Contributor: Nolan Howell
The UFC returned to New York for what should have been a big night. Holly Holm and Germaine de Randamie fought for the first UFC Women’s Featherweight Championship in the main event, with the winner likely taking on Cris “Cyborg” Justino.
However, the main event was just as marred as the rest of the paper-thin card with bad commentary and fouls telling the story.
Holm seemed to want to keep distance or work de Randamie against the cage for takedowns for the entirety of the bout. The takedowns never really came and de Randamie proved effective with counter strikes. Her best strike of the fight came as the bell sounded on the second round, landing a right hand that turned Holm’s legs to jelly. Unfortunately, it was the end of a combo that came a split second or two after the belt. A flurry landed at the end of the third round as well and Holm’s corner was incensed. These extra blows were the most exciting of the fight, which went de 
Randamie’s way in a 48-47 unanimous decision.
While those blows could be blamed on the fighter or the lack of timely referee intervention, there were other factors that stunk up the main event as well as commentators Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier seemed to be more interested in shoehorning a narrative for Holm, especially after the late blows. Additionally, seeing the fan poll at the end of the fight scoring nearly 75% for a Holm decision further undermined the result.
The rest of the card was a disaster, barring the opener and a quick finish.
Anderson Silva defeated Derek Brunson by unanimous decision in a middleweight fight that no one really deserved to win. Brunson was respecting the Anderson Silva of old while half wrestling and landing the occasional punch, while Silva continued to do what plagues him in his recent run by assuming he can still fight off his majorly decaying speed. After a somewhat controversial decision, Silva apologized for being “too old.”
Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza made clear his status at middleweight in a tune-up of sorts against Tim Boetsch, snatching a kimura on the way down on a takedown attempt in the first round. It was expected and a highlight of the main card as Souza reaffirms his status as a title contender.
Glover Teixeira looked far from shot against Jared Cannonier in a decisive, yet uninspiring unanimous decision win, while Dustin Poirier and Jim Miller laid it all on the line as expected. Poirier was able to limp away with a majority decision victory.
It was a night marred by poor fights, a New York athletic commission still blindly figuring things out in MMA, and just an all-around embarrassment of a show for the UFC.
-Nolan can be reached @undercardnolan or at [email protected]
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