People rag on Mike Goldberg, and rightfully so, but given the alternative of SF's broadcast team, I will take him. Renallo and Shamrock semi-bickering throughout the analysis was distracting, and Renallo truly looked like a moron as the broadcast was coming to a close and he was jockeying for position with Jake Shields so he could say how "disgusting" Mayhem Miller was.
While the UFC's production value will never compare to PRIDE's, or even DREAM's for that matter, SF looked like a rink-a-dink promotion in comparison tonight. The broadcast ran too long, the analysts were just horrid and it looked as if I built the walk-in ramp and exit.
As for the fights, I am a bit confused as to whether Mousassi, Aoki and Henderson underperformed, or if Mo, Melendez and Shields were truly better. I think the a little of both for each fight, though I feel Melendez just exposed Aoki for a one-dimensional grappler who is lost when there is a cage to cut off his angles, and negate his sub attempts.
Shields' performance drummed up a bit more interest in a potential GSP/Shields match-up should Shields sign with the UFC - which he probably will - though his stand-up looked a bit rudimentary. Given that Shields could take Henderson down, it would be interesting to see how the fight with GSP would play out. I still have a feeling that GSP's more dynamic stand-up and better athleticism - speaking in comparison to Hendo - would put Shields in trouble, but he is a credible threat at 170, something the UFC desperately needs.
Melendez really did fight the perfect fight against Aoki, and I wish he would have mangled his face into oblivion. I hate Aoki, Melendez was much better. Enough said!
