Why Cyborg's Suspension is Good for WMMA

Honestly, the best thing that could happen to it would be her retirement, but that's not going to happen, so we have to settle for temporary addition by subtraction here. One of the biggest criticisms leveled at Women's MMA is a lack of competition. I've certainly been one of the ones to say this in the past, and will continue to say that until more women enter the sport (which will happen as training grows worldwide). When the division consists of roughly 20 people, that isn't a healthy division. It's even less healthy when the reigning champion has so thoroughly dominated the competition to the point where people were leaving the division because they couldn't match with her (Marloes Coenen), didn't want to match with her (Ronda Rousey) or just plain left the sport because of her (Gina Carano).

Before, any champ, from any weight class has to deal with the shadow of such a dominant figure, "Yea, she couldn't beat Cyborg, she sucks." Now, with the absence of the 600-pound gorilla in the room, there's a chance that WMMA flourishes, especially the 135-lb division. The 145'ers won't really have a chance to shine unless Santos actually is gone for good, as she will probably serve her suspension and then just come back to her ass-kicking ways - roids or no roids. But without her specter hanging over everyone, the spotlight will solely be on Miesha Tate, Sarah Kaufman, Rousey and other fighters. Don't get me wrong, 135 is still not the best division in the world: Roxanne Modafferi is probably one of maybe half a dozen names even your average hardcore dude could name, and she's on a 4-fight losing streak that's run her record to 15-9.

Don't get me wrong, there are still plenty of matches available for champion Tate to face after Rousey, assuming she wins that one. Actually they're the same matchups even if Rousey wins as she's never fought any of the following people: a rematch with 15-1 Kaufman, who holds one of two losses on Tate's record, the 20-2 Tara LaRosa who she's never fought (assuming she comes back up to 135), 20-6 Shayna Baszler (also never fought), 17-6 Carina Damm (same), Alexis Davis is a bit of an unknown, and while she does have losses to Kaufman and LaRosa, the Kaufman fight was her pro debut and she's won three in a row. Perhaps even a Coenen rematch is in the cards, assuming Marloes goes on a mini win-streak. After that, it does get dicey as again, there just aren't a lot of other legit competitors.

Jan Finney is 8-10. Hitomi Akano is 18-8 with losses to Tate and LaRosa. Takayo Hashi is 17-4, but is on a 3-fight losing streak (including LaRosa and Kaufman) and moved down to 125. Erin Toughill is 34 and last fought at 160. Liz Carmouche is on a 2-fight losing streak to Coenen and Kaufman. Julie Kedzie is 16-9 with losses to LaRosa and Baszler.

All in all, I'm kind of OK with scuttling the 145-lb division for a few years, as there really isn't a depth of competition - only a temporary interim champion until the return of Cyborg. Maybe it leads to the return of Gina to the cage, and perhaps even the exit of Santos to the pro-wrestling arena or something, but until that happens, that division is kind of a farce, and I wouldn't hold it against Dana White or Scott Coker to wash their hands of the whole affair.