UFC 98: Great or Awful – Nothing In Between
Published by Jim Genia on May 23rd, 2009 in Current Events

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When the card’s light-heavyweight title challenger wasn’t the top brass’ first choice, and when the co-main event is a grudge match almost a year and a half past its expiration date, all bets are off as to the anticipated quality of the show. At UFC 98: “Evans vs. Machida”, the once-hyped Quinton “Rampage” Jackson versus champion Rashad Evans pairing will instead feature Lyoto Machida against Evans, while aging ex-champs Matt Hughes and Matt Serra will finally face off in a bout postponed from UFC 79. Throw in couple wrestler vs. wrestler match-ups plus a duel between two strikers, and one comes to a simple conclusion: UFC 98 is either going to be a great, action-packed thrillfest or it’s going to be awful – nothing in between.

In UFC 92’s final moments, after knocking Forrest Griffin silly and earning himself the spot at the very top of the 205-pound heap, Evans stood face to face with Rampage in what was to be the first of many rousing confrontations meant to inspire fan interest. But a nagging jaw injury and subsequent surgery shelved that one faster than a KO via Rampage-slam, and those looking forward to Jackson vs. Evans were suddenly left with a Plan B of Evans vs. Machida. Now, in lieu of a slugfest of explosive proportions, we’re faced with Evans against a pensive counter-striker of the Shotokan karate variety. Expect either a stunner of a finish by the champ – a quick and shocking right hand out of the blue – or a long, drawn-out hug party.

The heat generated off of Serra’s diatribes against “cocky” Hughes during the fourth season of “The Ultimate Fighter” was enough to ignite a decent rivalry, and the flames were fanned when the two served as opposing coaches for TUF 6 (with the anticipation that the coaching stints would culminate in a match-up at UFC 79). But whatever the increase in temperature, it all dissipated with Serra’s back injury and the year and a half needed for recovery. Since then, both men have been soundly defeated by Georges St. Pierre, and now we’re left with two fighters in the twilight of their careers, meeting to grind out bookends on a pair of long and storied careers. When Serra and Hughes take to the Octagon once and for all, the Long Islander is going to stun then submit his foe, Hughes is going to slam and ground-and-pound, or they’re just going to lay on top of each other until time runs out.

Dan Miller and Frankie Edgar – two wrestlers with varying levels of submission skill and stand-up – will be taking on Chael Sonnen and Sean Sherk, respectively. And while Miller is a capable finisher more than willing to snag a neck for a choke, Sonnen has at times been a pretty adapt jiu-jitsu neutralizer; Miller might catch him, or else this one is going the distance in a manner most unexciting. Edgar, meanwhile, is the king of decisions (albeit after often fast-paced fights), facing another member of “decision royalty” in Sherk; these two will likely scramble once or twice and then peck at each other with single punches in a maddening game of “who can score the most with their jab without getting hurt”. Rounding out the main card is French kickboxer Xavier Foupa-Pokam against Miletich-trained striker Drew McFedries. The chances of this one unfolding into a brilliant battle on the feet are slim, as once Foupa-Pokam feels McFedries’ power, he’s going to shoot for takedowns he’s not good enough to get.

Between the marquee bout of the powerful Evans and the backpedaling Machida, the expired match-up between Serra and Hughes, and the pairings of fighters with neutralizing skillsets, there will be no middle ground at UFC 98. It’s going to be awesome or it’s going to suck.