UFC 200: Rehab

[The Bard]

Remember when the UFC used to name its events? You know, Ultimate Ultimate and all of that? Well, it would be fair to call UFC 200 "Rehab." Did anyone notice that the UFC is using the event to attempt to resuscitate the reputations of a lot of fighters and/or get hype trains started? Starting at the bottom:

Pena: Between injuries and drama, doesn't have much momentum.
Zingano: Lost last fight
Miller v. Gomi: Fun fight, no complaints, but not a premiere fight.
Northcutt: Lost / derailed hype train last fight
Marin: Who?
Sanchez v. Lauzon: Fun fight a few years ago, mostly just zzzzz now
Mousasi v. Brunson: Moose doesn't have much going after the Hall loss, needs another win or two to be relevant at the top. UFC insists on spoon-feeding him to us. Brunson is a gatekeeper.
Gastellum v. Hendricks: Both coming off losses
Velasquez v. Browne: Velasquez coming off a loss, Browne just beat Mitrione but lost to AA right before that and needs another win or two to get back into contention.
Tate v. Nunes: Good fight.
Aldo v. Edgar: Aldo coming off a loss and needs a big win. Still a solid fight, but not the most electrifying matchup now in 2016.
Cormier v. Jones: Jones was lackluster v. OSP, Cormier was lackluster v. Jones and almost lost to Gus. Decent fight, but we've seen it before and have little reason to believe it'd be different.

You might want to say, "Man, you just can't please MMA fans!" But that's not true, IMO. There are plenty of exciting fighters that COULD be on this card, guys with more momentum than most of the fighters on the 200 card. Where are:

Lawler
Wonderboy
Werdum
Reem
Rockhold
Cruz
MM
RDA
JJ
Holloway
Khabib
Alvarez
Ferguson
Maia
Romero (if he's cleared)
Latifi
U. Hall
Rumble
Stipe

UFC decided to put those guys on other cards and use UFC 200 as a chance to give us, well, not quite damaged goods, but not the best product either. That's why, IMO, a lot of fans recognize that UFC 200 has some good scraps, but it's also missing a certain excitement factor that would be there if we had a few Robbies and Khabibs and JJ's on the card. In other words, it's a good card, but it doesn't feel like the most relevant, lively card ever.

 

[iwhoopedbatman]

If people weren't getting so excited for the '200' part, people would be thrilled with this card.

 

[CJohnny]

Remember when the UFC used to name its events? You know, Ultimate Ultimate and all of that? Well, it would be fair to call UFC 200 "Rehab." Did anyone notice that the UFC is using the event to attempt to resuscitate the reputations of a lot of fighters and/or get hype trains started? Starting at the bottom:

Pena: Between injuries and drama, doesn't have much momentum.
Zingano: Lost last fight
Miller v. Gomi: Fun fight, no complaints, but not a premiere fight.
Northcutt: Lost / derailed hype train last fight
Marin: Who?
Sanchez v. Lauzon: Fun fight a few years ago, mostly just zzzzz now
Mousasi v. Brunson: Moose doesn't have much going after the Hall loss, needs another win or two to be relevant at the top. UFC insists on spoon-feeding him to us. Brunson is a gatekeeper.
Gastellum v. Hendricks: Both coming off losses
Velasquez v. Browne: Velasquez coming off a loss, Browne just beat Mitrione but lost to AA right before that and needs another win or two to get back into contention.
Tate v. Nunes: Good fight.
Aldo v. Edgar: Aldo coming off a loss and needs a big win. Still a solid fight, but not the most electrifying matchup now in 2016.
Cormier v. Jones: Jones was lackluster v. OSP, Cormier was lackluster v. Jones and almost lost to Gus. Decent fight, but we've seen it before and have little reason to believe it'd be different.

You might want to say, "Man, you just can't please MMA fans!" But that's not true, IMO. There are plenty of exciting fighters that COULD be on this card, guys with more momentum than most of the fighters on the 200 card. Where are:

Lawler
Wonderboy
Werdum
Reem
Rockhold
Cruz
MM
RDA
JJ
Holloway
Khabib
Alvarez
Ferguson
Maia
Romero (if he's cleared)
Latifi
U. Hall
Rumble
Stipe

UFC decided to put those guys on other cards and use UFC 200 as a chance to give us, well, not quite damaged goods, but not the best product either. That's why, IMO, a lot of fans recognize that UFC 200 has some good scraps, but it's also missing a certain excitement factor that would be there if we had a few Robbies and Khabibs and JJ's on the card. In other words, it's a good card, but it doesn't feel like the most relevant, lively card ever.

