Three Implications of The Ultimate Finale 14

photo courtesy of www.LasVegasSun.com

1. There is tidal wave of talent about to hit the 135 and 145 pound divisions:

The lightning quick finishes by the season 14 winners tonight were simply the icing on the cake of this season. Often times people will get excited about two or maybe three fighters on the UFC’s reality show (Shamar Bailey, Michael Johnson, Kimbo Slice to name a few). The talent and the level of ability that every single fighter in the season 14 house possessed set a new standard for future TUF contestants, as this cast took big step in the right direction for the UFC. Now after a season chalked full of wildly entertaining fights, all the bantam and featherweights in the UFC have a young savage little bunch of pure talent on their hands.

2. People will never be satisfied with the referee’s stoppages:

MMA is a sport that requires knowledge of the game to understand the intricacies of each fight, and in turn why fights end when they do. Unfortunately there are times when fights are stopped and people, unsure of what caused the stoppages, get upset. Sure, there are fights like at UFC 139 when Tom Lawler was unconscious for a good five seconds before the fight was ended, or when Frank Mir held the leg lock on Lesnar while Brock tapped five times before Mazzagatti intervened.  But what about when John Dodson was pulled off T.J. Dillishaw tonight when the Alpha Male bantamweight was seriously rocked? This stoppage drew serious controversy, yet appeared to be an obvious one. One left hand/forearm dropped T.J. and then another big shot sent him straight to his back. He was rocked, stopped defending himself briefly, and the fight was stopped. Even though T.J. grabbed hold of Dodson’s leg after the stoppage occurred, the knee jerk reaction of a downed fighter grabbing whatever he can in no way means that he is okay to continue. Recall Jake Shields going for a single leg against referee Kevin Mulholland after being knocked out by Jake Ellenberger. Clearly the ability to grab hold of a leg is in no way an indication that a fighter is suited to continue. The bottom line is that no matter how foggy, or how crystal clear some fights end, people may never agree on the quality of some stoppages.

3. Michael Bisping beats another mediocre opponent, in unimpressive fashion:

It is hard to take anything away from a fighter who has racked up so many wins in such a tough division as Bisping has. The British import has continued to prove himself as a top-level fighter. But really, when has he made you jump out of your seat? Beating Rivera was a big win in an anticipated fight for the Brit as was the win over Akiyama. Jason Miller is a great fighter and the way he submitted Sakuraba, nearly finished Shields, and hung with GSP for three tough rounds are all testaments to his talent. Whether Rogan’s theory of “Adrenaline Dump” was correct, or if Miller peaked too early, or even if the ring rust ate away at his cardio, the bottom line is that Mayhem didn’t come to fight, which makes Bisping’s victory tonight as unimpressive as ever.