UFC 208 was cursed. The 13 fight card was whittled to 10, including a day-of medical cancellation of a fight, and then all but one fight went to decision. A decision in and of itself is not a sign that a fight lacked excitement. Mark Hunt vs. Bigfoot was probably the best fight in heavyweight history, and it went to decision. Henderson vs. Shogun I was probably the best fight in light heavyweight history, and it went to decision. Griffin vs. Bonnar I is the most important fight in MMA history, and it went to decision. But UFC 208, not so much.
UFC president Dana White was frank in a post-fight discussion with Megan Olivi.
Not one of our better events, said White, as transcribed by Shaun Al-Shatti for MMA Fighting. I always feel like that if we come into a place, you’re going to have at least a few good fights that are going to get you up out of your seat. We didn’t have any of those.
Well, I shouldn’t say that. The Poirier- Miller fight was awesome and obviously the ‘Fight of the Night.’ Those guys gave it everything they had, and props to them, they put on a great performance tonight.
Officials at MMA events are hired not by the promotion, but by the regulation government athletic commission. New York only recently started regulating MMA, and it showed. It’s a shame, as New Jersey is right next door, is one of the best-regulated states in the nation, and is willing, even eager to help. The decision for Silva over Brunson in the co-main was controversial, and in the main event, referee Todd Anderson did not take a point away from de Randamie despite her twice hitting after the bell. A point deduction would have led to a draw.
I feel like the ref from New York shouldn’t be reffing a main event fight, said White. They don’t have enough experience. He should not have been in there. But again, we don’t make those decisions. The commission does. That was a bad decision by them, and if that guy takes a point for hitting after the bell, it’s a draw. The only possible way this night could be any sh***ier.
Everybody was blowing me up on the phone, ‘what’s wrong with this ref?’ and ‘what’s wrong with this ref?’ What’s wrong with this ref is he doesn’t have big fight experience like that. None of these guys do in this state yet, and they should’ve had one of the experienced MMA refs in there reffing that main event.
White wasn’t happy with the main event, either.
It wasn’t the best fight I ever saw, he said. I was hoping that the main event would deliver and erase most of the rest of the night. That didn’t happen. You know me, it’s been a long time since we’ve had a bad show, and they happen. It happens.
“I’ve got a lot of work to do forgetting tonight,” quipped White. When asked to name the highlight of the event, he said, the plane ride home.
The next UFC event is UFC Fight Night 105: Lewis vs. Browne on February 19, 2017, at Scotiabank Centre, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
