Tecia Torres vs. Michelle Waterson

[Mohawk Banditó]

nah, the new judging includes damage as a factor and more open criteria and guidelines for 10-8 rounds

the old judging is effective striking/grappling, and hten if level agression and octagon control

No, that's definitely not it. The old judging wasn't a tiered system, that didn't come up until last year around the same time as the new rules, which is why I'm not sure if they were in the same package or not.

The 10-8 considerations might include damage more now as a factor, but the tiers were definitely in the new judging.

Regardless, Tecia either won that fight by 29-28 or 30-27. Also thought she beat Rose the second time around. Far as I see it, she's undefeated with two wins over the champ, but keeps getting booked backwards instead of being booked upward. Granted, I don't give her great chances against KK, JJ, Claudia, or Andrade, but at least give her the fight, ya know?

 

[BigMuffler]

Wow, it was shocking how strong Torres was compared to Waterson. I thought they would be roughly the same since they are close-ish to the same size and Waterson has been trying to put on muscle for the division, but they weren't even in the same universe strength-wise, and that was bad news for Waterson since she does a lot of her best work in the clinch and on the ground.

Well, Tecia doesn't really tend to look overpowered even against girls with half a head on her, she has the strength of a tiny... tornado lol

 

[AshiharaFan]

We just saw the worst armbar attempt in UFC history

Glad to share this moment with my Sherbros

Quote of the week.

 

[hard candy]

WMMA killing a card's momentum as usual.

I could barely keep my eyes open for this fight, I was seriously nodding out. I would have been so pissed if I fell asleep before the next fight.

 

[SeverianB]

@SeverianB is on suicide watch

If I thought Michelle had fought to her potential, I'd be kinda sad. However, she wasn't even close to being 100%. Totally off. So I'm more just confused and hoping it doesn't happen next time.

Regardless, Tecia....keeps getting booked backwards instead of being booked upward. Granted, I don't give her great chances against KK, JJ, Claudia, or Andrade, but at least give her the fight, ya know?

That's one way to look at it. Another is, Torres has been given 2-3 favorable match ups (Julianna Lima and Bec Rawlings) in a row after a loss to build her record back up. In comparison, Waterson was put up against another top 5 fighter who she was an underdog against directly after a loss.

Right now, Tecia can rightfully claim a title shot with 3 wins in a row. Fighting those much lower ranked fighters gave her a much better chance of getting that streak. Waterson probably beats Lima and Rawlings, too.

 

[kuka45]

That's one way to look at it. Another is, Torres has been given 2-3 favorable match ups (Julianna Lima and Bec Rawlings) in a row after a loss to build her record back up. In comparison, Waterson was put up against another top 5 fighter who she was an underdog against directly after a loss.

Right now, Tecia can rightfully claim a title shot with 3 wins in a row. Fighting those much lower ranked fighters gave her a much better chance of getting that streak. Waterson probably beats Lima and Rawlings, too.

???
Waterson fought Rose Namajunas and it was title eliminator. I don't know what kind of better chance they could gave her.

 

[Kittycat]

Lol at everyone thinking the karate nottie would win this and calling Tecia boring. The nottie laying and praying the entire second round was one of the dullest things I’ve ever watched.

 

[Kittycat]

Regardless, Tecia either won that fight by 29-28 or 30-27. Also thought she beat Rose the second time around. Far as I see it, she's undefeated with two wins over the champ, but keeps getting booked backwards instead of being booked upward. Granted, I don't give her great chances against KK, JJ, Claudia, or Andrade, but at least give her the fight, ya know?

Agreed, I had Tecia winning against rose too.

 

[SeverianB]

???
Waterson fought Rose Namajunas and it was title eliminator. I don't know what kind of better chance they could gave her.

Maybe I didn't word it well:

Torres lost to Rose and got two mediocre fighters immediately after.
Waterson lost to Rose and got a top 5 fighter.

If Waterson had been given those two, she would have got 2 more wins on her record also.

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

That's one way to look at it. Another is, Torres has been given 2-3 favorable match ups (Julianna Lima and Bec Rawlings) in a row after a loss to build her record back up. In comparison, Waterson was put up against another top 5 fighter who she was an underdog against directly after a loss.

Right now, Tecia can rightfully claim a title shot with 3 wins in a row. Fighting those much lower ranked fighters gave her a much better chance of getting that streak. Waterson probably beats Lima and Rawlings, too.

Well, I used to believe in that sort of thing (slow booking, athlete progression) when rankings were adhered to in some way, but champions today can be more luck of timing than skill, so the more a person gets high booked fights, the better, else you become Max Holloway and have to win like 10 fights in a row before they give you a title shot.

And to be fair (though it doesn't do much for my original argument) she was a late replacement in against Lima, so it wasn't her being given favorable match-ups, it was her being a company woman. Despite that, dominant performances on known strawweights throughout her career, and being a perennial #5 since the division started, I'd just imagined that she'd have gotten some booking attention earlier.

 

[kuka45]

Maybe I didn't word it well:

Torres lost to Rose and got two mediocre fighters immediately after.
Waterson lost to Rose and got a top 5 fighter.

If Waterson had been given those two, she would have got 2 more wins on her record also.

Yes but it is not like Waterson is young prospect, also she probalby got ppv points, so they won't give her some bums,and put her on main card. Tecia was winnable fight for her.
Also Waterson isn't youngest fighter, look at Kowalkiewicz she is just taking hard fights just to get title shot again, time is not her ally,and she knows it.
Same with Waterson.

 

[SeverianB]

Yes but it is not like Waterson is young prospect, also she probalby got ppv points, so they won't give her some bums,and put her on main card. Tecia was winnable fight for her.
Also Waterson isn't youngest fighter, look at Kowalkiewicz she is just taking hard fights just to get title shot again, time is not her ally,and she knows it.
Same with Waterson.

No, I totally agree with everything you just said. I'm just trying to point out that Tecia being given two low-ranked fighters after a loss to a high ranked fighter isn't a completely bad thing for her. It padded her record.

Also, Michelle has recently said she is planning on sticking around 3-4 more years. Tecias recently said she wants to be done in 2. Everything can change, but Michelle seems to be the one who will be around longer.

 

[kuka45]

No, I totally agree with everything you just said. I'm just trying to point out that Tecia being given two low-ranked fighters after a loss to a high ranked fighter isn't a completely bad thing for her. It padded her record.

Also, Michelle has recently said she is planning on sticking around 3-4 more years. Tecias recently said she wants to be done in 2. Everything can change, but Michelle seems to be the one who will be around longer.

It's hard to say when girls are in their prime, physically. I don't think it is 30+, just my broscience.
Imo Waterson is older and she had problems with weight cuts to atomweight and for me it looks she has hard time to make 115 lbs, not only she, list is long: Jedrzejczyk, Gadelha and few others.
She kinda gassed out so weight cut was probably not really nice, or her preperations were lacking something.
It was rather underwhelming performance, tbh same with Torres.

 

[SeverianB]

It was rather underwhelming performance, tbh same with Torres.

That we can agree on. There were a couple of time in the fight where Michelle just stood there while Torres unloaded a simple 1-2 combo right to her face. No head movement, nothing. Then she gassed out sometime in the second round. And Torres looked strong, but that's about it. Even gassed, she was able to outdo Tecia on the ground. Tecia also wasn't looking very good standing. Maybe I was just expecting all kinds of cool kicks. Michelle did throw a few kicks, but they were poorly ranged and sloppy looking. If kicks can be haymakers, that's what she was throwing.

Just a disappointing fight, not just because Michelle lost.