The topic of UFC 97: Redemption brings to mind only one word: Disappointing.

With a fight card including Silva vs. Leites and Liddell va. Rua, most would think the night would have a good chance of being eventful. That would make the majority of us incorrect. I was disappointed from beginning to end. From the lack-luster bouts, to the apparently updated UFC graphics, something was missing. The typical hype was there with the big name fighters, but neither of these fights were worth while. The devastating knockout power of both Liddell and Silva were not on display. Coupling this with the lack of technical bouts left the fans that were seeking strategy as well as the fans seeking one-shot knockouts unfulfilled.

The High Points
Joe Rogan (http://blog.joerogan.net/) is always entertaining. Along with his commentary, his technical expertise (in my opinion) can be attributed to teaching the less experienced fans the intricacies of the sport. This has no doubt contributed to the ever-growing following that the UFC has come to love. After all, good fans are knowledgeable fans. Beyond Joe however there was one fight (televised) that stood out above the rest: Cantwell vs. Cane. Watching the Steve “Robot” Cantwell get better and better as the bout went on, kept me paying attention. He’s a young guy, and watching his confidence grow in the octagon was not only good to see, I could relate to it.

The Low Points
You name it. While every UFC event runs the risk of having flat, boring fights, this one took the cake. Maybe we’ve become spoiled. Watching knockout after knockout, and submission after submission, we rarely see a fight go the distance. And although the majority of bouts may end with the most favored fighter winning, effort and desire can make a bad fight good. The struggle of the underdog, the thrill of the unexpected. These things were absent, and it sucked.

What does this mean for the UFC?
In the end, nothing. The UFC has a great following. Even the poor showing of UFC 97: Redemption can be over come by the hype of the next event. One thing you may see is fans searching elsewhere for their fighting fix. By experiencing the lesser well known WEC, fans have a better chance of seeing a good fight. Increase the number of fights, the odds that a few are going to be good also increase.

A surprising facet of UFC 97: Redemption, was the lack of up-sell for the next or future UFC events. I would have been extremely pleased (peed my pants) if GSP (Georges “Rush” St-Pierre) had been interviewed after Silva’s bout. Better yet, if GSP had entered the octagon and spoke with Silva about the fight and his performance. If these two ever meet, St-Pierre vs. Silva, glory would ensue. Records would be broken and set. In my opinion, the income from the pay-per-view alone would make this bout a must. The UFC can’t ignore the amount of money theorized, and I’m sure the wheels are already turning.