The most bizarre or interesting moment of the past year in MMA. Michael Chandler's autopilot says "no mas" This one was probably worse than when Paulo Filho started seeing ghosts when he fought Chael Sonnen a few years ago. Deep into his fight with Will Brooks at Bellator 131, Chandler ate a hard punch and checked out of the fight. Brooks jumped on him earning one of the strangest TKO's in recent memory. Chandler has no recollection of what happened. Fabricio Werdum knocks out Mark Hunt in the middle of taking an ass kicking Mark Hunt was knocking Fabricio Werdum from pillar to post in their interim title fight only for Werdum to lunge forward with a flying knee, felling Hunt and leading to a TKO win for the Brazilian. The Super Samoan's iron chin has rarely been cracked. Hunto took the fight on short notice and with some very serious problems at home with a suicidal brother weighing on his mind. Tough SOB. The UFC celebrates major endorsement deal as the fighters organize an antitrust lawsuit There could hardly be a bigger contrast than the UFC celebrating an exclusive apparel contract with Reebok as current and retired fighters organize a massive antitrust lawsuit against the promotion. Word broke this week that the strained relationship between underpaid, non-union fighters both past and present and the UFC could come to a head with several major firms compiling a nine-figure lawsuit against the UFC for "crippling the free market" for MMA. This could get nasty. CM Punk Yeah, CM Punk. The thirtysomething iconoclast who's relationship with the WWE could best be described as contentious has signed with the UFC in hopes of beginning a new career as a mixed martial artist. What's that, he's a white belt with no experience? At least James Toney was a world champion. Lot of good that did him. TUF runner-up TJ Dillashaw demolishes champion Renan Barao UFC 173 needed a main event after Vitor Belfort and Chris Weidman weren't able to compete. The UFC settled on Renan Barao vs. Rafael Assuncao. Assuncao wasn't aware of this and turned down the fight due to a rib injury. The UFC went with Plan C, shifting TJ Dillashaw into the main event vs. Barao. Dillashaw was coming off a loss to Assuncao and a decision win over Mike Easton--hardly streaking towards a title shot. Well, fuck it, the Faber/Ludwig trained fighter who had only turned pro in 2010 ripped through Barao in what has to be considered one of the most complete championship performances in history. Kudos, TJ. Chael Sonnen & Wanderlei Silva & Vitor Belfort vs. drug testing Their feud was supposed to end in a grudge match. Instead, Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva wound up fighting with the NSAC. Sonnen tested positive for a cocktail of banned substances in June and subsequently retired from MMA altogether. Silva ducked the tests resulting in a lifetime ban by the NSAC putting major tarnish on his career. He then released ranting YouTube videos and demanded his release so he could sign with Bellator. The UFC didn't let him so he took credit for the uniform deal. Oh yeah, Vitor Belfort didn't fight at all in 2014 due to failing a test via elevated testosterone and later announced that post-TRT Vitor is the greatest Vitor. Yet to be seen. The injury bug: champions never fight anymore DJ x2, TJ x3, Aldo x2, Pettis x1, Lawler x4, Weidman x1, JJ x1, Velasquez 0, Rousey x2 Average: 1.8 fights/year 2014 was another year of injuries to champions as four weight classes had one or no undisputed title fights. The UFC is set to see a drop in profitability of about 40% this year and injuries might be the biggest factor in that. If not for the need to make money to sustain themselves, would every fighter only be fighting twice? Scott Coker takes over for dick-rider Bjorn Rebney Bellator had an up-and-down year with their first PPV (Tito vs. Rampage) being cancelled and a lot of funny business surrounding their championship belts. Spike and Viacom came together to oust BFC founder Bjorn Rebney and replace him with former Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker, released without prejudice from the UFC. Coker immediately scrapped the Bellator tournament format that saw them run many shows of little consequence and will refocus the promotion in the new year. If recent shows are any indication Bellator is heading in a positive direction, the Tito/Bonnar fiasco notwithstanding.
coker reappearing in MMA and this anti-trust suit are definitely WTF moments, but the UFC signing CM Punk who has zero combat sports background just reeks of Pride FC desperation.