UFC 137 Post Fight Ruminations - Winning by a Close Shave

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Nullifying all previous laws regarding beards, Roy Nelson looks considerably tougher without one, and sounds tougher, too. Not sure how. Acoustics? Don’t get me wrong, I like the beard, and love his hair, much more than the shaven-head, marine clone look. Could you tell the difference between Brandon Vera and Eliot Marshall without the different colored shorts? Neither could I.

In a sport where promo and differentiation should matter a lot, It’s confounding how many fighters want to look like everyone else. The shaven-head, tattooed look is almost benign now. It’d be scarier to see a pale-white, bespectacled bookworm type on the opposite side of the cage.

Although Brandon Vera is a stellar wrestler and Muay Thai fighter, I can’t remember the last time he got in an actual fight. His UFC appearances of late have been matches: stand-up kick boxing matches; wrestling matches; JJ matches. He needs to fight, not to plod technically, the way so many European kick boxers do. Whenever he’s in the octagon I find myself yelling at the screen, “FIGHT DAMMIT!!!” But he never does.

Diaz certainly showed he’s near the top of the 170 pound food chain, but his claim that GSP is scared to fight is bogus and worthy of no more comment. Fortunately for Diaz, it was the lackadaisical B.J. who showed up Saturday, this after seeming to have a fire lit under him since moving up to WW.

Despite Diaz's win, It’s bush league for Dana to bump Condit from his title shot, but the UFC is entertainment, and definitely Dana is treating it as such, which is fine. After all the fight card switches at UFC 137, Dana likely needs some influx of interest and buys. No bars in my city were showing it.

Mitrione v. Kongo was about exactly what I had expected---a 5-0 up-and-comer fighting a perennial mid-tier fighter going to a close decision. Kongo continues to be a quality fighter who is evolving, if slowly, and who is always interesting and fun to watch, win or lose. Though hanging on by his fingertips, Kongo without doubt deserves the fights he’s getting, and who knows what could happen if he keeps growing? A couple key wins and he could get a title shot. Mitrione has the tools and gifts---speed, chin---to go places, though he certainly isn’t tearing up the octagon canvas like dos Santos or Velasquez did early in their rise.

Cerrone’s win over a very tough Siver was eye-opening. The Cowboy is now on a notable 6 win streak, and is setting himself up for an eventual title shot. I could see this fighter giving Edgar fits. Siver’s outstanding 4 fight win streak is now over, but the German has not given up his imposing rep in the weight division, and will not lose again for a while.

For a card no one seemed to want to see, the fights and the outcomes and stories were respectable, as is often the case, because it’s all about the match-ups, not necessarily the names.

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By Renko Styranka
ProFighting-fans.com MMA Staff Writer