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What in MMA are you thankful for as 2014 winds to a close?
RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST
I was really thankful for UFC 176 being canceled, followed by a horrid UFC 177 card, thereby saving me $110 on pay-per-view costs. Related to that, I was happy that UFC 180 was as weak as it was, saving me another $55. Braces for two kids is going to be expensive, and that's like three months worth of one kid's teeth getting a little bit straighter. Other than that... um... Everyone got hurt, there were too many shows for me to follow, too many fighters who a mere two years ago would have struggled to fight for RFA being signed to the UFC. I'm thankful that the UFC taught me that I don't need to pay attention to weak cards, I guess.
FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
I'm thankful for MMA fans (hopefully) being able to withstand the UFC's moronic insistence on booking as many shows as they can, as we've got some pretty good cards coming up. Many of the cards have been awful, but we're getting some relatively good cards soon. Yeah, my standards have fallen quite a bit lately, but I try to stay positive. I'm also thankful for Scott Coker being in charge of Bellator, as it seems as though he's got good plans for the company. Doing away with the tournament format and focusing on making fewer, but better, cards makes me hopeful that they'll be able to challenge the UFC better in 2015.
BRAD WALKER, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
I am thankful for a couple of things. One is the fall of Ubereem and guys like Chael Sonnen who cheated they're way to the top, I am also thankful for the retirement of Wanderlei Silva who has taken far too much damage in his career. Oh, I am also thankful the MMATorch team, who at this point every year is destroying me in fantasy football. Cheers gents!
TOM STRONG, MMATORCH UK CONTRIBUTOR
Well, I'm not thankful for the late nights, the hour sleep I get before being woken by the kids, or the dog house I normally have to occupy for the weekend after each event.
What I'm truly thankful for is the people I've been able to meet through MMA. Random people I've gotten to know through social media sites who have now become good friends of mine. I'm also thankful that MMA isn't anything like boxing, thankful we have events that are packed with 50/50 fights, and that any fighter on any given night can win, this is something I love about the sport.
Here's to a fun 2015!
JAMIE PENICK, MMATORCH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
I'm thankful we're over the injury hump (for now), and we've got a solid three months of must-see fights from weekend to weekend. There have been a lot of fights in 2014 that simply haven't meant much of anything, outside of filling slots on every random card that's been put out. That's been a consequence of too many events from all organizations, but into the new year we've got a lot to feel positive on, if not optimistic. Though the UFC's schedule as it stands is sure to breed more skippable events next year, they're set up with a number of highly intriguing fights where it matters most for a significant run, and with those matchups playing out, among others, even more entertaining and intriguing fights should come together throughout the year as well. With Bellator scaling back their frequency but really getting behind a new presentation for the product, they may gain more recognition than ever and become another must-see product. That's all positive, and as we give thanks today I'm happy to have more to look forward to than dread from this sport into the new year.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
STAFF COLUMNISTS: Shawn Ennis - Jason Amadi
Frank Hyden - Rich Hansen
Chris Park - Matt Pelkey
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