UFC 112: Fan Disappointment Anything but Unexpected

If Anderson Silva was attempting to outdo his idol Roy Jones Jr.'s performance from last week, he did; it was even more uneventful and worthless. Both fights consisted of more posturing than actual fighting, but did anyone not at least partially expect this?

I, along with numerous other writers, predicted a repeat of Silva's last challenge by a strict grappler at UFC 97. Thales Leitas was also an undeserving Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist whose only chance to win lay in somehow getting Silva on the ground with him. After that five round bore, one might wonder why the UFC attempted that recipe for a second time.

If people from the outside looking in predicted this, I would think it had to have crossed the mind of those in control of UFC matchmaking. Nonetheless, the countdown shows had us prepared for a war to erupt in the Middle East.

And while it is clear at this point that senior tours aren't meant for MMA (e.g. Couture vs. Coleman), the UFC went ahead with its hard-sell promotion of Matt Hughes vs. Renzo Gracie. Despite whatever story lines they came up with, the fight was a 43-year-old man who hadn't fought in three years, against a limited ex-champion who had lost two of his last three fights.

Was anyone expecting much more than what they gave us in this fight? I actually thought it would be worse.

The least talked about, but most legitimate disappointment of the event did not come from a fighter, however, but from the judges.

Most should have expected the lightweight title fight between champion B.J. Penn and Frankie Edgar to go the distance. A patient boxing style has been Penn's forte as of late and all of Edgar's wins, besides two, have come by decision.

The surprise came after the fight. While everyone will agree this wasn't Penn's finest performance, there is no doubt he won at least one round (I personally had him winning four). Tell that to judge Douglas Crosby, who gave Edgar every single round in the fight. The other two judges scored it four to one and three to two for Edgar.

While Dana White will quickly instruct you not to leave it in the hands of the judges, there is no excuse for this kind of scoring.

This probably shouldn't be unexpected since this is becoming a trend in MMA, and the UFC in particular. It makes me wonder how a controlling enterprise, such as the UFC, would let this incompetency continue. After all, they consistently fire fighters after two bad performances, and many times after just one.

It is possible that the answer is that it is beneficial to the promotion. If White is able to convince fighters that no matter how well they do, if the fight goes to the judges, they will lose, it produces the more exciting finishes that they have promised to their loyal following of pay-per-view subscribers.

Is it a sign of the business side of the UFC taking more control than the sport side? Is the UFC floating further away from mainstream legitimacy due to overproduction?

I don't mean an overabundance of their product, but basically a false detraction of the sport by effects and manipulation. With all the hype the UFC produces through its countdown shows and press conferences, fans expect fire to rain down from the sky during the main event, and naturally, disappointment ensues. How the UFC keeps their loyal fan base when all of them seem disappointed after each show is beyond me.

This event did not show us anything new. We knew Anderson Silva temporarily loses his mind when he fights undeserving challengers. We knew Matt Hughes and Renzo Gracie were way past their prime. We knew the UFC judges were picked from an unemployment line.

I was fully entertained during this event, as I usually find a way to be, but the fan consensus seems to be this event was quite a disappointment. At this point, shouldn't we expect this?