Of course they do a trilogy if Cyborg wins, short-game decisions abound at the highest levels of UFC. I'm not saying a rematch isn't a good idea, just that an immediate rematch is a bad idea. The only way it's a draw is if there's some level of uncertainty in the outcome, or if the fans Love/Hate the competitors enough to pay to watch them fight. Neither of those scenarios are in play for this rematch. Let Amanda tear it up at 135 for a couple fights, let Cyborg crush some cans at 145, and then come back to the rematch late this year. If Cyborg wins the rematch THEN an immediate trilogy fight is a draw. If Amanda wins, let her stay at 145 or close the division out. You could have a 4-fight playoff at 145 for an Interim Belt, and then unify the 145 belt at a NYE show with Amanda and (most likely) Cyborg.
And it wasn't simply a poor strategy. The striking skill gap is fucking REAL. Amanda was moving off-axis, throwing sizzling straight strikes matched in power only by precision. She also has great wrestling. At least, it's good enough to keep Cyborg on the feet and getting drilled. And I don't know why you think the BJJ of a former professional handball player who transitioned to MMA is so much better than a BJJ black belt who started training at 16, is a brown belt in Judo, has won Naga World Champ (weight class and Absolute), Pan Am Gold, Mundials Gold, and the Brazilian State Jiu-Jitsu Championship. But I think Nunes is a lioness on the feet and a goddamn Tiger Shark in the deep water.
Dude, the fight was 50 seconds.
This same thing has happened to a hundred undefeated fighters.
They get rocked, rely on their record, toughness, and what they perceive as inevitability to power through.
Nunes was a bad matchup, it's similar to Cro Cop or Chuck vs. Vanderlei.
And I don't know if you noticed the arena, but the roof came off the forum.
That should've been the main event in the first place.
MMA fans have short memories and are painfully fickle.
Cyborg is 33 hard years old.
You don't hand her 145'rs and leave that belt floating for 1.5 years, you do the fight on Nunes birthday weekend in Brazil; April Fool's day Rio de Janeiro.
They now likely wanna do Holm/Nunes @135...what happens if Holm(who's a bad stylistic matchup) beats Nunes?
Not doing this fight now is a mistake.
Cyborg wants to retire anyway.
Give her the rematch while it's smoking hot while they each can claim it's the greatest vs. the greatest in their prime; an opportunity to win at least one of a possible prime trilogy before she's gone forever.
You've got to realize, with injuries, dope and stretches, this may never happen if not now.
Telling Cyborg "she needs to go beat up a couple more 145'rs to earn a rematch" after virtually an undefeated career, is like telling Fedor "he needs to go on TUF and prove he's worthy of a Werdum rematch" after his respective loss.
You do these things while they're hot & fresh.
Not doing it as soon as a commission will license will be yet another blunder, and personal
fuck you from Dana to Cyborg, as well as others who stand up to him.