- Commissioner’s statement on Ventura, Marte
- Ronnie O’Sullivan: Masters champion ‘felt so vulnerable’ in final
- Arron Fletcher Wins 2017 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event ($140,224)
- Smith challenges Warner to go big in India
- Moncada No. 1 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Braves land 2 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Kingery makes MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- New Zealand wrap up 2-0 after Bangladesh implosion
- Mathews, Pradeep, Gunathilaka to return to Sri Lanka
- Elliott hopes for rain for Poli
Opinion: A Mouse On His Wheel
- Updated: December 2, 2016
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.* * * Through his path on the 24th season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” Tim Elliott beat four quality flyweights, showed off technical improvement and now, by virtue of winning a season of this dying reality show, he has earned himself a shot at UFC 125-pound king Demetrious Johnson, perhaps the finest fighter in all of MMA.Couldn’t they have just given this poor guy a Harley Davidson? You don’t need me to tell you that Elliott faces an uphill battle against “Mighty Mouse” on Saturday in Las Vegas; Johnson is a -1000 favorite after all — and rightfully so. Likewise, it goes without saying that no matter if it’s a legendary champion in one of his theoretically easier title defenses, “The Ultimate Fighter” has only been used as a device to create a No. 1 contender one other time, and it resulted in the biggest upset in MMA history when Matt Serra somehow whooped Georges St. Pierre all over Houston. These things can and do happen. I don’t bemoan the fact that Elliott is getting a UFC flyweight title shot as a result of TUF, as though it’s somehow beneath the dignity of the UFC or the flyweight title. Chris Cariaso fought for Johnson’s title while looking terrified the entire time, and the UFC has given Vitor Belfort, Chael Sonnen and the late Justin Eilers, among others, terrible title shots. As mentioned, Elliott beat four legitimate flyweights on the show and dominated against the best fighter he faced, Hiromasa Ogikubo, in the final. His winning streak is one that could’ve legitimately happened in the UFC. On top of that, Elliott is at worst a top 15-20 flyweight; his scramble-heavy style is incredibly fun to watch; and he has charisma to boot. Witness his mockery of Pedro Nobre in Titan Fighting Championship. Elliott is exciting, entertaining and unlikely to get whooped as bad as either of the TUF 24 coaches did against Johnson. He went 2-4 in his original UFC stint, but that’s largely a function of competition, as his losses came against three former UFC flyweight title contenders and a former Bellator MMA bantamweight champion. Even if Johnson quickly or brutally dispatches Elliott, this is not a farce. In fact, WME-IMG is looking to slash the “The Ultimate Fighter” production budget from $27.6 million to $10 million, so Season 24 may truly be the last noteworthy season ever. This is not a fight about indignity but rather one that is …
