If you saw MMA Live did you think like me that Gareth A Davies was towing the company line for the UFC and trying to defend UFC 138. The presenter and Gareth both said their twitters were buzzing at the backlash but then Gareth went onto defend the card saying it'll be exciting and its got some names like Alves. I don't care if its just exciting, unlicensed boxing can be exciting. I want to see high level operators and see history in the making (the first 5 round fight doesn't suffice). Though admittedly a 5 round war between Leben and Munoz could go down a treat. I didn't feel Gareth was impartial or telling us his opinion. I felt he wants to stay on their good side so he continues to get access, be considered the premier British combat reporter etc
Gareth A Davies gets a lot of exclusives and access to the UFC brass, and in return he acts more like a PR man than an objective journalist. It's a handy relationship.
I refuse to believe the card will stay as it is until the time tickets go on sale. Surely to Christ we'll get someone like Machida or Phil Davis as well, someone else who is near the top of their division. Frank Mir doesn't have a fight scheduled either. There's a good variety of top guys they could put on this card, it surely can't be finished with the biggest names on there Leben and Alves.
I'm a fan of the UFC brand and love alot of what they do. I think they expose boxing in certain ways and I recognise good things. You saw how I was excited about UFC 138 coming to the UK but the UFC have shot down the fans with this card and everyone seems to agree except the PR guys - Davies, Rogan etc The UFC have put on an exciting card but as I said it is rather meaningless. Have no fear that post fight Dana will say "The fans judged it too soon, it was a great show, we put on great fights, it was history in the making as you saw a 5 round main event blah blah blah". I want to see meaningful match ups between high class operators. Davies was talking about Alves being on the card, he is coming off 3 losses in 4 fights. Hell, the UFC might cut him! I'm behind the UFC/Zuffa brand, I think its good but there are periods where alot of **** comes together i.e. weak British card, no Fitch-Penn rematch, Reem being pulled from the GP etc
On paper that was a good card. Wasn't mind blowing but it was decent. Couture is a legend. Bisping is our biggest name. Hardy was second to Bisping and beginning his tear up. Wilks won TUF. Pearson is always good to watch. That card had a gate of 2 million, that is more than UFC 104: Machida vs Shogun, UFC 107: Penn vs Sanchez and UFC 108: Evans vs Silva.
Legend or not I could not help feel bad for Vera in getting robbed. To add to the injustice, the ref was allowing The Truth to get held up against the cage without anything being dished out. I'm sorry, if that is the only way Randy can fight anymore, he should not be fighting in UFC, left alone being the headliner. Bisping - Kang was a very good fight, Hardy was not really impressing me that much, should not have got a shot.
I'm talking about the event on paper not in what happened. Nevertheless, Randy could only fight that way. Speedy power guys who start touching him with strikes is not good news for him. I can see the controversy but also felt like Randy won just through control. Its not exciting and I wish it wasn't the case but like the clinch in boxing control is control. If you got a problem with it then the opponent needs to know how to get out of it so he is no longer under control.
To me that is more delaying the fight than control. There was so little offence given by Couture along the fence that it should have been stopped and reset in the middle. I guess it was a pretty good card, but I was to referring to the quality of the main event which is what I think the initial poster was commenting about. That particular main event was one of the most painful to watch I have seen. On paper? maybe it could have been better with different reffing protocols
