UFC on FX 3 (5/15): Poirer v. Zombie

[Bernman]

It all comes down to what's more important to Cerrone, fighting in Denver or drawing a high-level opponent who will put on an exciting fight with him. He won't have a lot of palatable options if he insists on being included on the Denver card. I think RDA would be the best available LW. Maybe Barboza if he dispatches of Varner easily, which I think is unlikely.

I think the UFC will eventually convince Cerrone to wait and fight Pettis in September. That has the potential to be a classic and I hardly think there's no upside in Pettis taking a fight with Cerrone. He should get promised (again) a title shot if he waits for the Diaz-Bendo/Edgar winner, otherwise take another fight of his choosing against a decent opponent but good match-up. Unfortunately that's the best case scenario for Pettis right now if Diaz insists on waiting.

[CPT]

I know it won't happen because of scheduling and stuff, but the UFC needs to stop promising title shots to guys who might have to wait 8+ months to cash in. Just decide who the number 1 contender is when the champ is ready to fight.

I'd like to blame the fighters for waiting, but I don't think that's fair, given what a title shot (even a loss) can do for a fighter's career, especially financially.

[REDDzone]

I know it won't happen because of scheduling and stuff, but the UFC needs to stop promising title shots to guys who might have to wait 8+ months to cash in. Just decide who the number 1 contender is when the champ is ready to fight.

yessir.

tbh I think its ridic that they are having interim championships and not having the guys defend. Like seriously wtf is the point of Condit having an interim championship?

[CPT]

Yeah, I was going to bring Condit into it, because it's probably the most ridiculous example of waiting (he's interim "champ" and there are no shortage of contenders), while at the same time the most justifiable from a career/financial standpoint (a fight with GSP could mean more to him than 2 or 3 fights with other top contenders).

It's also kind of a thing where I'm glad the UFC isn't forcing fighters to take fights they don't want, but, am I, really?

[SabasRevenge!]

Just watched Jung/Poirier for a second time and I'm even more impressed with Zombie.
His transitions stood out of me the most. Just seamless. The creativity, variety, and pressure he displayed in his striking was phenomenal. He was able to really mix it up and catch Poirier by surprise on several occasions. I esp loved that one where he faked like he was reaching for his ankle and then slugged Dustin in the face. His trips/takedowns were awesome and I thought that they secured all three completed rounds for him, even though the effective striking was close in the 3rd. His transitions really clinched the rounds. He was always putting himself in a position to lock in the sub. There was one scramble where the angle perfectly lets you see him setting up a d'arce for just a second with Poirier beneath him.

The finish was beautiful. Stun him with that perfect uppercut, wobble and drop him with the flying knee (Poirier did that fall/grab for opponent's legs thing), position self for sub with opponent in a great spot in the octagon, lock in sub, ref stops the fight.

Is it just me or were Florian (in particular) and Anik riding Poirier's jock for almost the entire fight. Up until the very end they were just gushing about him. I thought Jung pretty clearly won rounds one and two and secured round three at the end, so their praise of Poirier in round four sounded quite silly.

[SabasRevenge!]

Yeah, I was going to bring Condit into it, because it's probably the most ridiculous example of waiting (he's interim "champ" and there are no shortage of contenders), while at the same time the most justifiable from a career/financial standpoint (a fight with GSP could mean more to him than 2 or 3 fights with other top contenders).

It's also kind of a thing where I'm glad the UFC isn't forcing fighters to take fights they don't want, but, am I, really?

The two deepest divisions are so jammed up right now. By the time Edgar/Bendo fight again, only four fighters (Edgar/Bendo/Penn/Maynard) will have fought in LW title fights in 2.5 years. That's ridiculous.

Meanwhile, it may be nearly two years between title fights for GSP with only one controversial interim fight in that span. Having Condit wait instead of fighting Hendricks is absurd. GSP cleaned out the division, but now it's stacked with Rory, Hendricks, Ellenberger, Diaz, and Kampmann all arguably deserving of or one win from a title shot. If GSP doesn't come back until sometime in 2013, we could have the Hendricks/Condit fight (if Diaz can't go) and then maybe Rory fights the winner of Ellenberger/Kampmann for a shot. That's two solid interim title fights before GSP comes back. Instead these guys are going to be sitting around with long layoffs or knocking each other out of contention. Way to go, UFC.