Torres-Bowles Reminds Us to Appreciate Greatness While it Lasts

In a dynamic fight that was on its way to becoming a war, a series of Brian Bowles punches landed flush on the face of a top-five pound for pound fighter in MMA, Miguel Torres.  Before long, it was clear that Torres was out cold, and Bowles had done what so many have failed to do…he had unseated Torres, and by knockout, no less.  The question is not so much “how did he do it?” as it is “why are we still surprised?”

I need to make it clear that I mean no disrespect to Bowles when I portray the result of the fight as an upset.  I think I’m like most MMA fans and media members when I say that my surprise is much more a result of Torres’ long-term dominance than any kind of doubt in Bowles’ ability.  When two great fighters clash, one must lose, and it doesn’t necessarily mean that the one who falls short is not a high-level fighter.

Someone had to lose when Ali fought Frazier, right?

Clearly, it can’t be understated that Brian Bowles is a bad, bad man.  He did what many were too afraid or just plain unable to do by rocking Torres right from the get-go, before Torres showcased one of the abilities that has helped to keep him on top so long: his ridiculous ability to recover.  Still, when Torres returned the favor to Bowles by swarming him with harmful-looking punches in a non-stop flurry that backed off the challenger, