Roundtables
UFC 168 ROUNDTABLE: Reactions to Weidman-Silva II, Rousey-Tate II, and Browne-Barnett
Dec 29, 2013 - 1:40:48 PM UFC 168 ROUNDTABLE: Reactions to Weidman-Silva II, Rousey-Tate II, and Browne-Barnett

DISCUSS ALL THIS IN OUR NEW MMATORCH FORUM

...OH, ONE MORE THING - PLEASE BOOKMARK US & VISIT DAILY!

UFC 168's top three fights delivered for a number of different reasons, and today we react to those fights.


ALVIN CARTER, MMATORCH SPECIALIST

Travis Browne's height helps him in ways most heavyweights don't utilize. Usually range is attributed to tall fighters, but it's Browne's close range attacks that have been ending his fights (save the Steven Segal front kick). While he is being wrestled against the cage he can look for a switch and is tall enough to rain elbows down with legit knockout power. Those types of blows are devastating on the side of the head.

The game plan of most anyone fighting Browne is to take him down because he is considered a striker. Now, as he stated in his post fight interview, he has shown he is more complete than that. We still have not seen all aspects of his game at the highest level in respect to submissions, but he does have two on his record and one that we have seen in the UFC.

If he can be a heavyweight Chuck Liddell and wrestle in an effort to keep it standing, he is going to give the rest of the athletes in his division some trouble. I can see him having a tough time with Junior dos Santos, and I am not sure his skill set would stack up against Cain Velasquez, but it looks like we may find out shortly.

Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha Tate ended the way many people thought, but just a couple rounds later. Tate did show improved striking, and Ronda proved she has a Rousey chin. It almost seemed as if Rousey was too angry to let herself feel the strikes.

I was watching the fights at a giant sports bar and everyone thought this fight was the most exciting out of all the prelims and prior main card fights. Miesha Tate still came off as likable and her aggressive game plan is commendable. Rousey was more comfortable and has more ways to win. It seems Rousey can be upside down on her neck and still be in a dominant position.

Her next fight will be against an Olympic wrestler who might be able to base-out and switch from some of Rousey's throws. This fight will get to the ground and probably stay there until we have a winner.

Anderson Silva's loss was not Chris Weidman's gain. Weidman is the champion, but people are more upset out what seems to be a career ending injury. The best fighter to ever do it lost in the most gruesome fashion. Even a violent TKO would have been less upsetting.

If Silva does heal and comeback - which is highly unlikely - he would be taking exciting fights, but anything outside of a win would be grounds for the media to pan him to no end. We might have seen the end of an era, but it was long and exciting. At this point we just have to hope Silva heals well, and Weidman has to hope people accept him as the champion on his own merit.

He said they trained to check kicks, but everyone should be. I know he did not train to check with with his lower knee cap because that could be dangerous for him. The reality is Weidman did what he was supposed to, but breaking Silva's leg was not on anyone's mind or radar. Weidman is the champ, and he might become more dangerous to his next opponent as he might still feel the need to prove it, even though he has technically done the "impossible" twice.


FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

The only thing I can think of right now is how bad I feel for Anderson Silva. It's hard to say what would have happened in that fight. Weidman won the first round, but Silva did some damage as well. I could easily have seen either man winning the fight. To have it play out the way it did, though, is just a damn shame. The Greatest of All-Time shouldn't go out like this, but I can't see Silva coming back. He's got nothing left to prove. He should heal up and go into coaching if he wants, or do anything else he wants to do. I feel horrible for Silva. Honestly, I really don't know what to say.

I also feel a little badly for Chris Weidman. To get a win like this surely isn't something he wanted. He wanted to beat Silva in the middle of the cage, not win by a freak injury. It's hard to put words together right now so just bear with me.

Ronda Rousey behaved like a petulant brat. Meisha Tate pushed her further than anyone else has and you can't shake her hand after winning? Time to grow up.

Travis Browne looked like a monster. Josh Barnett is a tough guy and he got lit up. Browne looks like he might be able to challenge UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez. For our sake I hope so. I like to see champions being challenged.

I don't know what score to give this event. All I can picture right now is Silva's leg snapping and twisting around like it did. What a horrible way to end the year. I just don't know what to say.


ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Josh Barnett vs. Travis Browne was a bit of a surprise to me. I did not think that Brown was experienced enough to outwit Barnett. Browne has the physical skills to stay with the best heavyweights in the world, but like I said he does not have many fights under his belt. Barnett could be at the end of his career, but because of the horrible state of the heavyweight division he will be allowed to fight for years if he wants to do so. Travis Browne is in a great place to fight for the number one spot against Fabricio Werdum, or even the next in line to fight for the title. Werdum is supposedly the next in line for a title shot, but the UFC and Dana White has shown on many occasions that they hand out title shots without regard to who is most deserving. Browne wins against Werdum in my opinion, but gets beat handily by Cain if they fight.

Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha Tate was a great fight. Tate proved that she is in the elite of the woman's 135 pound division. She did a great job, but ultimately was simply not good enough for Rousey. Even though Rousey did not do herself any favors with her horrible sportsmanship, she is the best in the world and she proved it at UFC 168.

Tate will eventually fight her way back into a title shot sooner or later. Rousey looks about as unbeatable as a fighter can look right now. Her judo is untouchable and she can take the fight anywhere she wants. It will be interesting to see if Cris Cyborg tries to make the 135 weight limit and challenge for the UFC Women's Bantamweight Belt. At this point I think that Cyborg is the only fighter who has any chance against Rousey, even though it is not a great chance.

Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva had the outcome I predicted, but who could have predicted way it ended? Not many picked Weidman to win and that is a huge mystery to me. Weidman looked great in the first fight and Silva was a 38 year old fighter on the down side of his amazing career. He was never intimidated by Silva and he went out in the first fight and knocked him out.

I predicted that Weidman would win the second fight as well, and even though it was a freaky end to the fight, it is important to note he was in 100% control of the fight before the leg break. Silva will probably retire and look back at his legacy as the best fighter to have ever laced up fingerless gloves. Weidman is a great champion and he is very deserving of his title belt.

However, can he beat Vitor Belfort or Lyoto Machida? Only time will tell of course, but I feel like Weidman does not fare well against either of these two fighters. If Belfort gets the next shot at the middleweight title he will become the next champion at 185.


BRAD WALKER, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

This was a solid card that turned downright saddening by the end. The last thing any fan, analyst, writer, promoter, fighter, etc. ever wants to see is a man who has dedicated his life to this sport get seriously injured. UFC 168 brought us one of the most grotesque sights ever in the Octagon, and it involved the greatest fighter of all time. The image of Silva's leg snapping and wrapping around Weidman will be forever burned into my memory as one of the saddest moments in the history of our beloved sport. Without a doubt that moment is the closest I have ever come to shedding a tear during an MMA event.

Moving past the sadness, Ronda Rousey has become the anti-hero of the UFC. She never loses but she works her ass off and no one likes her. Boos are a big part of the fan interaction and she doesn't give two s***s. Miesha Tate impressed the hell out of me; she wouldn't quit and fought like hell to escape from multiple submissions. The woman is a warrior.

Travis Browne terrifies me, I don't believe for a second he would stand a chance against the Champ but what he did to Josh Barnett was brutal and violent. Despite the tragic end there was a lot on this card to like, sadly it will always be remembered for Silva's likely demise.


ALEX WILLIAMS, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

This was a three match show for serious fight fans, and for everyone else, a two match "event." If the horrific injury wasn't enough to sour your evening, the event delivered. Last night on the MMA Torch podcast, I proclaimed Anderson Silva's career over. Turns out I spoke too soon: he will apparently be able to return next year, if he's so inclined. I doubt he is. Amazingly, at 38 years old and after two stoppage losses to Chris Weidman, it's still possible that a healthy Silva is the world's best middleweight. I doubt this, too, but until he's defeated in a less-improbable fashion, it's an open question.

Ronda Rousey didn't gas. Miesha Tate is too tough for her own good, though too smart to let Rousey destroy her arm again. Speaking of that, good for Chris Leben for being brave enough to quit on his stool. Let's hope his cornermen would have thrown in the towel if he hadn't.

Travis Browne is as intriguing as a heavyweight can be who nearly got knocked out by Natural-ish Alistair Overeem. Josh Barnett has put his brain and body through years of hard training and competition in fighting and pro wrestling;l it may be time for that to come to an end.