Is the sour taste left by UFC 167 from this past weekend still lingering in your mouth, or is this straight up halitosis that I have this morning?
I can’t tell. (Lies, it’s my breath…) There was a lot to like about UFC 167. The fights were good. Then again there was also tons to gripe about. Let’s start with some of the takeaways that possibly ruined your night.
~ The Bad ~
The Post-Fight Presser: Easily the most hate-able thing about Saturday night (more than the main event scorecards) was all the silliness at the presser.
- Dana White spent some time attacking Georges St. Pierre for his emotional and inconclusive retirement speech. White told media members that he “owes” it to Johny Hendricks, the fans, and blahblahblah to do a rematch. It was too awful and all too typical of him to throw one of his guys under the bus. Retirement is obviously something GSP is allowed to do and the uncle Dana strong-arm routine afterwards was incredibly tasteless.
- Johny Hendricks used “70%” of his power or at least that’s what he told reporters at the presser.
- The dude that asked the NASCAR question at the presser. Many joked that it was the reason the live feed broke down at that moment. It was a weird way to phrase the exact same line of questions being asked all night. Is GSP retiring?
- Chael Sonnen fielded so many questions while the person that beat him, Rashad Evans, got to sit quietly and play with his phone.
- When GSP finally did show up to the post-fight press conference, all of a sudden Dana White decompressed back into a compassionate human being. It didn’t undo all the ugly things said beforehand.
The Main Event Robbery: Sober up folks, and remember how lame the scoring system is for MMA. So despite my agreement with the vast majority declaring this title fight a robbery, it was also not a definitive decision win for Hendricks. GSP’s horror makeup aside, that was a close five-round fight in the current scoring system.
Hendricks 5th Round Performance: Meisha Tate‘s infamous “just coast” line is the polar opposite of what Johny Hendricks‘s coaches gave him as instructions right before the fifth round. However, all that coaching bustle backfired as Hendricks let off the gas and coasted towards what he believed to be a world title victory.
Officiating Fails: This event overall was noticeably better than others in recent memory and that thought should terrify you. Referee Kim Winslow started the night out with the most lackadaisical attempt to stop a fight as she timidly nudged Gian Villante away from murdering Cody Donovan. As it always needs to be said, it has nothing to do with her being a woman in MMA. It’s the regularity of her bad officiating that grants her so much scorn.
Round 1 of the main event, although close, needs to be played over and over at the NSAC offices. All the controversy could’ve been avoided had two judges, Tony Weeks and Sal D’Amato, been paying attention.
~ The Good ~
Georges St. Pierre’s Humility: You just had to feel for the guy. Nothing about this night was particularly joyous for him. From when Joe Rogan put on his journalist cap and went in for the kill right after Buffer announced the controversial decision, to well after Dana sounded off on how GSP’s “problems aren’t as big as he thinks,” it was all a bit humiliating for the champion.
Considering he was also battling secret personal issues in which there was a room full of journalists whose soul purpose is to uncover them, he was incredibly composed, honest, and endearing dealing with this emotional toll. He deserves better treatment than what he received that night.
By the way, I stand corrected, GSP’s three-piece suit game was on point at 167.
The New Brutal Tyron Woodley: Woodley hit a smooth 1-2 on an already unconscious but still falling Josh Koshcheck. It was one of those KOs that was chilling to watch. Similar to Nate Marquardt‘s nasty combo that sent Tyron Woodley down back in Strikeforce. Maybe that’s the reason for Woodley’s total transformation in his UFC run. I don’t know, but I can’t believe this is the same guy as the one in those days.
Robbie Lawler is on Title Run: This was another shocking performance from the veteran. I was betting on Rory MacDonald being able to avoid Lawler’s power but the opposite was true. Lawler took his opponent to the brink in the third round and edged out a 29-28 decision.
Welteweight is very exciting stuff right now. What fun opportunities can the UFC cook up for the now legit top-ten welterweight Robbie Lawler?
Dana White on MMA Judges: Though Dana didn’t show his judging prowess by saying he had Hendricks up 4 rounds to GSP’s 1, more importantly he brought back attention to a huge problem in MMA. Obviously any person keen to MMA or not, would think the bearded fellow easily won that fight. Yet, MMA scoring and official incompetence allows the same reasonable people to garner that it was a close decision that could’ve gone either way. Dana raising a ruckus in that regard was appreciated.
Fans Perspectives on White’s Comments: It was hugely satisfying to see fans unanimously dismiss Dana’s atrocious claim that an emotional GSP can’t take a break from MMA and that he “owes” us a rematch. Everyone deserves a high-five for calling it out as a weird and cruel thing to do.
~ Indifferent ~
Rampages Debut: Notice that no one is talking about Bellator 108 and the debut of Quinton Jackson in Bellator over the weekend. After all that happened at UFC 167, this show fizzled into an afterthought that had Rampage walloping another recent UFC castoff in Joey Beltran.
UFC 167 was a compelling mixed bag. I loved the fights and watched them a few times over, but drama tainted the event and completely overshadowed the positive vibe at the UFC’s 20th anniversary.