Put sport ahead of spectacle in 2017 B
WISH LIST: It would be great if UFC matchups were based on merit instead of box office potential
efore he left for Christmas vacation, Province Sports editor Jonathan McDonald hit me with a “here’s something that would be fun for next week’s column” email, suggesting I use this space to discuss the things I would like to see in the UFC next year.
I loved the topic immediately and started crafting my wish list for 2017, but quickly arrived at an impasse; the one thing I’d like to see most is something I’m almost certain isn’t going to happen.
Coming off a year flush with bouts that made dollars but didn’t always make sense, my greatest desire for the next 12 months is to see the UFC get back to being more of a meritocracy — seeing the new ownership put the sport ahead of the spectacle and book matchups based on results, not potential box office receipts.
Don’t get me wrong — I loved both bouts between Conor McGregor and Nathan Diaz, I understand completely why Michael Bisping’s first middleweight title defence came against a guy who had already announced he was calling it quits after the fight, win or lose.
I think the organization made the right business decision in booking Cody Garbrandt to fight bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz in the co-main event on Friday night at UFC 207, rather than T.J. Dillashaw or John Lineker, the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked contenders in the division who fight on Friday.
But I also feel for the dozens of contenders who have been stacking up victories in pursuit of their championship dreams, being told to keep winning or keep waiting, only to see their opportunities slip by.
As much as Max Holloway relishes being the interim featherweight champion right now, he shouldn’t have needed to win nine straight fights before getting a shot at UFC gold.
Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov are both deserving of a lightweight title shot, and while a bout between the two would be highly entertaining, I’d prefer to see them face McGregor for the belt, rather than battle each other (or Jose Aldo) for an interim title.
In fact, I’d really like to do away with interim titles entirely, but that’s a secondary wish at this point, and another idea I think has very little chance of coming true.
Given that all signs point to the 2016 trend of making the biggest, most marketable fights imaginable continuing in the year ahead — which means my dream of a meritocracy is a lost cause — my revised wish is for the UFC to just go all-in when it comes to putting together intriguing, appealing fights.
Regardless of who wins Friday night’s women’s bantamweight title fight between Amanda Nunes and Ronda Rousey, and who emerges from UFC 208 as the inaugural women’s featherweight champion, put the winners together in a “Champion vs. Champion” clash right away and crown the first female two-division champion in UFC history.
Find out Demetrious Johnson’s asking price (last time we spoke it was still $2 million), hand it over and have him fight whichever of Cruz or Garbrandt closes out 2016 as the bantamweight champion.
Bring back Georges St-Pierre and Nick Diaz and get them high-profile fights, though not against each other. May I suggest Anderson Silva and Robbie Lawler, respectively, as their opponents?
See if Nathan Diaz will walk back his “I’m not fighting for anything less than $20 million” claim, too, because he became a bankable commodity this past year, and having both he and his brother compete at UFC 209 only seems fitting.
Grant Donald Cerrone his wish and allow him to compete every month — provided he’s healthy — because while he might not be a massive superstar, “Cowboy” is a terrific addition to any pay-per-view main card, and the way he’s been performing lately, you could make a case for hustling him into a title shot in the not-too-distant future.
And let McGregor challenge Tyron Woodley for the welterweight title, to see if he can become the first man to claim belts in three different weight classes and officially return to being a dual-weight world champion before the year is out.
Because, honestly, if getting the biggest returns possible every time out is the aim, there’s no reason to only go halfway crazy with the matchmaking. Go big or go home. Here’s to a crazy 2017. E. Spencer Kyte covers MMA for the Province. You can follow him at twitter.com/spencerkyte.