What Illusion?

What Illusion?
Today the respectable author Jonathan Snowden posted a response to Saturday’s UFC card Aldo vs. Faber. I’m going to start this off by saying I respect his thoughts as a author and wish him no ill will. It’s just that something is off in his post. I’m trying to explore the faults in his explanation. I didn’t pour over the comments on BE, I don’t have that kind of time. This is just straight from my thoughts.

First thing Snowden brings up is the gripe about Cerrone and Henderson being the co-main event. He says they aren’t high level prospects therefore they shouldn’t be in that slot. I feel Snowden is undercutting the compelling five round match-up the first fight was. They had a fight so good it was fight of the year on some sites. He also says they aren’t high level prospects. In my world, you can’t still be a prospect when you have the title. Nor can you have it when you have fought for the title before. I feel prospects are those who aren’t in the big show yet. Once they have made it they are just building their way to the title. If your in the WEC, are you really still a prospect? I mean, Anthony Pettis is a dynamite fighter. Is he still a prospect? No. Is Mighty Mouse? No. He’s made it. He now has the label of a WEC fighter. Cerrone and Henderson aren’t prospects. They are 155 pound fighters who eventually are going to merge into the UFCs 155 division according to Dana White. Some say Benson isn’t a top 10 LW fighter. So what? Rankings are subjective. They are used to incite conversation. They are just talking points for fighters in the gym and fans behind their keyboard.
Let’s look at the first fighter he mentions as part of the illusion: Carlos Condit. Carlos dominated a lot of people in WEC. The competition was no where near UFC level but hey he did what was asked of him. I can’t fault him from that. Snowden says Condit has quickly faded into the middle of pack. After only TWO fights in the UFC how can you say that? Since when did two fights track your career trajectory? Both of his fights against Kampmann and Ellenberger were razor thin close. Should Condit be punished for those close decisions? No. Kampmann once was a title contender at 185 and 170. Ellenberger has proven to be a handful for anyone at 170 and slowly making his rise in the division. Does a 1-1 record move him to the middle pack? In my opinion, no. We all knew the 170 division didn’t measure up to the best in the UFC. Should Condit’s talent and possible future achievements be hampered because of that? No.
Move on to Brian Stann and Steve Cantwell, who have fought each other three times and have had limited success in the UFC. Who knows what in the world is happening with Cantwell who had to back out of a UFC card in the past due to personal problems/injury. Stann’s losses are against a fringe guy in the “Polish Experiment” and Phil Davis who is a stud. He has always been pushed a little too hard in his stint with the WEC. He has a great story but his actual progression in MMA has been limited. What do people really expect from Brian Stann? Yes, he was a champion but he quickly lost it back to Cantwell. So what did that really say about Stann in the first place? He has marginal stand up and could beat lower level guys, but anyone with actual talent he has a slim chance against. Cantwell just slowed down and took his time picking Stann apart in their rematch. It was a workmen like win for the last stand of the 205s in the WEC. What did anyone expect of the 205 champion in the WEC? Nothing. How could you when you know that they were only facing a portion of the best in the world? I argue Stann and Cantwell were always in the middle of pack in the big picture regardless of a title. If you think any titles in the WEC above 145 mean anything, you are living in a dream world. All kinds of titles are present in MMA. What really matter though? UFC ones. Everything else is moot.

I believe it’s the WEC’s duty to make the casual fan believe that there fighters are viable challengers to the title. Each of their titleholders should be put up as invincible. What are they supposed say? In terms of 145 and 135 the best are in the WEC. Faber did have the 145 division by the balls for a couple of years and then he ran into Brown. Brown, then went on to look good against Faber twice and Leonard Garcia. When Brown lost to Aldo, we went damn, “Should Aldo who has run through people for now, not be promoted as the best in the world?“ Why does the WEC have to be humble? MTB yes was a journeyman but when was he given the actual opportunity to be the best he won the title. All of these men did. The illusion is more for hype than anything else. Anyone taking Zuffa on their word either are casual or don’t care enough to form their own thoughts about MMA.

I believe Snowden is saying we are supposed to look at the rankings to confirm the illusion. Ben Henderson isn’t (according to BE rankings) as good as Joe Stevenson, Nate Diaz or JZ Calvan. If you believe those rankings sure the illusion is there. You should ultimately feel betrayed that you are buying into Zuffa promotion. You have been told that Ben is a dominant 155 but supposedly it’s been against meager opposition. Cerrone doesn’t have the resume, right? Well, can either man get the resume in the WEC? No. Dana said it. They are going to be folded into the UFC. Plain and simple. Then we really know. But right now? It’s nice Ben has the title but even he knows that there are more people to beat outside of his promotion to be the best. Right now, the best is in the UFC. Where is the illusion? This is just real talk. Zuffa is good at selling their product. But is it inferior because they choose to promote their fighters as the best? No. Is it inferior because BE rankings say he’s not even top 10? No. Because if you stop and think about what’s really going on you know that Ben isn’t the best 155er in the world. He’s a good fighter, but he’s not the best. But he’s the best the WEC can offer. We shouldn’t punish or insult them if they try to make us believe otherwise. If you choose to adopt the illusion, that’s on you. Not Zuffa. They are doing their job and doing it well.

So if you disagree with me please know that I am female. So if you curse me, please say “SHE doesn’t know what the 5 bucks she’s talking about.”