuse me, I meant the lightweight world title. So obviously, there’s plenty on the line for either guy in this fight. And that’s to say nothing of the almost guaranteed fireworks this fight promises to be.
So it’s important, no doubt.
Still, it doesn’t snag that top spot because promised title shots in the lightweight division are almost worthless at this point. Just ask Anthony Pettis about the value of a “guaranteed” title shot at 155 when we’re only ever a draw or close decision away from seeing Frankie Edgar bounce back from adversity stronger than ever!
No, I’m afraid the top honours in this irrelevant, entirely arbitrary ranking must go to:
1. Rousimar Palhares vs. Alan Belcher
Now why in God’s name, you ask, is this fight featuring two middle-of-the-pack middleweights (there’s a tongue-twister for you) more important than a #1 contender’s fight in a deeper division?
Well there’s your answer right there: Middleweight is shallow. I’ve used this analogy before, but basically I see the entire middleweight division as the Justice League.
There’s Superman, all-powerful, all-mighty, pretty much invincible—and a bunch of other folks who do only some of what he does and nowhere near as well. One wonders why someone like Green Arrow even bothers strapping on his bow and arrow when Superman can crush coal into diamonds, take a nuke to the face without blinking, fly through the heart of the sun and come back before he’s managed to pull his green tights past his ass?
Yes, I’m talking about Anderson Silva, who’s made middleweight seem extremely uninteresting by how totally and completely he’s outclassed the entire division.
Sure, there’s Chael Sonnen (the Lex Luthor to Silva’s bald, pink t-shirt wearing, disco-dancing Clark Kent) but aside from that: Who else do you see challenging for the middleweight title? It’s not a long list, and pretty much no one on it will convince Joe E. Casual Fan to plunk down his $49.99.
So this fight matters because of the chance—however remote—that one of these guys establishes himself as a star outside Andy’s shadow. It’s not that far-fetched when you think about it. Neither guy has ever faced Anderson before, so no footage exists of his soul being devoured by a slender looking Brazilian man with an effeminate voice.
And both men are already carving out niches of their own with MMA fans. Palhares is quickly making a name for himself with his ripped physique, and propensity for alternating incredible submissions with absolutely mind-numbingly stupid decisions in the cage. And most fans already know Belcher as the owner of MMA’s worst tattoo, so…that’s something, I guess.
Here’s hoping one of these guys (ah hell, I hope it’s Palhares—simply because he’s the closest thing I’ve ever seen to a real-life video game character outside of Anderson himself) breaks through on Saturday night and gives fans something new to care about at middleweight.
If you went back in time only a couple years and asked any MMA fan walking the streets what the dream matchup in MMA was, you’d likely get only one answer: Anderson Silva vs. Georges St. Pierre. And for years, this was the dream fight to end all dream …
If you went back in time only a couple years and asked any MMA fan walking the streets what the dream matchup in MMA was, you’d likely get only one answer: Anderson Silva vs. Georges St. Pierre.
And for years, this was the dream fight to end all dream fights. It was MMA’s equivalent to Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather, only (us MMA fans bragged then) this fight actually stood a good chance of happening.
People were talking about this fight as far back as 2006, when both St. Pierre and Silva first strapped on UFC belts. The talk ramped up in 2008, when GSP won his belt back from Matt Serra and Anderson Silva “ran out” of challengers at middleweight for the first of about 900 times.
For nearly half a decade, the top two slots in the special MMA “Circular, Subjective Argument Generator”—otherwise known as the top five pound-for-pound list—were traded between Silva and St. Pierre. Both guys fortunes rose and fell, each guy racing momentarily ahead of the other.
GSP dominates Thiago Alves while Silva dances around Thales Leites? GSP must be the man! Anderson Silva transcends the laws of physics to murder Forrest Griffin while GSP wrestles Dan Hardy’s arm for 25 minutes? Guess Andy is back on top!
Folks would argue GSP’s wrestling would exploit the only weakness in Anderson Silva’s game. People said Anderson Silva’s striking would expose GSP’s fragile chin. There were theories and speculation galore.
