Tag: UFC 169

Barao vs. Faber 2: Why a Referee’s Job Is Thankless

UFC 169 pulled in the most decisions for a single event at 10 and ended with a bit of controversy as well. All things considered, it was not the UFC’s greatest showing.
The main event was a rematch for the UFC Bantamweight Championship. Renan&nbs…

UFC 169 pulled in the most decisions for a single event at 10 and ended with a bit of controversy as well. All things considered, it was not the UFC’s greatest showing.

The main event was a rematch for the UFC Bantamweight Championship. Renan Barao defended his title against Urijah Faber with a first-round TKO performance. The controversy revolves around the stoppage of that fight.

Faber was holding onto Barao’s leg and blocking hammerfists to the side of his head when referee Herb Dean stepped in. The crowd booed, social media was angry, and UFC president Dana White didn’t agree with the stoppage either.

With all of that said, Dean’s stoppage was justified.

That is not the popular opinion, but one has to step back and look at the fight again.

Barao had already dropped Faber previously in the round. The fight was firmly in his control, and Barao went for the finish. Faber recovered and stayed in the fight to that point. Barao continued to pour it on.

Then he dropped Faber again. This time Faber was flat on his stomach briefly. Barao pounced for the finish, and that is when Faber grabbed a leg to try and recover.

Dean asked Faber to show him something. Faber gave a thumbs-up, but Dean stopped the bout anyway. The thumbs-up is why many disputed the stoppage, but that is not a 100 percent surefire way to show you are intelligently defending yourself.

All it shows is that you are still conscious.

The thumbs-up is best saved for submission defense. In that instance, a fighter is not taking hammerfists to the side of the head, partially blocked or not.

The referee’s job is thankless. Stop a fight too early, and everyone is upset; stop a fight too late, and you are an irresponsible official.

In this case, it was a no-win for Dean. The way that the fight played out had some saying Faber was taking too much punishment, while others said he had recovered and deserved to continue battling.

Realistically, Dean could have stopped the bout the moment Faber was flat on his stomach after Barao dropped him for a second time.

The accumulation of damage that he suffered in such a short span justified the stoppage. Fans and fighters alike want to see fighters get more time in title fights, but after someone is dropped to the canvas twice, the referee is likely to have a shorter threshold before stopping the bout.

These decisions are made in the blink of an eye in real time. It is why no two fights are the same. If Dean had been in a different position, he may held back from stopping the fight. Perhaps he immediately regretted the decision.

In the immortal words of Gus Johnson, “These things happen in MMA.”

This is not a case of a judge’s bad decision. Dean had to make this call on the spot. Sometimes, that requires stopping a fight just a hair shorter than maybe it should have been.

Dean is one of the best referees in the game, if not the very best. One can argue that the fight could have gone on longer, but the bottom line is that in the interest of fighter safety, the call he made at UFC 169 was completely justified.

Thank you, Mr. Dean.

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What’s to Blame for UFC 169?s Record-Setting Amount of Decisions?


(Dana White called UFC 169 “10-decision, record-breaking catastrophe.” / Photo via Getty)

By Matt Saccaro

To say the UFC had an off night with UFC 169 would be an understatement. True, the card was record-breaking, but in the worst way possible. It featured more fights ending in a decision than any other fight card in UFC history. So many fights going to the judges isn’t a result of just bad luck. There are a few factors at play when a fight goes to a decision.

First, the fighters could be so evenly matched they either complement or negate one another. The former can result in a match like Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua or, to delve further into MMA’s past, Tyson Griffin vs. Clay Guida. The latter kind a fight—one between negating styles of equally matched fighters—results in any dime-a-dozen decision that features long bouts of stalling against the cage or ineffective, listless striking. The kind of fights the UFC presented to us in spades last night, and have been peddling on prelims (and even main cards) for a while now.


(Dana White called UFC 169 “10-decision, record-breaking catastrophe.” / Photo via Getty)

By Matt Saccaro

To say the UFC had an off night with UFC 169 would be an understatement. True, the card was record-breaking, but in the worst way possible. It featured more fights ending in a decision than any other fight card in UFC history. So many fights going to the judges isn’t a result of just bad luck. There are a few factors at play when a fight goes to a decision.

First, the fighters could be so evenly matched they either complement or negate one another. The former can result in a match like Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua or, to delve further into MMA’s past, Tyson Griffin vs. Clay Guida. The latter kind a fight—one between negating styles of equally matched fighters—results in any dime-a-dozen decision that features long bouts of stalling against the cage or ineffective, listless striking. The kind of fights the UFC presented to us in spades last night, and have been peddling on prelims (and even main cards) for a while now.

