UFC 106 - Look Back

Last month we saw the latest offering from the Ultimate Fighting Championship's big events, UFC 106. It featured the return of a legend in the form of Tito Ortiz, the return of former UFC light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin, the return of a welterweight fight with possible title implications and as always the return of controversy and debatable judging.

The main and co-main event of the night would provide everything for fans to talk about for days and weeks to come, but not in the way you might think!

The general discussion coming out of UFC 106 seemed to be about Tito Ortiz now being 'over the hill' or past his best, but I think there are far bigger talking points at hand. In recent times, judging for MMA events has been the hottest topic going, and 106 did nothing to cool the debates.

After the decisions of Lyoto Machida vs Shogun Rua and Randy Couture vs Brandon Vera the judges at UFC 106 needed to get things right and once again they failed. We all understand that judging comes down to a personal point of view of the fight, but these judges are supposed to be knowledgeable about the sport and I find it a disgrace when one judge can score the fight 29-28 to Ortiz, yet another one can score it 30-27 to Griffin. There seems to be no continuity or consistency apart from the constant controversy each time it is left to the judges for the main event.

When it comes to the outcome of the fight, I don't agree with the notion of a fighter being 'robbed' if the fight is close, after all if its a close fight surely it can go either way? What I do have a problem with is the difference in scoring we saw for the Ortiz vs Griffin fight, it was just laughable. The only way I can see for consistent judging to exists is to have the same judges at each event and have them made accountable for their score cards, and even to the point of putting them in the post fight press conference to answer questions about their decisions.

Now onto my second point, this time from the co-main event of the evening featuring Josh Koscheck vs Anthony Johnson. The fight started off with good exchanges on the feet from both men until Johnson connected with a big right hook which wobbled Koscheck. He immediately tries to take the fight to the ground and here comes yet more controversy. The 'illegal knee' that Johnson threw, clearly didn't hit Koscheck in the eye or on the head, but on his arm in front of his face. This now doesn't become an illegal blow. Johnson shouldn't have tried the knee at all, but if he misses, like he did, should the opposing fighter still get time to recover? The simple answer is no.

Koscheck made more of the knee than was needed too because he was a fighter hurt and looking for time to recover. Johnson gave him a gift with the knee and Koscheck took it and made the most of it. For the rest of the first round Koscheck kept looking up at the clock willing the time down so he could have that extra little break and time to compose himself ready for round two. As they come out for round two Koscheck looks to shoot time after time to take the fight to the ground, clearly not wanting anymore of the stand-up of 'Rumble' Johnson.

At the end of the fight, the strategy worked for him as he pulled of the win with a rear naked choke and move himself further up the welterweight ladder and one step closer to a title shot. His comments after the fight probably caused more Internet gossip than the fight itself, but love him or hate him, Koscheck always steps up and produces exciting and controversial moments, which when all the smoke has cleared, leaves us the fans talking about.

Until next time, thanks for reading and take care my MMA friends.

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