And any day now, we would see them fight.
2009 was the year, fans said. Then 2010. Then 2011. Now it’s 2012, and fans are turning blue in the face, mostly from holding their breath in anticipation for this fight.
With St. Pierre on the shelf and Anderson nearing the end of his reign on dominance, the question begs to be asked:
Is Silva vs. St. Pierre officially dead?
And more than that, if it isn’t dead from a timing/booking standpoint, is it dead from a fan interest standpoint? Would anyone out there still consider this the “Mecca” of MMA fights?
And if it isn’t “dead,” what are the chances we see this fight before one (or both) men fall off their athletic peaks, assuming they haven’t already?
I think the earlier Pac/Floyd comparison is quite apt, because this fight too would pit a fighter who is nice, polite, idolized by his home fans and catching tons of sh*t over his last fight, against perhaps the most technically perfect fighter in the game whose personality no one can figure out.
Yes, this fight was the dream fight to end all dream fights, and at various times, it looked close to being booked. But just like my “foolproof” plan in high school to wed Jessica Biel before I was 20…well, sometimes things just don’t work out like you plan.
I remember Georges first getting asked about a possible Anderson Silva fight at UFC 100 after he beat Thiago Alves. While accepting the fight in principal, he stated that moving up in weight would be a significant shift for him, that he’d have to talk it over with his coaches and entourage and that it really depended on what the UFC had next for him.
GSP must have that speech committed to memory, because it’s the same canned speech he gives every time Joe Rogan asks about facing Anderson during the post-fight interview. Now I love me some GSP, and lots of what he’s saying makes total sense. But even I got to admit this is starting to sound like foot-dragging of some pretty epic proportions.
Maybe St. Pierre himself doesn’t want the Anderson Silva fight, and as a guy making seven figures a fight, absolutely tearing up the PPV charts and totally dominating the competition in his weight class, who could really blame him for not wanting to change divisions? If he does want the fight, then perhaps someone in his entourage doesn’t think it’s a good idea or is advising him not to commit to the fight in interviews to increase leverage for negotiations. Or maybe it’s the UFC itself urging GSP to fence sit, wary of the inevitability that for this fight to happen, one golden goose has to eat another.
And Anderson? The long-time middleweight champ once said his ideal opponent would be a clone of himself, which is ideal considering one of the biggest obstacles to making this fight is Silva himself.
Remember in early ’09, when all the buzz around the St. Pierre vs. BJ Penn fight had people buzzing about the other great P4P clash? Then, Anderson stunk up the Bell Centre for 25 minutes against Thales Leites, and fans vowed never to buy an Anderson Silva PPV again.
Then the next year, serious talk about making this fight happen began to swirl again. GSP was even brought in to guest commentate the Silva vs. Maia main event at UFC 112 and would have ostensibly confronted him in the ring afterwards. Except that Silva vs. Maia happened, Dana White was furious and once again, fans vowed never to buy another Anderson Silva PPV. Silva got Sonnen, GSP got The Ultimate Fighter and the rest is history.
So here’s my question to you: Is this fight still “on the table?” Is there a realistic chance of making this fight happen, and if so, when?
And more than that: Does this fight still mean anything to fans? Is it still the big deal it was only two short years ago? Or have other potential “superfights” involving the likes of Jon Jones, Junior Dos Santos, Jose Aldo and Dominick Cruz taken the spot of GSP/Silva as the fight MMA fans want to see?
I’ll be honest. It feels strange not having a UFC event in the immediate future to write about. As much as we fans complain about the multitude of UFC events (and the resulting non-multitude of dollar bills in our bank account) it was kind of …
I’ll be honest. It feels strange not having a UFC event in the immediate future to write about. As much as we fans complain about the multitude of UFC events (and the resulting non-multitude of dollar bills in our bank account) it was kind of neat looking forward to MMA as often as you would a regular sport, like hockey or “Full Metal Jousting.”
We’re in the doldrums of the MMA news cycle, with nothing to write about but the Meisha Tate-Ronda Rousey spat (wait, wasn’t that last week? Or the week before?) and referees who hate Joe Warren’s brain cells.