An aside: Some might say an evenly matched fight is the pinnacle of booking and Joe Silva should be commended every time we get a decision. In title fights and other circumstances, that’s fair enough. Prelims are a different matter. Putting two, equally mediocre guys together—who were both ripped from the regional teat too early in order to fill an ever-expanding schedule—resulting in a piss-poor decision does nothing in terms of booking. Fans won’t remember the fighter who won a 15-minute sparring match or clinch-fest, and if they do, they probably won’t want to see them fight again.

Second, the fighters could be risk-averse. Dana White admitted the UFC roster is bloated. Along with the ballooning roster came surprising cuts like Jon Fitch and Yushin Okami. Top ten fighters get canned like the lowliest of one-and-done jobbers. Under such circumstances, it’s no surprise that the UFC’s athletes would rather fight the safe fight and take as few risks as possible, which usually means a forgetful decision win that doesn’t please the fans.

Third, and this might be controversial to the meat-headed “WHY DON’T YOU STEP INTO THE CAGE, BRO” fans, the fighters might not be very good. They might be C-level fighters that were called up to the big leagues way to soon—fighters that are too green and put on performances that belong at a local show, not the “Super Bowl of MMA.” These fighters go into the Octagon and put on graceless performances akin to awkward middle school photos.

Decisions aren’t inherently inferior though. We shouldn’t malign a fight for going to the judges. Some of the greatest fights in MMA history were decisions. Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson went to a decision, as did Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua, Gilbert Melendez vs. Diego Sanchez, and “the fight that saved the UFC,” Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar I, as well as many others.

Instead, we should malign the booking, or the fighting style(s), or the UFC’s insistence on polluting their cards with sub-UFC level fighters.

UFC 169: Matches to Make for the Entire Fight Card

At UFC 169, Renan Barao made his first appearance as the undisputed bantamweight champion. 
Following another injury to Dominick Cruz, who was originally supposed to meet him on Saturday, Barao dropped his interim tag and faced Urijah Faber in a r…

At UFC 169, Renan Barao made his first appearance as the undisputed bantamweight champion. 

Following another injury to Dominick Cruz, who was originally supposed to meet him on Saturday, Barao dropped his interim tag and faced Urijah Faber in a rematch. In the first round, Barao floored the fighter he defeated at UFC 149 to earn UFC gold and finished the fight with hammerfists.

While there was some controversy because it looked as though Faber could have continued fighting, Barao successfully established himself as the better fighter, putting “The California Kid” on the ropes for much of the first round.

Jose Aldo, a Nova Uniao teammate with Barao, also defended his featherweight championship over the weekend. The Brazilian picked challenger Ricardo Lamas apart with leg kicks and cruised to a decision victory.

With another UFC event in the books, here are the matchups that should be next for Barao, Aldo and the rest of the UFC 169 competitors. 

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Frank Mir: If He Doesn’t Retire, What Makes Sense for Former Champ?

UFC 169 featured a big heavyweight fight between Alistair Overeem and Frank Mir.
The bout was not big because it was highly anticipated, or because the two fighters were battling for a title shot. It was big because all signs pointed to the …

UFC 169 featured a big heavyweight fight between Alistair Overeem and Frank Mir.

The bout was not big because it was highly anticipated, or because the two fighters were battling for a title shot. It was big because all signs pointed to the fighters nearing the end of their UFC run with a loss.

Overeem came out on top, and he dominated Mir for three rounds.

Heading into the evening, UFC president Dana White was adamant that the two heavyweights needed to perform, per MMA Weekly. Mir did not.

So, what is next for the former UFC heavyweight champion?

Mir loves the fight game, but his UFC days may be numbered. There are no clear indications that the UFC will cut him, but it is a possibility. There are not a lot of options for aging heavyweights.

If the UFC keeps him on the roster, matchmakers have two prime options: Put him in favorable matchups to rebuild him or throw him against young heavyweight prospects as a gatekeeper.

Each one is a fine option for the UFC. The heavyweight division is not littered with talent, and the promotion may need someone like Mir to play the role of gatekeeper for the remainder of his career. And on the off chance that he is able to put together a run, then the UFC has another heavyweight who can sell a big fight.

There is the likelihood that the UFC will instead pit Mir against other non-contender heavyweights who are marginally exciting. Potential opponents include the likes of Mark Hunt and Gabriel Gonzaga.

But that is not what the UFC should do. It benefits no one.

