Arvidland.com The online home of Arvid Nelson, writer of Rex Mundi & Zero Killer

The Ultimate Fighter Season 10 Finale. Ugh.

Jones is, in my opinion, the Next Big Thing in the 205 lb. division. Imagine a Jedi and a ninja having a lovechild: that’s Jon Jones. His grace and athleticism are things of beauty.

He threw Hamill – an extremely tough guy – to the ground in the first round and quickly got the mount. Jones proceeded to overwhelm him with a series of withering elbows.

At that point, Jones looked up to the ref, Mario Yamasaki, to stop the fight. Joe Rogan, that expectorator of unintentionally homoerotic witticisms, said Jones was trying to “con” the Yamasaki into stopping the fight.

“Con” the ref?! The fight was over! Hamill’s a tough guy, but he was clearly done. Yamasaki should have stopped it, for Hamill’s safety.

But he didn’t.

The rest of the fight was more like a horror movie than an athletic competition. By the time the carnage was over, Hamill’s face was a bloody wreck.

Hamill is an inspirational fighter, one of my personal favorites. I did not need to see him get his face smashed in.

And I certainly didn’t need to see it again and again and again on instant replay.

The only two people I don’t blame for the brutality are Jones and Hamill. They did what they were supposed to: put on an amazing show.

Jones was eventually disqualified for throwing illegal “12-to-6” elbows, heaping insult on top of injury.

Let’s be clear: Jones won the fight. Disqualifying him for the illegal elbows was a bad call. As Rogan rightly said, 12-to-6 elbows aren’t any more dangerous than forearm, or “9-to-3” elbows. Shame on the judges.

Shame on Mario Yamasaki for putting Matt Hamill in unnecessary danger. Shame on Joe Rogan for saying Jon Jones was trying to “con” him into stopping the fight.

And shame on Zuffa TV, the guys televising the fight, for endlessly looping the destruction of Hamill’s face.

Mixed martial arts has a reputation for being “barbaric”. John McCain even called it “human cock fighting”.

Rogan, Yamasaki, all you guys – thanks from proving him right last Saturday. That’s just what the sport needs.

The highlight of the evening, without doubt, was Roy “Big Country” Nelson’s victory over Brendan Schaub. I was sad to see Schaub lose, but he’s got a bright future. And Big Country was such a gracious winner, it’s impossible not to like him.

Big Country might not look it, but he’s an amazing athlete. He has an eerie calm when he steps into a fight, the likes of Fedor Emelianenko and Lyoto Machida. Like he’s walking into Sunday brunch. Maybe that’s what makes a great fighter.

Whatever the case, thanks, Roy, for brining some class to the evening.