Random Thoughts from UFC 181 ** Note: apologies to all for the delay, as this was submitted AND supposed to be posted on Sportsnet.ca, but Im not sure why it has still not been done ** Two title fights, judging controversy, eye pokes and a new signing that has caused many to shake their heads. Just another day in and outside of the octagon for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. First things first - the main event between Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler. Kudos to the new champ for earning the title, but upon second review, I’m not so sure he actually won. While I watched on Saturday night, I recall scoring the bout for Hendricks 48-47, but not in any dominant sort of fashion. Many of the rounds were close, back and forth affairs, and based on the unified rules, I gave the slight edge(s) to Johny. Now, was I upset that Lawler won? No at all. He did win the fight, but I’m not sure he won the bout. There’s a big difference there. One has a scoring system, the other does not. Either way, what’s done is done, and good on Robbie for achieving his dream, one that has been a long time coming and well deserved. The debate now is whether a trilogy bout is in order, will Rory MacDonald get a crack at the title, or will Robbie take some time off to heal up and enjoy the spoils of his victory. Then there’s what happened in the co-main event between champion Anthony Pettis and number one contender Gilbert Melendez. In a nutshell, Pettis is something special. This guy is incredible. To do what he did to Ben Henderson (twice) is magical. But to submit Gilbert Melendez is some “real deal” stuff. I recall freezing watching Gilbert tap. I actually told the party I was with not to worry, Gilbert has seen and felt this a million times. I couldn’t finish my sentence, and the bout was over. Incredible stuff from “Showtime” to say the least. As for the rest of the card... I had a keen eye on the Travis Browne vs Brendan Schaub bout. “Hapa” won via strikes from the rear mount but something tells me this fight is far from over. There is some serious bad blood between his camp and Schaub. I’ll be paying close attention to their social media over the next little while. Tony Ferguson is a dangerous dude - to take what he took in the first round vs Abel Trujillo, then finish him off in round two must be respected, no matter what you think of Abel’s initial strategy. Urijah Faber’s victory vs Francisco Rivera being marred in controversy is somewhat just. That eye poke did mess with Rivera, and while others have dealt with that differently, personally, I’d like to see the rematch. And based on what I’ve seen online, it’s 50/50. If I’m part of Team Rivera, speak up, no matter what happens with the appeal with the commission. Petition the UFC, make some noise online and it could happen. Sergio Pettis looked fantastic, especially coming back from that left that dropped him in the opening seconds of the bout. But throughout the scrap, I couldn’t help but notice the size mismatch with Matt Hobar. I couldn’t help think to myself he should consider dropping back down to flyweight. And thankfully, he told the media he might just do it for his next bout. Alright - let’s deal with the big elephant in the room. The UFC announced they have signed Phil “CM Punk” Brooks, who will make his octagon and MMA debut, sometime in early 2015. It’s safe to say this news was difficult to hear and still, somewhat hard to digest. I say this due in part to the many fighters who have been competing for years, trying to get that one shot to fight for the big show. The struggle, the grind, etc. But, it just goes to show you what name value can do. Brooks stated he has a Kenpo background, but more important, has been training BJJ for quite some time. Obviously a good base, but the reality is that nothing can replace experience. He hasn’t competed yet, and now will jump right into the fire known as the octagon. The good thing about this scenario is that the UFC will not pit him against a top dog in the division he could debut in, which is middleweight. He will do a test cut soon, one which could provide the potential for a drop to welterweight as well. Time will tell, and the answer is yet to be determined. This decision is not truly a sport based one, but a business one. While I’m all for “CM Punk” going after this new dream, it sets a weird precedent for the sport and for the UFC. From a business perspective, the UFC must put butts in seats, garner ratings and/or sell pay per views. That will happen whenever Brooks is scheduled to fight. The gamble (and likely hope) is that he does well, and makes his way up the rankings. I could go on, but it will only lead me to the same location - if you’re a fighter, make enough noise to move the needle, the UFC will reward you. It worked for Chael Sonnen on numerous occasions. It’s worked (and continues to work) for Conor McGregor and now, with no experience, has worked for Phil Brooks. It matters not whether you agree or disagree with the signing - it’s the nature of the beast. It’s the business. Don’t forget that, especially if you are insulted by the signing. Yes, I shook my head and felt terrible for the guys working their way up, but nodded my head, knowing full well, that the UFC needs the needle to be moved in 2015.
Posted on: Tue, 09 Dec 2014 01:42:23 +0000
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