Opinion: UFC Errs in Bypassing Desirable Rematches

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. To rematch or not to rematch — that is the question. With a Robbie Lawler-Tyron Woodley main event ticketed for UFC 201, it is clear the Ultimate Fighting Championship decided to move away from the immediate title fight rematch in favor of bringing in new blood to challenge for the belt. The reasons why some fights are made again and others aren’t granted that same opportunity are quite cloudy, and I don’t know how to feel about it. Although we’re getting a second installment of Luke Rockhold-Chris Weidman, the UFC nixed a Lawler-Carlos Condit rematch and shut down the idea of Miesha Tate giving Holly Holm the opportunity to reclaim the women’s bantamweight title. I wouldn’t have had a problem with either of those fights being made again because the alternatives simply aren’t as interesting. Of the three potential rematches to be made — Rockhold-Weidman, Tate-Holm and Lawler-Condit — the one that was actually secured was the lowest on the totem poll of fights deserving a rematch. Don’t get me wrong: I’m excited to see Rockhold and Weidman throw down again, but I was a bit more interested to see Lawler and Condit square off in yet another intriguing scrap; and as close as Holm was to defending her UFC women’s bantamweight title, I would like to think she’s more deserving of facing Tate than a fight against Valentina Shevchenko. No discredit to Amanda Nunes, but I’m not really all that excited about Tate facing her at UFC …

continue reading in source www.sherdog.com