Joe Schmitt is a new contributing writer to MMA-Analyst.com in the capacity of some opinion writing that will hopefully spark some conversation from all of the readers. He touts his extensive UFC DVD collection, has awareness of the recent happenings within the MMA community, and loves to get down to the details regarding matchups within the UFC's ranks. Please join me in welcoming some of his thoughts that will hopefully get the masses thinking.
As long as you haven’t been living under a rock the past few days, you’ll know that Matt Serra has pulled out of his very first title defense against former champion Matt Hughes. Serra suffered two herniated discs in his back while demonstrating a move in practice. How serious is the injury? It’s serious enough that the UFC has signed Georges St. Pierre vs. Matt Hughes III for the interim welterweight title.
A closer look at Serra’s injury
According to WebMD, the bones (vertebrae) that form the spine in your back are cushioned by small, spongy discs. When these discs are healthy, they act as shock absorbers for the spine and keep the spine flexible. But when a disc is damaged, it may bulge or break open. This is called a herniated disc. It may also be called a slipped or ruptured disc.
Usually a herniated disc will heal on its own over time. About half of people with a herniated disc get better within 1 month, and most are better after 6 months. Only about 1 person in 10 still has enough pain after 6 weeks to think about surgery.
The extent of Serra’s injury is still unknown and the timetable for his return is still very much in question. If it takes him 6 months to heal, I can’t imagine he’ll be in fighting shape for another 3 months after that. According to Matt Hughes’ blog, he has stated that if Serra cannot return after a year, the interim title becomes the real title.
The “TUF” effect
Before I get started, let me begin by saying that I understand the decision to put Hughes versus Serra as coaches on “The Ultimate Fighter” or as I like to call it, “The Ultimate Hype Machine.” What I don’t understand, is putting a division, arguably the deepest in MMA, on hold for a reality television show that draws below-average ratings. Furthermore, I don’t think the show is serving the purpose it once had, to draw new fans to the sport. Plain and simple, the formula for the show is old and tired. The UFC should really be looking for the best fighters, and stop worrying about personalities that they think will make the show interesting. There are really only a handful of fighters that possess both the talent and charisma like a Quinton “Rampage” Jackson or a Forrest Griffin. The problem is, while some fans are attracted to the high charisma of Rampage, there are just as many who love Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, Chuck Liddell and Fedor Emelianenko. None of which are highly charismatic, but they garner fans by winning fights in devastating fashion. The fact of the matter is, the UFC’s plan to use TUF as a marketing machine has failed them this time.
Will we still see Hughes vs. Serra? Probably. Will it mean as much? Probably not. We know Hughes and Serra have a general dislike for each other, that’s no secret. Did it have to take 12 weeks of them taking cheap shots at each other on television to get me excited for this fight? Not a chance. Everyone has gotten to see Serra’s personality, as he was a member of TUF Season 4: The Comeback. Hughes has made multiple appearances on TUF, most notably as he coached against former middleweight champion Rich Franklin in season 2. Serra is a loud, say-anything, type of guy from New Jersey. Hughes is a Midwestern farm boy with an arrogant disposition. The two styles clash, but to be honest, this season did absolutely nothing for me. I wasn’t any more or less excited about the fight than when it was announced. I was actually a little disappointed because of all the potential matches that could’ve been made during this time. Let’s take a look at UFC 78 for example. There was no real main event, and we could have witnessed Serra versus Hughes in Serra’s home state of New Jersey. Instead, we got Rashad Evans versus Michael Bisping, another product of TUF. The only way I can agree with the UFC using TUF like this again is if the champion is injured. Let’s say next season we see Rampage and Forrest as the coaches, with a title match at the end of the season. I like that idea because we aren’t going to get to see Rampage fight in the near future due to his hand injury.
Final thoughts
The Ultimate Fighter needs an overhaul, plain and simple. The show's formula has become bland, predictable, and even downright boring. On top of that, the fans don’t get rewarded for putting 12 weeks of their life into a show that was supposed to hype up Hughes versus Serra. Don’t get me wrong, I’d much rather see St. Pierre and Hughes go at it, but as a fan, I feel that I kind of got cheated. Let this be a lesson to the UFC brass: No more title shots and holding a division stagnant for the sake of reality television. What do you think? Did this season get you more excited for the fight? Or, could you care less?