How do I really feel? Ok – maybe “robbed” is a little strong because you can search out good fighters and promote events but you have no idea if the fighters are gonna dance around and seek to win by a decision. I understand that but twice in the last year I have bought a UFC PPV event and was disappointed. Let me back up a bit for my perspective but first watch how this event was promoted.
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When I was a kid I used to watch boxing… not just any boxing but heavyweight boxing because there were a lot of knockouts! Unlike flyweight – the heavyweights did not dance around too much but maybe bided their time for a bit and unleashed! If you watched a Frazier vs Ali you knew you were going to see some fighting!
The other thing about boxing is you had some confidence that boxing would really work on the street! They were fighters. Still I did not waste my time watching the lower weight bouts as I did not like to see dancing around.
Well Karate, PKA Kick Boxing, Tough Man, UFC, BJJ, Muay Thai all rose to popularity in sport fighting. I remember watching the old PKA Kickboxing matches and for the most part – guys would throw eight “throw-away” kicks (8 kicks per round were a requirement) and then box. Tough Man was more entertaining because while the boxing was bad – those guys were really tough! Early UFC seemed to be anything goes until regulation stepped in. After UFC, people started seeing how good BJJ was – when no one understood it. Then Muay Thai also seemed to be adopted by many of the MMA fighters with their elbows and knees!
Fast forward to 2015 and I would argue that MMA tournaments are not any more realistic than boxing was back in the day. True the top fighters would win in any fight but the fighting methods in the octagon were not very transferable to the real fighting scenarios. I mean you have guys and gals wrestling around on the ground. In a real fight any bystander could end the fight with a kick to the head of the grounded opponent.
So now lets get to what disappointed me about UFC MMA events. It is really the luck of the draw if combatants are going to try and win a decision or if they are going to try and fight. If they try and fight – will they fight standing up like they would in a real fight or will they wrestle around for a submission. You have no idea if you are going to see a fight or a chess match.
Let me be clear, I like fighting not wrestling. I have nothing against grappling or wrestling as a fighting method if someone likes that but I would not pay money to watch that. I want to see punches, kicks, knees, elbows and knockouts sometimes. If a well fought bouts goes to the judges sometimes – ok. I try to watch middleweight and above so I can see some decisive wins.
Now I know the UFC knows this as they give fighters some incentives such as fight of the night, knockout of the night and I do admit that a decisive submission is interesting to watch if it does not drag on. So the submission of the night award kind of makes sense too I will grudgingly admit.
Before I get too far afoot, I will get to the main point. Nick Diaz and Anderson Silva put up a horrible showing. Looking at the video one thought here was a cocky California fighter from the rough side of town taking on a fighting legend in Silvia – it was gong to be a good fight! Well the fight sucked!
Diaz tried to pepper Silva with his rapid half-power punches that overwhelmed so many of his opponents to no avail. Silva was either not there or dishing out his own attack – then he disengaged.
Silva who is known for his uncanny timing and fast moves – did not engage anymore then he had to – to win the round. Diaz taunted Silva to no avail. Silva got some good strikes on Diaz but did not follow though. Diaz seemed to want Silva to attack him so he could unload or take him down but Silva was playing a chess match.
Neither fighter came to fight but rather play a physical and mental chess match. It was disappointing you see even more because most of the other fights were bad too. In one of the previous fights – one of the guys went all Power Ranger and did a cart-wheel? What? It was like the guy saw too many video games or TV and thought it was impressive. The only thing I thought was I paid money to see this crap. Image may be NSFW.
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So tonight there is a UFC 184 highlighting Rousey vs Zingano. Here is my prediction. Rousey wins by submission (arm bar in the 2nd round). Image may be NSFW.
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So maybe you have been luckier than me or have money to burn and still like the UFC fights. Well enjoy your fight tonight and thanks for listening to my *itching and moaning. Image may be NSFW.
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Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.