Rampage

In middle school and even high school, even the rumor of a fight was all the rage. We’d eagerly find a way to get to the meeting point, and if we couldn’t get there we’d sit and wait by the phone for the post-fight recap. At the risk of sounding old, I should point out that our school fights were relatively harmless back in the day. Sure, there was a clear winner and loser, but there weren’t guns or knives involved. Just fists. But if one of the likely participants didn’t show up to school that day–which was often the case–they’d probably be teased mercilessly for years to come. Woe be it to the poor kid who would stand in the way of our cheap entertainment.

The process of prolonging and rescheduling fights, while often understandable, brings about the same frustration. Rampage vs. Rashad? That was supposed to happen in December, not May. Blame it on our short attention spans if you wish, but the fair bit of interest that was stirred up about that fight has long since fizzled and died. Although Dana White said “this rivalry has gotten more intense in the last few months” it’s hard for anyone but the most

Erin Toughill

diehard MMA fans (and MMA HQ readers) to maintain the same level of interest with such a prolonged delay.

Although many don’t know who MMA pioneer Erin Toughill is yet, she was the powerhouse cited by many as the top contender facing Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos. Toughill announced on Facebook that she is planning on leaving Strikeforce. Toughill wrote:

U R hearing it first: I will no longer b fighting 4 Strikeforce. Its a personal decision tht I mde & one tht was NOT made in haste, trust me. Ill b doin interviews in cming days tht explain “WHY” I have made this hard decision. Cant subject myself 2 wht has bn going on (any longer) Retiring? Dunno, but am on verge due to basic issues like: NOT being able FIGHT!!! I am getting zero return for all I have put in…DONE.

Kind of disappointing for a fight that was first supposed to happen last May, though Toughill stepped out of that bout due to health reasons. But for a fighter who had her first MMA match in 1999 who now won’t be able to prove herself against the best in the cage… this goes beyond our disappointment at someone not showing up to the fight after school at the bus stop. It’s absolutely devastating.

Not only does this mean the long-awaited Toughill vs. Cyborg bout will not happen, it pretty much puts the 145-lb. division up in the air. Gina Carano is filming a movie. Marloes Coenen wants to fight in a lower weight class. While there are other fighters in the mix (like Cindy Dandois), I’m afraid that the talent pool in the 145-lb. weight class has just gotten even more restrictive in its limitations than it already was.