Issue 112
February 2014
This is your page to tell us what you think of all things Fighters Only and MMA. Get your feelings off your chest where it really matters – in print! Send us your best pictures with your favorite fighters, or copies of FO, and we’ll print them too.
JUDGE ME
I feel that the best way around judges’ unsatisfactory decisions is to have MMA return to how it started in the first place, with a bit of tweaking.
There should still be five-minute rounds, but the only ways fights could end are by a fighter’s inability to continue due to injury, referee stoppage, a tapout, or a knockout.
Granted this would be a highly unlikely scenario, because of the conflict with television scheduling. For example, there would be a possibility of any given fight continuing long past a predictable time frame.
On the plus side, this solution would eliminate the dreaded ‘leaving it in the judges’ hands,’ as happened recently with the controversy over the split decision win for Georges St Pierre over Johny Hendricks at UFC 167.
Do you agree with my position?
David Novick, Howard Beach, New York
Thanks for your letter, David. As you point out, your idea wouldn’t be particularly TV friendly. But even though removing the judges removes judging controversy, with the longer bouts you could be giving more opportunity for people to find fault with the performance of referees. One dubious stand-up in the 32nd minute and everyone’s up in arms.
RING KINGS
I read the Dave Meltzer column from the UFC 1 20th anniversary issue (November 2013) where he noted that at the time of the first event many people argued the then-new Octagon design favored grapplers.
The irony is that strikers say the soft Octagon floor favors grapplers but, in the boxing ring, quick-footed boxers say a soft floor favors the strikers. Obviously MMA and boxing are sports and can’t simulate perfectly a real situation, which might occur on a rug, dirt, concrete or some other surface.
Jerry Davis, via email
READER TWEETS
@DrbyCtyStranglr: I can’t wait to see Hendricks vs Lawler! Somebody’s gettin’ knocked ass over teakettle in that one. #FB
@BrianEJerry: The @ufc championship landscape’s changed so much since ‘07, from Couture, Liddell, Silva and GSP to Velasquez, Jones, Weidman and vacancy.
@k1lr90: So happy that Alexander Gustafsson won the cover cause if GSP won the cover, it would probably affect whether I buy the game or not.
@ndjcapture: @MightyMouseUFC amazing win champ. Enjoy your time off with your family. Can’t wait to see your next title defense ! #teammighty
FIGHT TWEETS
@TheNotoriousMMA: @MightyMouseUFC is my Pound4Pound. Hume and corner advising him to calm the celebration as a respect to the KO’d opponent. Classy team.
@JohnMcCarthyMMA: It has been an honor 2 both work with & watch @GeorgesStPierre fight. If ur done, thank u 4 the memories. If not, I look 4ward 2 ur return
@BrianStann: GSP is a great success story, great career and all class, happy for him. Exit on his terms. Hendricks vs Lawler is going to be insane!!
@RenzoGracieBJJ: “There is no passion to be found playing small.. in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”
Nelson Mandela
