Can 2009 be topped?
I recently saw Christmas decorations up in a store over the weekend and it hit me. 2009 is almost over. So I’m sitting here at my computer reflecting on how fast 2009 has gone by. In three months we will be entering 2010 when it felt like just yesterday I was at my 2009 new years eve party with my friends. But enough with my nostalgic feelings. What does this have to do with MMA you ask? Well in reflection of the past year, I have realized that so many things have happened in the world of MMA and UFC. There have been epic matches, controversial decisions, and shocking events. 2009 has put us on the biggest roller coaster ride we have ever experienced in MMA and we still have 25% of the year left. With MMA showing no signs of stopping is it possible that 2010 could top 2009? Let’s take a look at the shoes 2010 needs to fill.
There has been countless amounts of great matches in 2009, especially with all the new talent that has been popping up. However, there are three matches that to me stand out from all the rest. The first is the rematch between Frank Mir and Brock Lesnar. This match had been stewing and simmering ever since Mir beat Brock the first time back in 2008. The build up was so intense that it’s climax at UFC 100 was everything an MMA fan could ask for. Millions of people bought PPV to watch this fight. It was one of the few times that we saw MMA pulling in the numbers that boxers boast about. The fighters also gave us a great fight. The second fight wasn’t even on PPV. It was on a reality show on cable. You all know what I’m talking about. Kimbo Slice v.s Roy Nelson. Though the fight itself was lackluster, the fact that over 6 million people tuned in to watch it can’t ignored. It was the most watched event in MMA history. This will be so hard to top. The final match is one that is yet to take place. The match between Brett Rogers and Fedor Emelianenko. Like the Lesnar/Mir fight, this fight is just bursting with anticipation. MMA fans everywhere are dying to see Fedor’s first match since the UFC drama that took place after Affliction had folded and find out if Fedor is the real deal by going up against what many are arguing is his toughest challenge yet. It’s the perfect icing on this cake of fights in 2009.
The fun didn’t stop at just what happened inside the ring. The events that took place outside have rocked us just as much. One key event that stood out was the complete and utter collapse of Affliction and it’s assimilation of fighters by the UFC. However, there were two decisions made by two fighters that were so shocking and so controversial that it had the MMA community buzzing with chatter for days. I am of course talking about Fedor and Rampage. First Fedor’s decision to sign with Strikeforce and not the UFC was a huge rock to the UFC comunnity. Fans everywhere were scratching thier heads trying to figure out why Fedor would not accept such a great deal. They could not understand why he did not want to fight the best in the game right now and cement his legacy. Though an excuse of co-promotion requests was tossed out in hopes of satisfying the masses it simply was not good enough. The second was done by Rampage Jackson. During one of the most build up story arcs of the year the MMA world was 100% blindsided by Rampage’s decision to retire from fighting and pursue his movie career. No one saw it coming. The word spread like a wildfire with everyone trying to understand why Rampage would make such an insane decision on a whim without thinking about how it would affect everything around him. However, what’s done is done. I guess we could assume that Rampage coming back in 2010 and winning the title would be the one thing that could top 2009 easily.
We even had a couple of pleasant surprises. Take a look at Kimbo Slice. Last year this fighter was the world’s most hated man. There was so much crap talked about him it was insane, and in the span of two weeks on TUF Kimbo managed the change a lot of minds in the MMA community. Soon some of the very same people that were bad mouthing him were now cheering him on. Myself included. It was one of the biggest twists I had seen in a long time. Never had I seen the opinion of one man change so quick and so positive, but it was a refreshing experience none the less. There is also Chuck Liddell, who took up a gig on Dancing with the Stars. The apprehension was enormous and plenty of fans were laughing at the idea. However, Chuck has shown that he has what it takes to stick around in that show. He’s representing the sport well and looking good while doing it. It’s a fun experience that is putting a smile on everyone’s face, and that is something that can’t be ignored.
So can 2010 top all the big things from this year? Who knows? It certainly has some hurdles to jump. All I know is if 2010 does top 2009 I can only imagine what 2011 will have pull out its a** to top 2010.
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