Last weekend's UFC 108 event was lacking a bit in talent after its lineup was decimated by injury. It was coined a cursed card after so many were forced to bow out. Just a few days before the event, even UFC matchmaker, Joe Silva
suffered a freak knee injury.
Fortunately for fans who bought the pay-per-view, the event delivered on the excitement front.
Most of the preliminary fights were aired because many of the main card fights ended in first round knockout or submission. There are several things to note in retrospect from the event.
Junior dos Santos is clearly a legitimate UFC heavyweight contender after his manhandling of Mirko Cro Cop at UFC 103 and utter destruction of Gilbert Yvel at UFC 108. Suddenly the UFC has a surplus of gifted heavyweight fighters after lacking in that department for years.
It looks like current champion, Brock Lensar may have to hang up the gloves indefinitely and may be stripped of his belt while he recovers from a serious intestinal condition. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Cain Velasquez, Frank Mir, Shane Carwin, and now, dos Santos may make a five-horse race for the title if it is indeed vacated.
Brothers, Dan and Joe Lauzon both fought at UFC 108. Unfortunately for them they both lost their bouts. There's an extra element that makes the losses especially heartbreaking for the two fighters who were raised in the greater Boston area.
The UFC is slated to host its first event in Boston in August 2010. The Lauzons' misfortunate severely hurts their chances of fighting on the main card in front of their home-state fans.
The early candidate for submission of the year happens to come from this event held just days into 2010. Cole Miller masterfully executed an inverted triangle choke and kimura at the same time to force Dan Lauzon to tap out. It was only my second time seeing an inverted triangle executed in MMA competition and Miller did it in conjunction with the kimura.
Needless to say, he won the UFC's submission of the night and pocketed a cool $50,000 for it.
I've got much beef with the UFC's decision to hand knockout of the night honors to Paul Daley. Sure his knockout of Dustin Hazelett was the most powerful and emphatic one of the night. Where I cry foul is the fact that Daley did not make weight for the fight. Daley weighed in at 172 lbs and Hazelett successfully weighed in at 168 lbs to fall under the 170 lb welterweight class.
Hazelett didn't have to participate in the fight after Daley missed weight, but he agreed to despite Daley's advantage. All Daley had to do was give up 10% of his fight purse. Daley ended up knocking out the less imposing Hazelett and pocketed fifty grand.
The UFC should stipulate that fighters who don't make weight are ineligible for fight bonuses. That or award the cash bonus to the receiver of the knockout or submission.
Tonight at 8, the WEC holds a very good live event on Versus (TWC 77, TWC-HD 1314, Dish 151). WEC 46 features the long awaited return of WEC lightweight champion, Jamie Varner. He has been on the sidelines for one year due to a
injury.
While he was out, the WEC created an interim lightweight title. Cowboy Cerrone and Ben "Smooth" Henderson fought for that title in San Antonio at WEC 43. Henderson walked away with the victory and the belt.
Now with Varner back in the fold, he and Henderson will battle it out to see who takes the unified title.
As if this event wasn't good enough already, featherweight Urijah Faber will also be returning to the cage after sitting out six months to heal a broken hand. He and his opponent, Raphael Assuncao will be clashing to determine who
gets to face Jose Aldo Jr. for the WEC featherweight title.
David Estrada Jr. is a Mixed Martial Arts columnist for the Port Arthur News. He can be e-mailed at
DavidEstrada@DavidEstrada.com
