Full Contact Talk: MMA discussion

UFC 88 in many minds was a house-cleaning of sorts. The light heavyweight division in particular is so deep that the contention picture hasn’t been exactly clear in recent months. And the marketing challenge for the UFC in such a competitive division is quite possibly an even harder task to manage than the complexity of Joe Silva’s match-making.

The current drama of mixed-martial-art’s most competitive weight class is scripted with a slightly unpopular fighter in that of Rashad Evans now stepping up to title contention and one of the sport’s hall-of-famers in that of Chuck Liddell trapped in potential career uncertainty. And the same unstable ground where Liddell stood before UFC 88 in many minds was the same place former middleweight champion, Rich Franklin, placed his own feet. UFC 88 even delivered a legend in Dan Henderson upon a tough fight where a loss would suddenly find the veteran 3-and-0 since his return to the cage. In the fallout, Franklin and Henderson move forward with decisive wins, while Liddell slumps into defeat and Evans battles forward for popularity and respect.

The marketing challenge prior to Rashad Evans’ stunning knockout upset over Chuck Liddell Saturday night at UFC 88 was that Evans’ popularity with fans wasn’t entirely enthusiastic. Thus making Evans a title contender not the most popular or best selling option. But as stated by UFC president Dana White in the UFC 88 post-fight press conference, Rashad will get the shot at current light heavyweight champion, Forrest Griffin. However, there was a near pause in White’s response and tone leading some to guess that such tone might have been a symptom of reluctance.

Rashad Evans entered Philips Arena during Saturday night’s main event to a storm of heckling by the large audience on hand. This was followed in contrast by an overly enthusiastic reception for that of Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell. Clearly Liddell’s popularity with fans transcends all corners of the American market. Liddell, the former UFC champion, is in many ways a poster boy for modern mixed-martial-arts in the United States and an iconic symbol of the UFC’s glory years from 2005 to the present day. But this legend fell hard to Rashad Evans’ monstrous overhand right in what was one of the biggest upsets of 2008 leaving one big question in many minds — will such a stunning upset raise Evan’s stock amongst UFC fans?

In a fair world, Rashad Evans would receive all the accolades previously reserved for the man whom he defeated on Saturday night. But we do not always live in a fair world. Talk still swirls in the next day aftermath that is built on excuses and hypotheticals. “Chuck shouldn’t have stepped outside of his normal counter-striking game and chased Rashad.” No matter the excuses. No matter the hypotheticals. No matter the analysis. Chuck Liddell was beaten by a smarter gameplan in retrospect.

Rashad Evans showed head movement normally reserved for professional boxing and took Liddell out of his comfort zone. In the past Liddell has oddly driven the pace of fights by showing aggression yet out-smarting his opponents with superior counter-striking and unconventional looping punches. And the first round of the UFC 88 main event found Chuck in his traditional role. But as the clock ticked down, Evans seemed to find the elusiveness normally displayed by Liddell himself. In many ways, Evans held a mirror to Liddell’s face making the performance by Evans as much a smarter series of techniques as it was Liddell’s failure to stay in his own game.

When questioned about the future of his career, Liddell commented during the post-fight press conference that his retirement from MMA would never come after a fight but rather in the gym alongside his longtime trainer, John Hackleman. But the former champ’s visible pain in defeat at UFC 88 seems like more than just a bump in the road presently. Liddell dropped two fights in a row before his decision win over Wanerlei Silva at UFC 79 and now finds himself knocked back in the ranks to the position where he was stuck prior to scoring that reasonable win in the final days of 2007. Nothing is impossible in mixed-martial-arts. Just refer to the comeback of Randy Couture. But Liddell is now approaching his forties and has a long journey to take against the currents of a deep and much younger light heavyweight division.

Favoritism and emotions aside, many spectators may have to accept or at least consider the fate of an aging warrior. The result of the UFC 88 main event presents one possible reality in this current era of MMA. Some might call it a changing of the guard. But at minimum, and as with any sport, old heroes will eventually fade as their younger counterparts step into the spotlight. The last months of 2008 find two winners of SPIKE TV’s “The Ultimate Fighter” series poised for a title fight. Rashad Evans and Forrest Griffin increasingly represent contemporary mixed-martial-arts and most certainly have become cast members in the new face of the UFC.

 Official UFC 88 Fight Results

Main Card (Pay-per-view)
Chuck Liddell vs. Rashad Evans:  Rashad Evans wins by KO in round two.
Rich Franklin vs. Matt Hamill: Franklin wins via TKO (kick to the ribs) in the third round.
Rhousimar Palhares vs. Dan Henderson: Dan Henderson wins by unanimous decision.
Nate Marquardt vs. Martin Kampmann: Marquardt wins by TKO in the first round.
Dong Hyun Kim vs. Matt Brown: Kim wins by split decision.

Undercard
Kurt Pellegrino vs. Thiago Tavares: Kurt Pellegrino wins by unanimous decision.
Tim Boetsch vs. Michael Patt: Tim Boetsch wins by TKO (strikes) in the first round.
Jason Lambert vs. Jason MacDonald: Jason MacDonald wins in the second round by submission (rear naked choke).
Roan Carneiro vs. Ryo Chonan: Ryo Chonan wins by split decision.

View the Post-Fight Press Conference on SPIKE TV Online.

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Tags: Chuck Liddell, Dan Henderson, Rashad Evans, Rich Franklin, UFC 88.