Oh, and “The Ultimate Fighter.” I heard that was back on. And luckily, Dakota Cochrane, who (in)famously was outed as a gay porn actor, lost his fight to get into the house—meaning you can now watch the exploits of 16 ripped, shitless studs living in a house together and occasionally dousing each other in bodily fluid completely secure in your masculinity.
And then there’s Quentin “Rampage” Jackson. For a guy who’s seemingly on the way out (of the UFC, or MMA—take your pick) he’s been in the news an awful lot lately. The reason? Jackson is none too happy with the UFC, and he’s letting his employers know in the usual fashion: via every MMA media outlet that sticks a mic in his face.
So, for your benefit folks, I’ve compiled a list of Rampage’s grievances with the UFC. I know a lot of folks have expressed displeasure, disagreement or most commonly, confusion at some of Jackson’s remarks. I’ll admit, that was my first reaction as well.
Then, I stayed up all night fasting and pounding Red Bulls, and the picture suddenly became a whole lot clearer. Also, I now like house music for some reason. So without further ado, here’s Rampage’s case against the UFC, as best as I can fathom it.
1. “Why are you giving me wrestlers that are gonna take me down and hump me?”
This is Jackson’s latest complaint, and it makes perfect sense coming from him. He’s a devout Christian, “God’s Street Soldier” (yes, God has “Street Soldiers”—Zeus showed you can have all the fancy artillery and air support you want, but without boots on the ground, your religion’s going the way of lawnmower worship), and, thus, has no inclination to get “humped” by another man.
But more than that, Jackson is angry with UFC matchmaker Joe Silva, for making Rampage fight all these lay and prayers! The fans want to see a fight, damnit! And besides, in a division featuring Jon Jones, Rashad Evans, Ryan Bader, Phil Davis, Dan Henderson, a Karate guy with solid wrestling of his own and “Shogun” freakin’ Rua, it shouldn’t be too hard to find a non-wrestler for ol’ Quinton!
Oh, he’s facing Shogun next? Splendid. That leads us right into grievance No. 2.
2. “I WANT MY BELT BACK!!!!!”
See, while Jackson isn’t interested in facing any wrestlers, he does want to eventually get his UFC Light Heavyweight title back. This might seem like a strange contradiction, but if you think about it, it makes perfect sense.
This scenario would have Jackson facing non-wrestlers that he can easily deal with (like Keith Jardine or Forrest Griffin). He would win these fights, then move on to a rematch with Jon Jones, who would be forbidden from using his wrestling—somehow. This would allow Jackson’s picture-perfect striking to dominate Jones standing, just like it did last time.
And Bob’s your uncle, Rampage is the UFC Light Heavyweight champion once again! Or something like that. But before you crack the champagne, hold your horses, because…
3. “the ufc makes billions off us all over the world, n pay us chump change!”
This is a tweet Jackson sent out just a few days ago, and it touches on a longstanding bone of contention between him and the UFC.
Put it this way: If Jackson was as focused on the 0s in his record as he is the 0s in his paycheck, he might still be light heavyweight champion! Oh snap! Yeah, only stayed up till 3:30 AM thinking of that little beaut.
Jackson has always hated the way the “brand” comes first in the UFC and the fighters come second. Guys bust their butts off in the gym for months, go out there and put on the fight of their lives and Dana White pays them peanuts. Or in Rampage’s case, guys get in the gym only when they absolutely have to, put on a stinker, and get paid upwards of six figures.
If only it was like the glory days of Pride, where Japanese promoters tried to pay fighters to throw fights, refused to give any cut of the merchandise and booked fights on two weeks notice. Ah, the good old days.
Still following us? Well not anymore, chump, because here comes…
4. “I’ll go fight for some other show for free. I’ll prove to the fans that I’m not all about money. I’ll go fight for some other show for five dollars.”
That’s verbatim from an interview Rampage gave only yesterday. I’d like to take this moment to recap, if I can:
– Rampage is pissed at being made to fight “boring-ass wrestlers”
– But entertains notion of again wearing title in most wrestle-heavy division in MMA
– Rampage thinks the UFC doesn’t pay him enough money
– But he’s not in it for the money anyways, so…who cares?
That’s a contradiction so complete, so total, that it makes me feel high just trying to wrap my head around it. But then I realized: Jackson is a god-damned hero.
Jackson isn’t in it for the money, because he’d fight for free. We know that. So his complaints about fighter pay weren’t about him, they were about all those other poor schlubs who are grinding away at a living in the UFC. Jackson was speaking up for the little guy and railing against the unfair business practices of evil corporate giant Zuffa.
So, not only is Rampage a communist (my politics professor defined Communism as “everyone getting ‘Anderson Silva money’ even if they are not Anderson Silva”), but he should also start writing for Sherdog.com.
And now we know the only currency Rampage respects is…respect, actually. Real, deep down, true-to-your-soul, support-you-through-anything kind of respect. On a completely unrelated note, I wonder who would have played B.A. in the A-Team movie if Dana White hadn’t taken ‘Page’s phone call after this happened.
5. Jackson doesn’t need the UFC anymore
I realize I’ve been a schmuck throughout this article, and that Rampage is probably on his way to my house right now to run my butt over (and if you are, Mr. Jackson, could you please drive a pickup truck emblazoned with your name, likeness and logo to commit vehicular crime? Because, that’s just awesome). I hope no one takes what I say here to seriously.
Here’s the bottom line: Rampage doesn’t need the UFC anymore. He’s a “name” in his own right, has a prime role in a film franchise (with more opportunities likely) and can draw money and interest in any MMA organization in the world, should he so choose.
And let’s be honest: boasts aside, Rampage isn’t going to win a UFC belt again. He’s likely in the “big fights to ride out the career” phase, and there are fights to fit that bill outside the UFC. Clearly, the motivation and drive just isn’t there for Rampage to be a full-time, elite-level MMA fighter anymore.
He should go into films, take the odd big fight (I hear Ken Shamrock is available) and, to borrow his phrase, do his thang.
But for Pete’s sake, try not to be so all over the place in your interviews. After all, this is the guy who’s run the same “stanky breath” routine on opponents for over a decade—consistency on the microphone isn’t asking all that much, is it?
Before I get into my fantasy matchmaking (that sounds oddly kinky, doesn’t it?) I want to talk about a few things I’m thankful for coming off last week’s “UFC on Fuel”, since my original post-event article got destroyed by…
Before I get into my fantasy matchmaking (that sounds oddly kinky, doesn’t it?) I want to talk about a few things I’m thankful for coming off last week’s “UFC on Fuel”, since my original post-event article got destroyed by some intervention of the spiteful internet gods. In brief, and in no particular order:
1) I’m thankful no one seems to be getting too bent out of shape about the Sanchez/Ellenberger decision, and adopting a “both guys came off as winners” type of mentality. This is a refreshing change of pace, and hopefully an indicator of things to come. Basically, I’m thankful Diego Sanchez doesn’t have Nick Diaz’s fans. OH NO HE DIDN’T. Seriously though, good job everyone.
2) I’m thankful for Greg Jackson, who coached yet another fighter to a boring, points oriented gameplan that resulted in a dreadful fight that you’d NEVER want to see go all five. Oh wait, what I actually mean is the exact opposite of that.
3) And speaking of going all five, I’m thankful we finally got a firm commitment from the UFC that ALL main events will be five-rounders from here on out. This is great news for all future events on Fuel TV and elsewhere, and comes just late enough to avoid Jake Ellenberger’s cardio getting exposed by Diego Sanchez. OH NO HE DOES IT AGAIN! Yes I realize it’s lame to shout out your own trash talk, but I wasn’t working with much to begin with.
So with that out of the way, it’s time to look forward—to the future, the undiscovered country, the last, great, frontier of…oops, you caught me Shatner-ing. OK, enough with the preamble—let’s talk about what fights I would make if I were Joe Silva, matchmaker extraordinaire.
