It’s been a good year and a half since I missed watching a UFC PPV, but with their recent UFC 85: Bedlam show, I couldn’t talk myself into paying $44.95 to watch a very average card. Had this been on live television, I’d have been all over it. But there just wasn’t anything that I had to see. It wasn’t really the UFC’s fault though. Originally, Chuck Liddell was supposed to face Shogun Rua (and then Rashad Evans), but Chuck hurt his hamstring and turned it purple and he was out of the fight. Chris Leben and Michael Bisping were also supposed to fight, but Leben had issues with the authorities which didn’t allow him to train for the fight, and that one was scrapped too. Matt Hughes and Thiago Alves became the main event and while I’m a Hughes fan and Alves is a good fighter, there was nothing there. It was simply put together at the last minute and I wasn’t moved to buy the show.

Even though I wasn’t going to pay to watch MMA last night, I got my fix via the sweet science. Showtime and HBO both had fight cards last night and while it’s a pity as to what relates to big boxing cards on cable TV these days, at least I had some fighting to watch.

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In the MMA world, this show needs no introduction. But in the sports world, it probably does. Elite XC is putting on the first prime time network MMA show. No, the UFC didn’t beat them to the punch. This show needs to be successful for the good of the sport and they are putting all of their money on Kimbo Slice to help them draw the necessary ratings.

Gus Johnson, Mauro Ranallo, and Frank Shamrock are the commentators.

There was a nice little lead in for the fighters where each person fighting tonight was introduced in a pre-recorded deal, but it was a little less than what I’d have expected. It was a bit subdued.

They are pushing the arts in martial arts fairly hard, though Shamrock said that anyone could punch you or choke you to death, talking specifically to the home viewers. He also looks very nervous in the booth.

I know why they did it, but I didn’t like the long intro. I think they should’ve gone to a fight first and during the first fight, do a bit of educating, and then talk about the sport and tell the viewer what they are watching after. You could’ve put Phil Baroni and Joe Villasenor in there knowing that Baroni just swings away and gasses early to start the show off with a bang.

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