Tag: Rematch

(Take it easy guys, you’re scaring the children. Photo via Getty.)

So Dana White recently sat down for an interview with Sportsnet, during which he gushed over Mark Hunt vs. Antonio Silva like a little schoolboy. Not that I blame him; I’ve been talking up that fight with such bombast, you’d think it was my sex life (*plays three successive rimshots*). And being that draws often warrant rematches, Sportsnet made sure to ask DW about the possibility of seeing Hunt vs. Bigfoot II in the future:

Every morning when I open my eyes, the first thing I think about is Mark Hunt and Antonio Silva. The sickest heavyweight fight I’ve ever seen. I was jumping around the room like a little kid during that fight. I can’t stop talking about that fight, I can’t stop thinking about that fight. It was amazing.

In that fight, Hunt broke his hand in two places so he’s gonna be out for a while. So no, there won’t be an immediate rematch. I’m assuming that Silva’s gonna want to fight again before Hunt’s back.

I’m not saying I’m glad that Mark Hunt broke his hand, but I’m kind of glad Hunt broke his hand and here’s why:

We Don’t Need It 

Part of the reason Hunt vs. Bigfoot ended up exceeding our expectations was thanks to the fact that our expectations weren’t all that high to begin with. Although I likened this fight to the next coming of Christ, it seemed that not everyone in the MMA blogosphere shared by unabashed fanobyism. The general consensus seemed to be that Antonio Silva would take down Hunt and submit him with ease, or that Hunt would tag and bag Silva before he could do so.

Instead, Silva and Hunt chose to engage in a five round, back and forth slugfest that was as surprising as it was enthralling, and something that will likely not be replicated in a second contest. I don’t want to see Hunt vs. Silva II for the same reasons I fear seeing Anchorman 2; my expectations are too high. I’m destined to be let down. The first fight was legendary; one of the greatest (if no the greatest) in the history of the UFC’s heavyweight division. Let’s just leave well enough alone.

They Don’t Need It

Hunt vs. Silva is one of those rare fights where a win would do little more than a draw in terms of where it would place either man in the heavyweight division. Both men have recently proven themselves to be upper-echelon fighters who are just a cut below championship material (in the case of Hunt, that statement was as shocking to type as it was depressing). Having them fight again will do nothing to change this.

A win for either man wouldn’t move them up the ranks — although Hunt’s performance was good enough to earn him a spot in the UFC’s Top 10 rankings (presented by RAM! Also, dogshit.) — and it certainly wouldn’t put either of them in line for a title shot. While those components in and of themselves shouldn’t define matchmaking, or our interest in a fight for that matter, they also highlight how truly unnecessary this potential rematch would be.

If Hunt and Silva are destined to fight again, let’s have it happen out of necessity, not novelty. Let’s give the idea of a rematch some time to stew, in any case.

Seriously, *They* Don’t Need It

Suffice it to say, Hunt and Bigfoot punched each other in the head a lot last Friday. I mean, just look at these goddamn FightMetric numbers. They are ridiculous.

Yahoo Sports’ Frank Curreri wrote a great piece detailing how much punishment Hunt and Silva have taken over their careers (and especially as of late), and although I will always hate Bigfoot for “truly” ending the Fedor era, I don’t hate him enough to wish another beating like that on him. The same goes for Hunt.

But with Hunt out for a while, one would imagine that Silva will be looking for another fight when he’s healed up. Who *would* you like to see him face?

–J. Jones