Dark and Golden Ages of each UFC division

Maybe this is my song of bitterness. Krylov-Spann’s got me dwelling on this currently lost division. What I thought would usher in a golden age of top knots and ninja Vikings became a dark ages of revolving doors. While I’m still hopeful for an era of unheralded violence ruled over by our benevolent King Jiri, I’ve reconciled myself to thinking about the dark and golden ages of each UFC division. Since I really only started watching during the Zuffa era, I am limited. But here goes …

Dark/Golden Ages

Men

HW

• D: Tim Sylvia era: there were some fun characters—young Arlovski, Jeff Monson, Cabbage Correira—but Sylvia was about as likable as Carrot Top, and as awkward to boot.
• G: Cain era: wars with JDS were legendary, and the easy work of Lesnar was so so satisfying. So much potential … lost like tears in the rain

LHW

• D: now. Hill has been fun but his title feels arbitrary. First, Jiri vacates, early compared to some hold-ups, (ahem, Conor) then we just pretend Jan-Ankalaev didn’t happen (it didn’t). Here’s to hoping the revolving door stops with Jiri’s return.
• G: Chuck Liddell era: sure it should be the Jones era, but damn if Liddell wasn’t fun. Feuds with Tito, rivalry with Couture, KOing Renato Sobral walking backwards. The Iceman era might be my favorite in all MMA outside of Pride.

MW

• D: Rockhold-Bisping era: had high hopes for Rockhold but … douche. Bisping’s win over him is storybook stuff. Only to be revealed as luck with his gifted win over Hendo and not great loss to GSP.
• G: Anderson Silva era: at one point I thought he might be a god. A lunatic one. But a god that could kill light heavyweights as easily as middleweights. What a time.

WW

• D: Johny Hendricks errr uh: not sure why. It’s not the obvious juicing. It’s not the steakhouse or the actual big rig he drove. Oh yes, it’s the incessant use of "you know" during interviews. You know?
• G: GSP duh. Personally tho, I put no idols before the god of violence Bob Lawler

LW

• D: Conor: Dana’s plan to make him exorbitantly rich and never defend the belt while holding up the division worked great.
• G: BJ Penn! Licking blood, carrying boulders under water, fighting Hughes, GSP, Machida. It was a beautiful time.

FW

• D: Conor, I guess. Not really a dark era. Extremely fun ride to the top. But you gotta defend the title.
• G: Jose Aldo era. Especially fun if you were coming with him from the WEC.

BW

• D: none. It’s been fun from Cruz to Aljo.
• G: To come. Hoping either Aljo or Henry lends some stability to the division

FlyW

• D: none. Unless you grew tired of the Fig-Moreno fights. I’m glad to be moving on.
• G: DJ

Women’s

FW

• D: de Randamie era: won in a weird way, relinquished in a weirder one
• G: Cyborg: by default since she’s the only true featherweight

BW

• D: Holm-Tate-Pena eras: no defenses
• G: Rousey. The rivalries and match ups were simply more fun than Nunes smashing everyone.

FlyW

• D: 1) early reign Valentina: let’s face it some of these fights were a joke. 2) Nicco Montano: I wanted to like her, champ or no champ, but if you can’t show up nor make weight why are you fighting?
• G: Now. Grasso, Manon, Blanchfield. One of them will send Valentina packing.

SW

• D: Esparza titles 1 & 2: Love her consistency, but both times as soon as she captured it the writing was on the wall.
• G: JJ. Fun, violent, bloody. The way it’s supposed to be.