UFC 183: The return of Anderson Silva! Does anything else need to be said about this card? Frankly I would buy this Pay-Per-View for the main event alone. However I will stick to one of the ground rules I laid out when starting the ‘Bang for Your Buck‘ series: $25 is the ceiling for any single fight. Also, 183 features a very solid under-card. So is it worth $60? Let’s find out:
Main Event: [#6 MW] Anderson Silva vs [NR] Nick Diaz
Worth: $20
Why: Besides sticking to my ceiling of $25 per fight, I’ll also try to be objective and say that no matter how excited I am for Anderson’s return, this fight doesn’t quite measure up to Jones vs Cormier – the last and only fight so far that I valuated at the max price. Silva is 39, has not fought in over a year, has not won in two, and is returning after a crippling injury. These are the main reasons this fight is interesting: anything less than a spectacular finish for Silva would mean that one of the greatest fighters ever might as well call it a career.
Silva’s opponent Nick Diaz is almost a decade younger – and age is just about the only thing on his side in this bout. He has not fought in almost two years, has not won in over three, and is a primarily a welterweight who infrequently dabbles in 155 & 185 bouts. Stylistically, Nick’s plodding forward, volume striking style is perfect fodder fro Silva’s counter-striking. However Silva’s age, recent injury, and recent performances are begging the question: is Anderson Silva getting too old for this shit? If he somehow manages to lose to Nick Diaz, the answer is a resounding ‘Yes’.
Co-Main Event: [#4 WW] Tyron Woodley vs [#12 WW] Kelvin Gastelum
Worth: $15
Why: While the UFC claims that the next welterweight title shot will be given to the winner of either the Rory MacDonald vs Hector Lombard, or Johnny Hendricks vs Matt Brown fights, here’s another bout that is flying under the radar but may very well produce the next contender for Robbie Lawler’s newly minted belt. After winning ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ tournament as a middleweight, undefeated prospect Gastelum has been slicing through the division like a hot knife through butter, going 4-0 at 170 despite an occasional weight-cutting scare. StrikeForce product Tyron Woodley came into the UFC with a rep for being somewhat of a grinder, but earned finishes in all four of his Octagon victories (interspersed with decision losses to MacDonald and Jake Shields). An impressive win for either man here and perhaps an injury to one of the other contenders might allow Gastelum or Woodley to cut to the front of the line.
Fight: [#19 LW] Joe Lauzon vs [#21 LW] Al Iaquinta
Worth: $10
Why: I’ve pretty much given up on the notion that Joe Lauzon will ever contend for a title, but what we can always rely on him for his for are exciting fights. I don’t see this changing here as he takes on another rising ‘TUF’ product in Al Iaquinta. A very closely matched fight, with the winner likely earning a fringe Top-10 spot, and a stiff bump in competition level for their next bout.
Fight:[#9 MW] Thales Leites vs [#15 MW] Tim Boetsch
Worth: $10
Why: Thales Leites has come a very long way from the kid who was gifted a UFC title shot too early in his career, got clowned by Anderson Silva and released from the organization one loss later. Since then he has gone 6-1 outside of UFC, and 4-0 after his return to the Octagon. He won his last two bouts by TKO, showing a vast improvement in striking for a guy known primarily for his BJJ. His opponent Tim Boetsch, a durable brawler who occasionally delivers a stinker of a fight but is usually fun to watch, will surely test this improved striking. It’s not a top contender fight but another rung in the ladder for Leites’ unlikely climb up the rankings. Color me interested.
Fight: [#15 WW] Jordan Mein vs [#34 WW] Thiago Alves
Worth: $10
Why: This is a pretty awesome fight. On one side we have one of the welterweight division’s brighter prospects in Jordan Mein, who is 3-1 in the UFC so far, with two quick KO’s, one split decision win, and a TKO loss to the surging Matt Brown. On the other side of the Octagon stands 31-year-old Thiago Alves, a one-time title challenger who has struggled in recent years. Alves looked good in his comeback fight last April, and Mein has looked good in his wins but needs to face some tougher competition to rise further in the rankings. Though Alves is ranked lower than Mein, he still provides a very legitimate challenge. Both guys are explosive strikers so I am really looking forward to this fight (which means I will likely be disappointed, the way things have been going).
Prelims (Fox Sports 1)
Fight: [#7 FLW] Ian McCall vs [#11 FLW] John Lineker
Worth: $5
Why: I might have valuated this fight higher, given that the winner is likely to get the next title shot, and Ian McCall has so far presented the toughest challenge to the flyweight kingpin Demetrious Johnson. However, last time these two were supposed to meet, Lineker struggled to make weight – a common theme in his UFC career – and McCall ultimately withdrew from the fight with an illness the day of the scheduled bout. These shenanigans have kind of soured me on this fight, and I don’r really like the chances of either man against the champ, who seems to have evolved in leaps and bounds since his last encounter with McCall.
Prelims (UFC Fight Pass)
Fight:[#53 FW] Diego Brandao vs [#81 FW] Jim Hettes
Worth: $2.50
Why: This is another one of these meaningless yet fun bouts between two struggling action fighters, with the loser’s UFC career likely over for the time being. I’d watch it, if I only had Fight Pass.
Pay-Per-View Card Worth: $65
Event Price: $59.99
Net Value: $5.01
Fox Sports 1 Prelims Worth: $5
Fox Sports 1 Prelims Valuation: $2 (see how I came up with this valuation)
Net Value: $3.00
Event Net Value (excluding Fight Pass prelims): $8.01
Fight Pass Prelims Worth: $2.50
Fight Pass Year-to-Date Cost: $9.99
Fight Pass Year-to-Date Value: $-4.99
PPV YTD Worth: $116
PPV YTD Cost: $119.98
Net Value: $-3.98
Fox Sports 1 YTD Worth: $23.50
Fox Sports 1 YTD Valuation: $13
Net Value: $10.50
Fox YTD Worth: $32.50
Fox YTD Net Value: $32.50
Total YTD Net Value (excluding Fight Pass): $39.02