Jones almost lost to Gus too. Cormier did better against him. Was able to find and expose things in Gus game such as his clinch and the way he runs when pressured.

 

[Tormund]

Tate vs. Nunes is a squash match

 

[TheRassler]

Is this a jon jones joke?

 

[Toxxus]

Tate vs. Nunes is a squash match

Is it? I feel like both fighters have a reasonable chance of winning that.

 

[Tormund]

Is it? I feel like both fighters have a reasonable chance of winning that.

What's reasonable by your standards? If Nunes doesn't get the KO in the 1st then Tate will Lay'n'Pray for 1 round and sub Nunes in the 3rd due to her terrible gas tank, cardio is a skill.

 

[Candy Routure]

You found a way to complain about a bunch of good fights. Good job.

I remember when it didnt matter if a fighter was coming off a loss, or where they stood in rankings. A good macth up was a good match up!..

Pride Never Die.

 

[The Bard]

You found a way to complain about a bunch of good fights.

I said it was a "good card." I'll watch it. I'm just trying to explain why so many fans are lukewarm about it. UFC isn't doing itself any favors by hyping it up / "minds will be blown," etc.

 

[BennyOcean]

Is this a jon jones joke?

No idea what the OP's intention is but speaking of Rehab and Jones, it would be pretty cool if he used Amy Winehouse' Rehab as a walkout song.

 

[Toxxus]

What's reasonable by your standards? If Nunes doesn't get the KO in the 1st then Tate will Lay'n'Pray for 1 round and sub Nunes in the 3rd due to her terrible gas tank, cardio is a skill.

Your general assessment is good (Nunes tends to gas), though I think she's capable of winning the 1st two rounds, losing the 3rd badly and getting a decision win.

 

[wchew20]

Remember when the UFC used to name its events? You know, Ultimate Ultimate and all of that? Well, it would be fair to call UFC 200 "Rehab." Did anyone notice that the UFC is using the event to attempt to resuscitate the reputations of a lot of fighters and/or get hype trains started? Starting at the bottom:

Pena: Between injuries and drama, doesn't have much momentum.
Zingano: Lost last fight
Miller v. Gomi: Fun fight, no complaints, but not a premiere fight.
Northcutt: Lost / derailed hype train last fight
Marin: Who?
Sanchez v. Lauzon: Fun fight a few years ago, mostly just zzzzz now
Mousasi v. Brunson: Moose doesn't have much going after the Hall loss, needs another win or two to be relevant at the top. UFC insists on spoon-feeding him to us. Brunson is a gatekeeper.
Gastellum v. Hendricks: Both coming off losses
Velasquez v. Browne: Velasquez coming off a loss, Browne just beat Mitrione but lost to AA right before that and needs another win or two to get back into contention.
Tate v. Nunes: Good fight.
Aldo v. Edgar: Aldo coming off a loss and needs a big win. Still a solid fight, but not the most electrifying matchup now in 2016.
Cormier v. Jones: Jones was lackluster v. OSP, Cormier was lackluster v. Jones and almost lost to Gus. Decent fight, but we've seen it before and have little reason to believe it'd be different.

You might want to say, "Man, you just can't please MMA fans!" But that's not true, IMO. There are plenty of exciting fighters that COULD be on this card, guys with more momentum than most of the fighters on the 200 card. Where are:

Lawler
Wonderboy
Werdum
Reem
Rockhold
Cruz
MM
RDA
JJ
Holloway
Khabib
Alvarez
Ferguson
Maia
Romero (if he's cleared)
Latifi
U. Hall
Rumble
Stipe

UFC decided to put those guys on other cards and use UFC 200 as a chance to give us, well, not quite damaged goods, but not the best product either. That's why, IMO, a lot of fans recognize that UFC 200 has some good scraps, but it's also missing a certain excitement factor that would be there if we had a few Robbies and Khabibs and JJ's on the card. In other words, it's a good card, but it doesn't feel like the most relevant, lively card ever.

and would have had Conor coming off a bad loss.