Tsao: A Return to Sanity, Then Back Again
Editor’s note: The views and opinions expressed below are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Sherdog.com, its affiliates and sponsors or its parent company, Evolve Media.
Moments after the UFC 223 main event between interim Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight titleholder Tony Ferguson and the undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov was announced, the mixed martial arts community let out an audible sigh of relief. Finally, the legitimate No. 1 contender was taking on the champion, even if it was just the interim champion. This was clearly a fight that had to be made for MMA to keep its credibility and sanity.
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The problem with what Sonnen did was that he ushered in a new era of self-marketing, with fighters around every corner trying to create buzz-worthy personalities in order to make themselves bigger draws; the vast majority of those efforts are just cringe-worthy. It takes a certain personality to really embrace being a “heel” and consistently behave in a manner that you know would immediately result in a fist fight if you were at a bar, all while charming your way to an ever-growing fanbase. Those who can pull this off with spectacular results are part of a rare breed, with Sonnen and Connor McGregor being the recognized prototypes of this personality.
Not too long after the sale of the UFC to Endeavor, it seemed we
were suddenly entrenched in “money fight” after “money fight” where
fighters were matched up not because of merit or performance but
based on their marketability. Marry this with the self-marketing
trend that Sonnen started and MMA has become a wasteland of
frustrating fight cards -- especially on the main event level --
that were obviously created with the sole purpose of increasing
revenue, both at the gate and with respect to pay-per-view buys. We
literally witnessed credibility leaking out of the MMA menagerie,
and there seemed to be no end in sight.
Then, just like that, we had a chance to right the ship again. We prayed that the fourth time was the charm when Ferguson and Nurmagomedov were booked for UFC 223 (now available on Amazon Prime), this after three failed attempts to match the pair in a fight that made all the sense in the world. The bout was a well-earned and well-deserved opportunity for both Ferguson and Nurmagomedov; and speaking for MMA fans around the world, we needed it to happen.
Sanity hard returned, or so we thought. Health has a way of derailing our hopes, and it did so again, as a freak knee injury forced Ferguson to withdraw. Curse that production cable. Featherweight champion Max Holloway has agreed to fill in for “El Cucuy” on short notice, as he seeks to become the second fighter in UFC history to hold titles in two weight classes simultaneously.
UFC 223 does not figure to skip a beat with its new headliner. Maybe someday we’ll get to see Ferguson-Nurmagomedov, but for now, we’ll have to settle for the thought in a sport that never seems to stay sane for long.
Based in Los Angeles, Alexander Tsao is a longtime student of the martial arts and an avid fan of combat sports. He currently trains out of Golden State Jiu-Jitsu in Torrance, California, under Professor Dane Molina. Professionally, he is an attorney at Venerable Injury Law, where his practice focuses on the representation of professional and amateur athletes, as well as everyday athletes, involved in motor vehicle, bicycle, mass transit, ride-sharing and pedestrian accidents.
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