It’s funny, but now a week has passed and the retirement of Brock Lesnar hasn’t quite sunk in yet. It doesn’t yet feel “real,” the same way Tom Cruise not acting in a fat suit and Canada losing to Russia (RUSSIA!!!!!! *sha…
It’s funny, but now a week has passed and the retirement of Brock Lesnar hasn’t quite sunk in yet. It doesn’t yet feel “real,” the same way Tom Cruise not acting in a fat suit and Canada losing to Russia (RUSSIA!!!!!! *shakes fist*) at the IIHF Hockey Championships doesn’t feel “real.”
You can’t blame us MMA fans. “Retirements” in Mixed Martial Arts usually last as long as it takes the fighter to write “I’m back again, b*tches!” on Twitter. Yes, I’m looking at you, BJ.
But sadly, it looks like Brock Lesnar has finally rode off into the Minnesota sunset for the last time…and by ride off, I mean walk off with 150 pounds of Bison meat on your back while toting the special “light game hunting” .50 cal machine gun.
The big guy’s departure has spawned two pretty strange reactions from MMA fans. The first is a bunch of eulogizing, memorializing, and waxing poetic about what a “warrior” Brock was, and how sad we’ll all be to see him go.
This is such a 180 from where fans were when Brock first debuted in the UFC that I wondered if I hadn’t accidentally slipped into an alternate dimension or something. I guess surviving diverticulitis, being a jerk to Frank Mir and eating some nauseating beatings in your last three fights can warm even the coldest of hearts.
And the second question: where do we go from here? As a man, Brock was huge; as a PPV draw, he’s a veritable giant. No one in the UFC can touch his drawing power on PPV, save for this Canadian guy with a funny accent who may or may not be sitting the whole year out.
Well, as luck may have it (or not), I’ve got some thoughts on who, after Brock, could be the “next big thing” PPV-wise.
See what I did there? That’s wit. Or alcohol-induced brain damage. Same difference, really.
So without any further ado, let’s get to the list, starting with…
Alistair Overeem
Yeah, it’s tough to get any more obvious than this for numero uno. Still, if you believe any of the spin coming off UFC 141, that Ubereem took all of Lesnar’s power when he beat him, Highlander-style.
After all, THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE draw at heavyweight…okay, there can be lots, but that somehow felt appropriate. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to listen to some Queen while combing my mullet.
Still, what sounds right now like bet hedging spin from the UFC (“Stay tuned, Brock Fans, cause this Dutch guy with the funny name is the new human dump truck you’ll all be cheering for!”) is soon to become gospel truth I believe.
After all, Overeem is a guy people have been saying for years would be a huge draw in the States…provided he actually started competing there.
Oh, and providing that horsemeat didn’t register on any piss tests.
As of now, we’re two for two people!
MMA, and certainly Dana White, is still looking for our version of Mike Tyson. Someone who can draw big money on the strength of his name alone…oh, and his soul-destroying power, ability to hype a fight, and a healthy dollup of batsh*t crazy.
Chuck Liddell fit the bill for a while, but a white guy with a beer gut is never going to fill the same shoes as a 265′er who looks like he has muscles in his sh*t. Overeem, on the other hand, seems tailor made to step into that role…assuming he beats Junior dos Santos, that is.
Nick Diaz
My next choice might come as a bit of a surprise, but to me it comes on the heels of another retirement: Tito Ortiz.
Ok, so Tito isn’t technically “retired” as much as he “isn’t.” Supposedly, he’s getting (or at least asking for) one more “retirement match” Independence Day weekend. Someone get Chuck Liddell or Rich Franklin on the phone, pronto.
Tito’s departure leaves another hole in the UFC’s PPV strategy, even if Ortiz hadn’t drawn huge numbers in awhile. But he still drew. I mean Chuck vs. Tito 3 was a viable main event in 2010, one that sold out a 19,000-seat arena.
And in his prime, Tito was an absolute monster on PPV. Just look at how many of the all-time MMA PPV’s were Ortiz beating on Ken Shamrock’s corpse, or helping Chuck Liddell work on his punch combos.
And through it all, he achieved this success through a simple formula: be the guy fans love to hate, right up until they’re cheering for you.
