Koscheck-Johnson added to UFC 106; will it end fans' anger?

[Clark Kent]

10-28-2009 09:05 AM:This is the most vicious week of fan reaction I can remember while covering mixed martial arts. Between the UFC 104 decision in the Lyoto Machida-Mauricio Rua fight and Brock Lesnar pulling out of UFC 106, many MMA fans are spitting fire.

It looks like the UFC has chosen to move Shane Carwin off the card and reschedule his tilt against Lesnar. The scramble for a fill-in has produced Josh Koscheck against Anthony Johnson as a co-main event. Koscheck send out a tweet last night to announce the matchup.

Good for both guys. Koscheck could ***** that he doesn't have to fight someone further down the rankings like Johnson. He's also being asked to fight on short notice. Last time he did that, Koscheck wasn't himself in a loss to Thiago Alves. This is a huge opportunity for Johnson. Koscheck is easily the best opponent he's ever faced. An impressive win over Koscheck moves him into the discussion for a title shot against Georges St. Pierre. Although logically he may have to go through the entire American Kickboxing Academy 170 crew (Jon Fitch, Mike Swick and Koscheck) before reaching GSP.

UFC 106 is certainly deeper with that fight added to the card but will Koscheck-Johnson stem the tide of fan anger probably not. A sampling of message board posts at UFC.com shows there's a pretty high level of outrage from folks who bought tickets early for the event at Mandalay Bay:

mmaaddiction:

I am going to UFC 106 and I am extremely disappointed that the Lesnar fight is off and there is no replacement fight. There are only 7 fights on the card now. I paid alot of money to be at this fight and I am feeling severely ripped off. Dana you need to do something to make this right!

nick757:

Come on UFC, you have to add another headliner. I spent $2,100 for my tix and Ortiz vs Griffin just isn't worth it.

jtn9981:Wow, looks like I picked the wrong event to buy tickets to - pretty weak headlining fight for a PPV event...I really like Tito and Forrest, but you gotta add another big name match-up here.

denverfan:


I agree with every dissappointed fan, this fight card is a joke for a PPV event. Take out Forest and its a Fight Night at best, and I love Forest but he's not going to make me pay $55 by himself. Dana, please add another good fight or two becuase I really was looking foward to spending $55 that weekend.

DaveC09:

Dana, you seriously just gonna move the Tito/Forrest fight into the main event slot an be done with it?! If I had the power, I would make this PPV event now free on Spike, cause theres no way I'm gonna pay $55 to see that card. The Lesnar fight was your whole PPV selling point, and I know I'm not the only one who thinks this. You should rename this event, UFC 106: Can You Say Affliction? I feel sorry for evryone who actually bought tickets to this.

tknyrmny


I paid 500 bucks each for 2 tickets and now this card completely sucks. Who cares about Tito fighting Forrest. This is my first live ufc and my honeymoon which was planned completely around that fight. Does anybody know if you can get a refund cause I wouldn't pay 100 bucks to see Ortiz and Forrest as the main event

​

Fans don't want to hear this but there is an inherent risk with buying tickets early. "Card subject to change" is the key phrase. Ticket buyers certainly have a right to be angry, even livid, but there's not much the UFC can do. The "investigation" under way on some blogs to uncover why Lesnar "really" pulled out of the fight is embarrassing. That said, indirectly it will add some fuel to the prefight fire before Lesnar and Carwin go at it in 2010.



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Cagewriter is an MMA blog edited by Steve Cofield.