Gray Maynard vs. T.J Grant winner gets Bendo

Dana just dropped that bomb at the post fight conference.

Bendo-Grant will be fun

I actually didn't want an immediate rematch..

that also means that Dana didn't think it was a bad decision either

Dana probably has rematch fatigue.

GolbeZ wrote:

I actually didn't want an immediate rematch..

that also means that Dana didn't think it was a bad decision either

i dont think it means that at all.

all the rematches of the Edgar era eventually brought enough backlash that probably only a draw would warrant one.

I rather see Thomson vs Bendo if they are dead set on not doing a Gilbert rematch...oh well.

Ninja wrote:

I rather see Thomson vs Bendo if they are dead set on not doing a Gilbert rematch...oh well.

+1

I'm actually glad we're not seeing another rematch. I don't think this decision means Dana thinks the decision was wrong or right, rather that he realizes that many fans are all rematched out in this division unless we have a tie.

Dana already said he thought Benson won

bobbitt15 wrote:

Dana already said he thought Benson won

Well, when you deny somebody a rematch most would agree he deserves, in favor of somebody who not long ago failed for the title and a middle of the pack guy...you can't say it could have gone either way or that he won.

Dana is probably just taking the money and running in regards to the UFC champ escaping the SF champ while that fact is still a talking point with fighters established in Strikeforce...and yes it does matter to him despite the fact that they are UFC fighters now when the days of constantly having to talk down outside orgs and their fighters are far from over. People stop buying it when those guys come in and prove to be on level, if not better.

KingsOwn19 wrote:

bobbitt15 wrote:

Dana already said he thought Benson won

Well, when you deny somebody a rematch most would agree he deserves, in favor of somebody who not long ago failed for the title and a middle of the pack guy...you can't say it could have gone either way or that he won.

Dana is probably just taking the money and running in regards to the UFC champ escaping the SF champ while that fact is still a talking point with fighters established in Strikeforce...and yes it does matter to him despite the fact that they are UFC fighters now when the days of constantly having to talk down outside orgs and their fighters are far from over. People stop buying it when those guys come in and prove to be on level, if not better.

bendo won .. no controversy and no rematch needed.. yet anyway..

No controversy? There is clearly controversy. You would have quite the ego if you think your opinion removed controversy..or especially someone as dishonest as Dana White. When the official decision was split and viewer reaction is split, if not more for the way of the hosed...there is controversy. If it's there...it's likely warranted and NEEDED.

There's definitely controversy, but that isn't to say Gilbert got robbed or screwed or hosed. I personally scored it for Bendo, but I knew full well going into the decision that we would have scores ranging all over the place for this fight. The rounds were simply too close not to be scored differently by different people.

I keep using hosed because i was behind Melendez and i am bummed he lost. I don't feel he was robbed or screwed. My real feelings is that the fight would have created a shit storm either way like i said after it ended. He is getting hosed in this intance though. Fights like that warrant rematches. I think if Pettis is out of the picture at the moment and THIS(Maynard-Grant) is the best Dana's got...give the man a fuckin rematch on a split decision loss that the fans are also split on.

Maybe he just doesnt think it's a fight he can sell a rematch because maybe it wasnt entertaining for people who didnt have a dog in it. It 100 percent warrants one.

I like to see Josh face the winner of Miller/Healy.

Gilbert could the face winner of KJ/Cowboy.

no controversy there. it was a close fight but only someone bias for melendez or against bendo would cry robbery, and it wasn't exiting enough that we simply have to have an immediate rematch.

and i am biased against bendo after that toe curling proposal, cut your hair and do that shit in private you fucking attention junkie

i don't think we judge it by exciting. I'll add that i thought the fight was plenty exciting. This is a sport. We judge it by deciding the best. I don't feel that was decided tonight. You think it gets more exciting with maybe one or two exciting fights in his entire career Gray Maynard and really a wild card like TJ Grant?

Not to mention...Gilbert's other two losses...Ishida and JT. Avenged. Ishida in brutal fashion and JT is fairly dominant exciting fashion. You can say Bendo is different because he's great but i disagree...he isnt great. He's a good fighter who is accidentally getting a great reign. There was no controversy when Gil lost to them.

Melendez did not look anything close to dominant in his last fight with Thompson. Infact I felt the fight was a draw. Sorry for calling you out, but saying he dominated Thompson is straight fan boy bologna.

But I do agree about Bendo. Dude is not great, and is setting himself up for a thrashing from GSP.

I can see Pettis, Gil, and Aldo dethroning Bendo. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say JT could beat Bendo as well.

If Maynard gets past Grant, everyone get ready for the African-Korean version of Guida vs. Maynard.

it was a good fight, not a great one. i haven't said bendo was great or different either and don't recall anyone else saying that.

i don't think this would be an issue if the lightweight division hadn't got bogged down in this rematch culture. maybe dana made a mistake by immediately announcing the maynard/grant winner would get a title shot, but grant has been improving handily of late and that is supposed to get you into the title picture.

what's the point in moving up the rankings if title consideration is ringfenced to just a few guys rematching each other over and over again? let melendez beat a top 10 contender or two and then get another shot, that's how it's supposed to work.

jewzilla wrote:

Melendez did not look anything close to dominant in his last fight with Thompson. Infact I felt the fight was a draw. Sorry for calling you out, but saying he dominated Thompson is straight fan boy bologna.

But I do agree about Bendo. Dude is not great, and is setting himself up for a thrashing from GSP.

I can see Pettis, Gil, and Aldo dethroning Bendo. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say JT could beat Bendo as well.

If Maynard gets past Grant, everyone get ready for the African-Korean version of Guida vs. Maynard.

Sorry for calling you out, but the first portion of your post is NOOB bologna. You are referencing the THIRD Melendez-Thomson fight while i was referencing the SECOND which was Gil winning back the title from JT. Yes, They had a trilogy and Melendez won by 2-3 round margin on official scorecards..and i felt those were being generous to Thomson. Fun fight though.

it does not matter who you rooting for in this fight, to say it was not a controversial decision is simply inaccurate.

GDPofDRC wrote:

it does not matter who you rooting for in this fight, to say it was not a controversial decision is simply inaccurate.

Here is some more controversy.

Tap D Jackson ‏@T_Wan827
@danawhite the judge who scored it for Gil, wade vierra is a Cesar Gracie JJ affiliate/student? How is that legal? #ufc #ufconfox7

CSAC judge Wade Vierra runs an affiliate school of team Cesar Gracie, and Gil Melendez is a Team Cesar Gracie black belt, as confirmed by a brief google search.

Linked in lists his employers as the CSAC and Cesar Gracie's GracieFighter.

http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/news/436809/Judge-who-scored-it-for-Melendez-runs-Cesar-Gracie-affiliate/

I personally had it 48-47 Bendo but a few rounds were really tight and could've went either way.

I think Gilbert would be better if he had a few fights in the UFC under his belt first. He hasn't fought for 11 months.

yeah, ludo brought it up in the main thread. Definitely a bad oversight. Does not really change my view on the fight. Which was actually the same as the only judge who will be considered controversial. Though round 4 for Melendez is reaching...but round 2 for Bendo shows a effort to be fair.

These guys don't train anywhere near Roseville...but obviously, the conflict of interest is there if Cesar lends his name to the camp..sometimes these guys overcompensate to be impartial though. He was the only right one overall on my card. Except exchange round 4 for round 2.