The UFC started using "The Time Is Now" tagline late last year once it became obvious that 2014 is best left forgot. Let's pretend that shit didn't even happen guys.
2014 was a big step back for the UFC financially, and there are plenty of reasons to throw around as to why: Oversaturation, Injuries, the loss and/or decline of big stars from the UFC boom (Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin, Dan Henderson, Shogun Rua, Brock Lesnar, GSP, Anderson Silva).
Or perhaps it was just that the UFC's mainstream popularity has run its course, and it's time to settle into it's place as a niche sport that is never going to catch MLB, the NBA, or the NFL.
Perhaps, but the UFC is not going quietly into that good night. They frontloaded 2015 with an avalanche of "must watch" fight cards the likes of which haven't been seen in years.
We are roughly halfway through this barrage with Jon Jones having dispatched Daniel Cormier at UFC 182, a card that featured rising star Miles Jury get dominated by long time contender Donald Cerrone and highly regarded vet's like Brad Tavares, Josh Burkman, Nate Marquardt, and Hector Lombard fill out the main card.
That was followed up with a free tv Fight Night card that showcased the much ballyhooed Conor McGregor annihilating poor Dennis Siver. However, the injury bug reared it's disgusting head again, ruining a potential barn-burner when Eddie Alvarez had to pull out of his bout against Benson Henderson. Luckily, Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone is a cyborg and stepped in to replace Alvarez just two weeks after his fight at UFC 182, winning a controversial decision. Uriah Hall was also featured on the main card and had his opponent switched twice in the weeks leading up to the bout, before polishing off Ron Stallings in round one.
Then came this weekends nationally televised FOX card with a main event title eliminator between Alexander Gustafsson and Anthony Johnson. Smart money was on Gus, the man who had taken champ Jon Jones to a decision that many believed he deserved to win. But 'Rumble' Johnson's crazy power proved to be too much as he won via TKO in round 1, setting up a title match with Jones this summer. An outcome that, let's face it, the UFC is disappointed by. The Gus/Jones re-match would certainly be more profitable, but it is what it is. Other fights on the card that looked good on paper, but underwhelmed in reality, were Dan Henderson getting knocked out early by Gegard Mousasi, and Ryan Bader out pointing Phil Davis.
That's become kind of a theme so far with the UFC's first quarter blitzkrieg: Fights that look and sound great, but don't pay off. Sometimes due to injury (Henderson/Alvarez, Hall/Philippou), sometimes due to the fighters not performing well (Lombard/Burkman, Davis/Bader), and sometimes due to questionable ref's calls (Henderson/Mousasi).
But it's not over yet. Actually it's not even half over yet. Three events down, four more to go before we reach March.
This weekend brings UFC 183: Silva Vs. Diaz. The return of The Spider. The man many consider the greatest fighter of all time will face a very good fighter that is well below his weight and skill level. But boy it should be entertaining. The undercard is packed unlike any of the cards before it, with top contenders and exciting veterans.
Tyron Woodley Vs Kelvin Gastelum.
Joe Lauzon Vs. Al Iaquinta.
Thales Leities Vs. Tim Boetsch.
Jordan Mein Vs. Thiago Alves.
Even the prelim's feature Miesha Tate Vs. Sara McMann and Ian McCall Vs. John Lineker.
So any day now I expect to hear that Silva has re-broken his leg or Nick Diaz has fled the country. Or at the least, Thiago Alves and Tim Boetsch will be pulled from the card for some reason or other. But even if all goes as planned, there is always the chance we see near every fight slog along to an unimpressive decision. It's still up the fighter's to entertain us, and sometimes it just doesn't happen. This card, however, is built to please.
Another injury ruined a potentially epic brawl between Matt Brown and Terac Seffadine, which was to headline a Fight Night card (Feb. 14). A solid, if less glitzy, match up of Stephen Thompson Vs. Brandon Thatch moved to the Main Event.
Glover Texeria's injury also damaged the appeal of a Fight Night card (Feb. 22), keeping him from facing a long dormant Rashad Evans. Bigfoot Silva will now face an irrelevant Frank Mir in the card's top spot, while Edson Barbosa and Michael Johnson's match should be worth watching.
The "Superbowl" card is always a big one, and this year is no exception. While the card isn't as deep as 183, the stakes at UFC 184 (Feb.28) are much bigger, with 2 title fights and some big contenders fighting it out to jump the rankings. Well, not as many big contenders as initially thought. Ronaldo Souza has pneumonia and his bout against Yoel Romero has been pushed to a later date. The man who dethroned the legendary Anderson Silva, Chris Weidman, is still on tap though (for now), and makes his third title defense against a game, but aging, Vitor Belfort. Belfort presents a difficult challenge for anyone, and many people still question Weidman due to the circumstances of his wins over Anderson Silva. Of course the biggest star in MMA is also defending her strap on this card, and Ronda Rousey isn't likely to be pushed off the top spot by Cat Zingano, although anything can happen. Holly Holm also makes her UFC debut on this card and will likely get the next title shot if she makes short work of Raquel Pennington, as she is expected to. Also on this card, Josh Koscheck will fight Jake Ellenberger for the right to have a future in MMA.
So that's the rundown of the early assault the UFC is throwing at MMA fans. In Part 2, I'll spotlight some of the folks the UFC is counting on to carry them back to prominence.
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