Nick Diaz could easily be that guy.
All that’s waiting is for audiences (and I’m talking big audiences here, not you, me, and your pal Daryl with the cool TapouT bandanna) to finally be exposed to him. He’s the kind of personality (not to mention fighter) that demands attention. With the right promotion (and continued success) Nick Diaz’s name could become something casual fans can’t ignore. He could sell whole cards with his personality (just like Ortiz) and help get other guys “over” just by being in the ring with them (also like Ortiz).
Also, Nick Diaz on top of the MMA world just seems like a roller coaster of controversy waiting to happen. I can’t wait.
Chael Sonnen
Of all the guys I’ve mentioned so far, no one has been anointed as “the man” by UFC brass more than the trash talkin’ gangster from Oregon.
It’s pretty obvious by now that the UFC is going to push Sonnen as someone you need to care about come hell, high water, failed drug tests, lying to government officials, non-functioning gonads, real estate fraud, and public comments so crass and offensive that even Miguel Torres’ Twitter account was embarrassed.
Sonnen’s even getting his own segment on the UFC’s weekly television show, called “Piper’s Pit” “Chael’s Corner”.
So face it folks, Chael Sonnen isn’t going anywhere. And if you tire of his routine now, just wait until he’s back in contention for a title, or introducing himself to America on network TV.
You can’t deny Sonnen is a lightning rod of fan interest, and that he makes for good entertainment both in and out of the cage. Despite carrying the label of “lay and prayer”, Sonnen hasn’t been in a boring fight in the last few years. Even Filho vs. Sonnen 2 was a kind of MMA black comedy.
But what’s more, Sonnen’s “persona” (you know, that thing he does every time he opens his mouth) taps into a greater truth about the fight game: people want to cheer, and they want to boo. It’s pro-wrestling wisdom to some; to others, it’s just common sense in the fight business.
Muhammad Ali understood this, and it’s a big reason we remember him today as “The Greatest.” And anyone who praises Ali’s trash talk while deriding Sonnen’s is a hypocrite of the first order.
Mark my words: Chael Sonnen will, in whatever capacity, headline one of the biggest MMA PPV’s of 2012. Count on it.
Jon Jones
By all rights, Jon Jones shouldn’t even be in this conversation. In a world that makes sense, we’d be talking right now about how Jones is the king of the world, the biggest star in our sport, and a guy who makes the Earth stop on it’s axis every time he fights.
Instead, fans are talking about what Jones needs to do to become truly popular with fans. We’re wondering why he can’t quite cross the line from “good” to “great” performances on PPV despite name opponents and impressive outings.
We’re talking about why a significant portion of the MMA fan world absolutely hates his guts. We’re talking about how fake he is, how he might be a cheater, and why we don’t like his Christianity. We’re talking about how a guy who absolutely trucked Shogun, Rampage and Machida is “ducking” Rashad Evans.
It’s absolute insanity.
I was at UFC 140 in Toronto, and it’s no exaggeration at all to say Jones was one of the most hated men fighting on the card that night. He was soundly booed at the weigh-ins, during his entrance, and when he was introduced. Only after he dropped Lyoto like a carp did fans feel it necessary to give him a round of applause.
It’s mystifying, but I still think Jones can (will, should) be an absolute monster on PPV. The fight that could make him such is the long (loooooooooooooong) awaited fight with Rashad Evans. I think a great many fans have been put off by that fight not happening, and buy the line of reasoning that every fight Jones takes is a “duck” fight to avoid Evans.
That fight should happen in 2012, and Jones should (finally) explode as a result of it. Still, knowing fate, Jones will come down with an injury, Rashad will fight someone else, then pull his hamstring right as Jones is cleared to compete. And so it goes.
Minowaman
Okay, I’m mostly kidding here, but part of me thinks Minowa’s gimmick would really go over well in the UFC. One missile dropkick is all it would take to get Minowaman over with American fans. I think. Also have him competing against 350-pound Bond villains. Or midgets. Now we’re talking.
What’s the simple answer to the question of which fight is most important Saturday night? The main event, obviously. That’s why it’s the main event.
