What Did We Learn from UFC 85?

First and foremost, referree Dan Miragliotta sucks ass at reffing. He's the same guy who stopped the fight giving Kimbo Slice an unwarranted win. Brandon Vera was definitely not hurt when the fight was stopped but could have been hurt soon. I know it's about protecting the fighters but let them fight.

We also learned that Michael Bisping fighting at 185 is a smart choice for him. He's looked completely invincible over his last 2 fights at his current weight. It's a bit premature but he looks like he should be in contention for a shot at Anderson Silva, provided Dana White doesn't make him fight Silva's bouncer, Rich Franklin. At this point, there is nobody in the division who can hang with Silva so they don't have much of a choice but to thrust Bisping up there. I'm certain a rematch with Yushin Okami is in the cards for Silva but the division is in shambles.

Matt Hughes is owed a great deal of thanks due to his ass whooping he took for the UFC in the nights main event. Thiago Alves didn't even come close to making weight citing an ankle injury that prevented him from training properly the last few days. Hughes took the fight at a catch weight of 174 and was clearly outmuscled. It's no secret that the fighters put on as much as 15-20 pounds after weigh ins by rehydrating but there was a clear size advantage for Alves. He wasn't nearly that big when he knocked out Karo Parisyan a few months ago.

How in the hell don't you make weight for a main event? Did this guy take the Travis Lutter method of training? It's an insult to the organization and for some reason it got downplayed. He begged in the middle of the cage for a title shot saying he's been good but you never know how the fight would have played out if he had sucked down those last 4 pounds.

That being said, it also looks like Matt Hughes' best days are clearly behind him. He was a dominant champion in a time when there were no fighters in the division. The guys he beat a few years ago wouldn't even be mid carders in today's division.

Look at the guys he faced to inflate his record. Carlos Newton twice, Frank Trigg twice, Marcello Aguiar and Gil Castillo (who the hell are they?), Sean Sherk, Joe Riggs (who also didn't make weight). He beat Royce Gracie because there just weren't any opponents in his division. His only notable wins were GSP in a fight he was losing and BJ Penn in a fight he was getting dominated in until Penn suffered a rib unjury and gassed.

However, he is definitely fighting Matt Serra next which should make a great fight. Serra should be fighting at 155 and Hughes is past his prime. Thoughts anyone?