Roy Neslon Wins Ultimate Fighter Season 10 Finale

You would think I’d see that headline more, but it appears other topics are ruling the discuss-o-sphere. Perhaps part of the reason it’s not getting as much attention is because it’s not “breaking news”? Roy actually went onto the ultimate fighter with over an 1800 rating. That’s higher than many from “the comeback” season of the ultimate fighter.

Overall Roy stood out in the initial group a lot like Mac did. These were both veteran fighters with solid fights on their records. Doesn’t it seem kind of silly that a fighter that had top position on Arlovski would have to beat Kimbo Slice as part of his requirement to get into the UFC?

I’m happy for Roy, but at the same time the situation bothers me a bit. If Roy looked different, I think he’d be more liked. It seems many get distracted by his tummy and fail to recognize how good he is. Perhaps this is offset by his opponents making the same mistake. *shrugs*

Even more troubling to me though is how a legitimate fighter like Nelson has to jump through hoops to get into the UFC, but someone like Kimbo is handed the keys to the kingdom. There is a line between sport and spectacle, a line between MMA and MME, a line of respect for other fighters and of legitimacy to the craft, and I can’t grasp anyone not finding this situation on the other side of that line.

Kimbo Slice

Some will read this and think I’m being hard on Kimbo, but understand that it wasn’t long ago I was explaining that Kimbo Slice is not a disappointment. Clearly I’m not just a blind Kimbo hater and I try very hard to give him as much credit as he deserves…just not *TOO* much.

That last part is really where the issue lies. Understand that Kimbo Slice walked into the octagon against a not top anything light heavyweight and went to decision. Not even a good decision. No disrespect to Houston, but he got floored by a non-top 20 light heavyweight in a matter of seconds.

Look, this is that line between sport and spectacle I keep seeing people step over like it’s not even there. If Kimbo is a “legitimate” heavyweight for the UFC, then put him in there with someone. Give him Justin Mccully, give him Eddie Sanchez, give him someone. Don’t bring back a 9-4 guy with a suspect chin and make the fight catchweight and then act like it meant something.

This whole situation just reeks of money over sport. How is it EliteXC was considered a “weaker” promotion and had Kimbo and that was a problem, but a “better” promotion can have him now and it’s OK.

I’m sure some of you are going to edu-ma-cate me about how Kimbo has improved, but that is mostly BS. Kimbo was completely shut down by a guy circling!!! Seriously, Jimmie Johnson has the turning thing down, maybe that should be Kimbo’s next fight and we’ll see if he’s learned how to handle such high level technique.

On top of that you saw numerous openings for Kimbo that he either didn’t notice or was too slow to capitalize on. I’m not talking too slow like hand speed, I’m talking mentally. At times it’s good you see him “thinking” and at others it’s just painful to watch. I’m not talking working out of a tough situation, I’m talking positions most cover in their first couple months of training.

Yet again, I’m sure some will tell me that he’s “learning” and that he’s at ATT now and all this stuff. Look, Kimbo Slice didn’t roll off Youtube a month ago. This wasn’t Kimbo being plucked from the interwebs and thrown in the ring with Big Nog. This was a guy who’s first professional fight was over 2 years ago at this point. On top of that there was the time he spent training with Bas!

Checklist of why I’m so upset:

- Did Kimbo Win the show? Nope
- Did Kimbo Win a fight on the show? Nope
- Did Kimbo take every oppurtunity on the show to earn a spot in the UFC? *NOPE*

That last one is the one that gets me most. “He’s trying, He wants it” Bullshit! Bull-fucking-shit!!! There was a point on the show where Kimbo could have stepped up and instead he acted like an entitled douchebag. “I don’t want another loss”…”I’m not 100%” Too fucking bad. Seriously, too fucking bad. We have fighters with staph and knee injuries and broken hands, and you won’t get a fucking cortisone shot!?

Maybe this sounds rough, but the situation just felt like he was saying, “I know I’m going to get to fight again anyway, so why bother looking bad again”. Sure, why would you want to test yourself again, why would you want to “earn” something when so much is handed to you. Believe it or not, I don’t think Kimbo is a hard guy to like (or at least cheer for). The way this played out though really annoyed me and is just a huge blemish on the sport.

Honest question: how much harder could Kimbo have fucked up on the show. He didn’t win, he didn’t win a single fight, he basically refused to fight…honestly what would have kept him out of the UFC?!

