UFC 137 Snap Judgements

I will miss B.J. Penn very, very much if he really retires. Great boxer, incredible grappler, chin of stone, somewhat insane rambling on the mic... He's pretty much everything you want in a fighter. I wish he'd have done a little more wrestling in this fight - maybe he'd have won it even - but everyone knows about BJ and his stubborn pride - he wants to beat people where they're best at, sometimes to his detriment.

I won't miss Mirko Cro Cop quite as much. He stayed long after his prime and never seemed able to pull the trigger. Quite honestly, this was one of his better performances in his last UFC stint. He threw a little more. He didn't duck and run quite as much. Props to Roy for having a great chin, good wrestling and will serve as a quality gatekeeper. I think him and Kongo may fight each other in a... um. gate war?

Nick Diaz. No one in almost a decade has taken it to BJ Penn the way that Nick Diaz took it to BJ tonight. He f**king retired the best lightweight in the short history of this sport. He stuffed more takedowns than John Fitch did. He is probably not all there mentally either, but who really cares. He's a weirdo man-child but he's great at what he does. I am so very much looking forward to when he and Georges St. Pierre finally face off.

Thus endeth the Mitrione Hype Train. And I'm kind of sad. Meathead had turned into a fairly lovable lunk - but he gave away that first round and never seemed to tee off. I wish to hell he was 23 instead of 33, but I don't have too many high hopes that he can reach the pinnacle with such little time to hone his craft.

Donald Cerrone is starting to inject himself in the lightweight title picture. He's got a very nice win streak and is probably two more wins from a title shot in late 2012 if this keeps up. I'm assuming Bendo/Guida winner vs Frankie, followed by perhaps Pettis if he can get by Lauzon are the next two title shots.

Tyson Griffin might be done as a fighter. Gomi may have permanently ruined his chin because thats the second time in as many years that he's gotten completely scrambled. Ol' Bart is pretty much the definition of a journeyman and he got sandblasted.

While I'm at it, a tip of the hat to IronForgesIron - check out zee gifs here: http://ironforgesiron.com/2011/10/ufc-137-penn-vs-diaz-teh-gifs/