UFC 92 might not have been the greatest show UFC has put on this year, but it definitely set up 2009 nearly perfect. All of us at Fight Game Blog gave the show a thumbs up.

Let’s get to the feedback.

Big D

Show overall rating: Thumbs Up

Best Fight: Forrest Griffin vs. Rashad Evans
Worst Fight: Matt Hamill vs. Reese Andy

It was a show that featured a handful of shocking finishes and twists that few MMA experts, much less fans, expected. Frank Mir became the first man to STOP Antonio Rodrigo Minotauro Noguiera (something even Fedor Emelianenko couldn’t do) and captured the Interim Heavyweight Title in dominating fashion. Rampage, FOUR YEARS LATER, finally got his redemption over PRIDE rival Wanderlei Silva with a nasty 1st round left hook KO. Revenge was sweet for the Memphis native. Then the main event featured the first undefeated champion in modern UFC history being crowned, as Rashad Evans won the Light Heavyweight Title from Forrest Griffin in a third round TKO. Overall, it was an odd, but fun show, and one that won’t be forgotten.

Alan

Show overall rating: Thumbs Up

Best Fight: Forrest Griffin vs. Rashad Evans
Worst Fight: Antoni Hardonk vs. Mike Wessel

Felt like a real eventful show. The main event was a HELL of a fight.

The biggest thing I took out of this and I know Duan feels the same, is that maaaan did Nog and Wand ever seem done. Both of them (especially Nog) need to think about hanging it up.

Duan

Show overall rating: Thumbs Up

Best Fight: Forrest Griffin vs. Rashad Evans
Worst Fight: Dan Evensen vs. Patrick Barry

Quite a newsworthy show if nothing else. The main event was by far the best fight of the night. None of the undercard matches were particularly competitive, but there was a few decent quick finishes.

I am not buying into Frank Mir as a world championship level fighter in 2008. He looked good in stopping Noguiera, but i just saw that fight as an indication that its time for Big Nog to call it a day more than anything else.

And with just one win from his last five, Wanderlei Silva may also need to seriously contemplate where he goes from here. It will be a really tough climb for either of them to get back into title contention, and I don’t think anyone wants to see them end up as just a notch on the belt for the next rising star.

Looking ahead, UFC have one guaranteed money match in Lesnar Vs. Mir 2, but evoking interest in a Rashad Evans title reign may be a far more difficult sell.

Cactus Jim

Show overall rating: Thumbs Up

Best Fight: Forrest Griffin vs. Rashad Evans
Worst Fight: Dan Evensen vs. Patrick Barry

Overall, I thought the show had some interesting match-ups and that the results of those match-ups created a bit of excitement and opened up some potential matches for next year. I can easily see Nog/Couture, Rampage/Griffin for a title shot, Mir/Lesnar is a given, and if Franklin can get by Henderson on the next PPV (a big if) a Franklin/Evans fight could be interesting given the student/coach relationship from TUF 2. Where does Wanderlei go, what’s next for Liddell, and where’s the competition for Anderson Silva, still remain unanswered. Given the quality of the last fight, Silva/Liddell could generate some interest as a strong second form the top fight, but not that much time has passed since the last match and I’m not sure that it would help either guy much. They could always play it up as a loser leaves town match, I suppose. Anyway, back to 92, as I said, the outcomes were interesting, but overall match quality on the undercard seemed a bit lacking to me. The fights tended to be one sided and outside of the top 3 fights, a bit lackluster. The show had great moments that carried it, but there was definitely some buzz kill in the pacing and insertion of boring fights between the big 3.

GG

Show overall rating: Thumbs Up

Best Fight: Forrest Griffin vs. Rashad Evans
Worst Fight: Antoni Hardonk vs. Mike Wessel

I don’t have much more to say being the last one to add feedback. The one thing I’m glad about is that there were conclusive finishes in the three big fights. After the show was all said and done, you knew who the better men were in those fights. I really like how 2009 is shaping up.

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