Mir is one of the few fighters on the roster who can sell a fight with his mouth as well as his skills. He is a talker, and that is great in the promotion business. However, it is hard to ignore his recent in-cage performances, and the UFC would be justified in cutting him loose.

If the UFC does release him, he would have ample opportunities in smaller organizations.

Bellator has not gone after every recent UFC castoff, but the No. 2 promotion would be foolish not to contact Mir. As previously mentioned, he can sell fights with his mouth. He would make a good addition to the Bellator roster, as the promotion needs more exposure.

Although he is scheduled to participate in the upcoming light heavyweight tournament at Bellator 110, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson could complete as a heavyweight, and Jackson vs. Mir could help Bellator sell a pay-per-view when it moves to that market.

The fight has little-to-no consequence, and it would hurt the loser moving forward. However, if Bellator moves to the PPV business, Jackson vs. Mir could be a one-off that sells better than the current list of potential bouts between fighters no one knows or cares about.

Mir is still a serviceable heavyweight fighter with quality skills. That is why the UFC should keep him on the roster. He is a fixture of the company’s heavyweight division, and until more quality big men are signed, there is little reason to release him.

Mir has options whether he stays in the UFC or not. There are still going to be paydays on the table for the former champion.

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Barao vs. Faber 2: Why a Third FIght Is Inevitable

Team California Love is petitioning for Urijah Faber to get another rematch with Renan Barao, and while the request may not be immediately granted, a trilogy could happen sooner rather than later.
UFC president Dana White had plenty to be upset about f…

Team California Love is petitioning for Urijah Faber to get another rematch with Renan Barao, and while the request may not be immediately granted, a trilogy could happen sooner rather than later.

UFC president Dana White had plenty to be upset about following the rather forgettable pay-per-view that was UFC 169 on Saturday night.

Not only did the event break the record for most decisions on a UFC fight card, but the bantamweight title bout between Barao and Faber was marred by a “premature” stoppage by referee Herb Dean.

After being hurt in several stand-up exchanges, Faber was sent face first into the canvas after absorbing a thunderous overhand right to the temple. The former WEC champion found himself trapped in a belly-down position underneath Barao on the ground.

Dean warned Faber to intelligently defend himself, as Barao went to work with multiple hammerfists. Despite being stuck in a bad position, Faber did a great job of using his free hand to shield his head and face. Meanwhile, he utilized the other hand to issue a thumbs-up sign to the ref to let the fight continue.

Dean, who stood on the opposite side of Faber’s thumb, wasn’t in position to see the sign and made the decision to halt the fight at 3:42 of the first round.

“You’ve heard me up here a million times talk about Herb Dean—I think he’s the best referee in the business,” White said at the post-fight press conference. “He rarely ever makes mistakes, but he made a mistake tonight.”

While White wasn’t prepared to entertain the idea of a rematch, it’s ludicrous to believe the book is forever closed on the Barao and Faber chapter. MMA fans tend to be accepting of rematches following controversial endings. There are plenty of angles to spin for a possible third bout.

According to Faber at the post-fight presser, he tore his hamstring and bruised his patella eight days into his three-week training camp. This tidbit of information, along with the controversial ending, is more than enough to garner some level of interest for at least a UFC on Fox card.

With Dominick Cruz still sidelined, the bantamweight division’s list of contenders for Barao’s title isn’t that exciting. It shouldn’t come as a surprise if Faber is right back in the mix after one or two fights.

Barao has clearly established himself as the best bantamweight fighter in the world, but he is also the victim of mere circumstance. Faber is the most popular fighter in the division, and he is head-and-shoulders above all the rest but Barao and Cruz.

So many great fighters have come and gone over the years who never received a UFC title shot. Faber has had three in less than three years.

If Cruz has another setback, Faber’s fourth shot could be right around the corner.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 169 Results: Updating the Featherweight Rankings

UFC 169 saw a featherweight title defense in the co-main event, as champion Jose Aldo took on challenger Ricardo Lamas. It was an interesting matchup that people were curious to see.
When it was all said and done, Aldo cruised to a unanimous decision v…

UFC 169 saw a featherweight title defense in the co-main event, as champion Jose Aldo took on challenger Ricardo Lamas. It was an interesting matchup that people were curious to see.

When it was all said and done, Aldo cruised to a unanimous decision victory in a bout where he was never really in trouble. He leg kicked and pounded Lamas in convincing fashion, retaining his title in the process.

In the aftermath of that UFC 169 performance, let’s take a look at the top-10 featherweights in the UFC.

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