Once he gets to the UFC he’s then given a catchweight fight against a guy that’s lost 3 out of his last 4 and is only back in the UFC for this fight. Could we please be a little less obvious about how hard we are trying to make Kimbo look good? I’m not saying throw him in there with Nog, I dont’ even want him fighting Carwin, but why not at least give him a HW that was already on the roster? Wouldn’t that have made it look a bit more respectable? Made it look just a bit more legitimate?

If “Kimbo Slice” is going to be a legitimate MMA fighter and worthy of being on “the best roster in MMA” then he needs to step *WAY* up. Truth be told with the last few years he’s had and the basics he still doesn’t grasp, I’m honestly not sure it’ll happen. If people want to keep him as a PPV cashcow (as a form of stupid-tax on some “MMA Fans”), then fine…but could we at least be honest about it.

Jones Vs Hamill – DQ?

This section is more of a question than an answer. I’m going over the fight in my head, I’m looking at the rules and I’m just not sure how it sits with me.

Instant Replay in MMA

I like that instant replay was used. This is exactly the type of situation that it can be useful.

Clarified Call

Another positive was that the call was explained. It appears Jones originally was going to be awarded a TKO, but that was later changed. I thought seeing Keith Kizer explain both the rule and it’s application was a good thing. Having a calm and profession explanation given when a fight ends in a violent and bloody way helps keep people from mindlessly calling the sport cockfighting.

The question

Was a DQ really the best possible call here? Here are the things I can’t quite line up in my head. Please help me out…

Jones was winning

Not a little bit, not a Houston Vs Kimbo two strikes thrown instead of one, but a “OMFG this better be a 10-8 round and I might see a 10-7″. I think it’s important to note the situation at the time of the infraction. This wasn’t Jones late in the third round of a fight he was losing kicking Hamill in the nuts intentionally.

Wasn’t intentional

I think this is another factor for me. Jones wasn’t warned throughout the fight (DONT GRAB THE CAGE!!!), he wasn’t kneeing Hamill in the nuts all night or hammer fisting the back of his head with abandon.

The fight could have been stopped

This might be one of the biggest holdups for me. Jones was winning as I said, but in this regard I’m talking about the reffing. Hamill admitted he couldn’t really defend himself, Jones was looking at the ref and showed interest in simply having the fight stopped.

The reason this is so important is because the “illegal strike” is far from the only reason the fight was stopped. The rule talks about “contributing” to the damage and the stoppage and to that degree it’s likely true. However, the illegal strikes weren’t necessary for the fight to have been stopped. Hamill had sustained a ton of damage and I don’t think a poke to the eye in the middle of a flurry against the cage on a fighter out on their feet should be a “DQ” either.

Lots of this will come down to judgment and personal taste, but Jones didn’t appear to be looking for an easy ref stoppage. This wasn’t Roy slapping a guy in the head, it was Franklin pummeling MacDonald. Jones showed a willingness to simply have the fight stopped and the ref wouldn’t do it.

I’m usually all in favor of giving every fighter as much of a chance as possible, but this wasn’t two or three shots, this wasn’t a flash knockdown. Hamill was incapable of getting Jones off him. Without the illegal shots the fight was either going to be stopped eventually, or Hamill was going to get pummeled for another minute(ish).

What about a No Contest?

All of the above come together and make me wonder if a “DQ” is really the right call. Think about what a DQ does and a DQ says. It basically says that Hamill won, it says that Jones lost and it pseudo implies that Hamill could have won if not for the “illegal” activity by Jones.

Did anyone see any honest indication that Hamill would win? Honestly, remove the elbow strikes and have Jones hug him for the rest of the round and it’s still 10-8. Add in the shoulder problem and it is possible Hamill doesn’t even answer the bell for the second round (*IF* they survive the rest of the first round). Hamill has a ton of heart and many would have tapped, but is that really enough for a “win”?

Did Jones use the strikes to gain any real advantage? I really don’t think so. He was dominating the fight (it could have been stopped) and he was just keeping busy. I don’t deny the strikes did damage, but they were far…*FAR* from the only damage.

In a case like this I honestly wonder if a “No contest” would be a better call. What a No contest does is remove the fight. That means Hamill doesn’t take a loss, it means Jones doesn’t get a win. Doesn’t that seem like a more reasonable interpretation of what happened? That way Hamill doesn’t eat a loss that was “partly” due to illegal activity and Jones still “loses” a win.

Maybe this is just how I’m looking at the terms and what they reflect, but “DQ” just doesn’t sit quite right.

- If Hamill was winning
- If the fight had been close
- If Jones had been warned
- If the fight couldn’t have been stopped previously

If any of those things I don’t think I’d have minded so much. I get the rule, I like that replay was used and everything sounds right. Everything except Hamill being the “winner” and Jones being the “loser”.