The Aftermath – UFC 117
We’ll conclude our UFC 117 coverage (for the most part) with our usual Aftermath post which sums up our remaining thoughts about the show after digesting it and all of the coverage after the fact.
Here’s what we thought about UFC 117:
Duan
Thumbs In The Middle
Best Fight: Stefan Struve vs. Christian Morecraft
Worst Fight: Thiago Alves vs. Jon Fitch
This is a show I really expected very little of, and in that sense it probably turned out a lot better in practice than on paper.
If conservative ground and pound is your thing, you probably loved the main event. Loved it. I may be bitter and jaded, but I think that style of fighting sucks. There was an element of drama with the potential upset on the cards, but to me Silva’s late submission was what made that fight. On a related note, I think there is something missing in Anderson at 185. His string of lackluster performances started after his first jump to 205, and the only time he has looked himself since was in his other trip to light heavy against Forrest Griffin. Give that a moments thought. His movement doesn’t quite have the same fluidity, his reflexes not quite as sharp. The Anderson Silva of 2007 would not have been touched by shots from the likes of Maia and Sonnen.
If I was training Junior Dos Santos, I would have him working nothing but footwork. Footwork, footwork, footwork. This is where the title is won and lost for him. The kid has the ability to school any of those heavyweight Goliaths in the stand up, but he MUST stay out of range for takedowns. That’s not a game he can win.
Hughes showed that he still has something left. I’m not sure how much yet, but it was enough to handle Almeida convincingly. The Guida and Fitch fights were horrid.
Alan
Thumbs Up (but with tears in my eyes)
Best Fight: Chael Sonnen vs. Anderson Silva
Worst Fight: Thiago Alves vs. Jon Fitch
I haven’t been this devastated by a sporting event since Newcastle threw away the title in 1996.
I HATE Anderson Silva. I really think he’s a crappy person. His post fight interview where he shoe-horned in excuses and then said “I don’t want to make excuses” was outright disgusting. This guy makes my stomach turn and I want to see somebody beat him up and take his title. Chael Sonnen did part 1 of that on Saturday night. He beat that man up for 23 minutes and was a hair away from taking his belt. I hope to God he gets a rematch but unfortunately I think a repeat of that incredible performance may be even harder the second time. However maybe he’s just exposed weaknesses in Silva’s game that will be there every time. Maybe the only thing different about a rematch is that Chael will be extra cautious when he’s approaching the finish line and he’ll close the deal. I really hope so.
The rest of the show was decent. No complaints.
Cactus Jim
Thumbs Up
Best Fight: Chael Sonnen vs. Anderson Silva
Worst Fight: Ricardo Almeida vs. Matt Hughes
Overall a good show for those that are fans of the ground game. Sonnen made a good name for himself and created a money rematch if they get it done quickly. Fitch isn’t doing himself any favors by not finishing his opponents. I may be a masochist or something because I generally enjoy watching him work, but I think I’m in the minority. Maybe it’s the fact that I so impressed with his girlfriend that I cut the guy a break. I was actually also really impressed with Roy Nelson. For a few minutes in the 2nd round I thought he was going to out condition JDS. In the end, the better man won. Nelson needs to drop a few lbs (or kilos) and go train with a proper camp for a while. By the end of the show I felt that I had gotten my money’s worth of entertainment and suggest that people go out of their way to see the main event if nothing else.
GG
Thumbs Up
Best Fight: Chael Sonnen vs. Anderson Silva
Worst Fight: Thiago Alves vs. Jon Fitch
I almost didn’t pick Sonnen/Silva as fight of the night because I really didn’t think it was all that great. There have been many fights this year that I’ve seen that have had more action and a better pace. But it was definitely the most dramatic, which I think is why people think it’s the best. In fact, it might be the most dramatic fight in UFC history. I enjoyed the rest of the card, but in no way do I think this was better than UFC 117, not with Jon Fitch and Thiago Alves on the card. I have to say that as a long time Matt Hughes fan, I did smile when he manhandled Ricardo Almeida the way that he did. The dude is still strong.
