Treated like a redheaded stepchild

Early this morning UFC let out a tweet stating that Heavyweights Ben Rothwell and Junior dos Santos will meet April 10 at UFC Fight Night 86 in Zagreb, Croatia. https://twitter.com/ufc/status/696619495176036352/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw While this is an exciting match up to some, any real UFC fan knows that this is a disgrace. Not because the fight won’t be exciting (Dos Anjos has never lost back to back and Rothwell is a straight beast), but because Rothwell should be fighting for the title or at least fighting the top 2 contenders. We don’t understand how someone on a 4 fight win streak, all by K.O. and submission, gets someone not even in the top #5 and coming off of a loss? Oh, and did we mention Rothwell also knocked out currently ranked number #3 (and in contention for a title shot)  Alistair Overeem in the first round? In all fairness Ben Rothwell should be fighting either Stipe Miocic or for the title. In my opinion he should be fighting for the title. Whether he waits for the winner of Caine Velasquez and Werdum or jumps straight in and fights Werdum, Ben Rothwell deserves a big fight.  I pick him over Stipe because his win streak is longer and more impressive. While stipe has a string of wins minus a set back against Junior Dos Anjos. Ben has been finishing people in brutal fashion – including his latest victim Josh Barnett by tapout…that’s right, he submitted Josh Barnett!!! I know Stipe’s the biggest draw but please, please UFC make it about the sport and not about the business. That’s the part I  don’t get, MMA is a beautiful, interesting, and dynamic sport, we don’t need all the hijinks and fan favorite bull crap. This is not WWE, this is the NFL, this is the NBA, this is  SPORT, not SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT. I get it, they want to grow the brand, but at what cost? Fans don’t pick who plays who in the NFL, the opportunity goes to the victor. Sure they’re, disappointed, but that’s part of the game. People still tune it. That’s what happens in real sports, some people win and some people lose and we deal with it. Conor McGregor is a great addition to the sport and he’s making fighters more business minded – I get that, and I’m good with it. But when the whole sport becomes a business, and people like Frankie Edgar have to start changing up their personalities and become a promoter despite his resume, then that’s not right. I agree with Damien Maia – UFC has definitely have to come up with a more calculated way to set up match ups because the way it’s going now leaves too much room for “interpretation”, and it seems to always be interpreted as dollars and cents. But forget about me. I’m just a guy on a computer ranting and raving. What do you think? Hit us up with all your comments below. Also, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Lionel Harris-Spence is an mma junkie, frequenter of local pubs, Krav Maga practitioner, and budding film maker…oh yeah, and he writes sometimes too. Follow him on Twitter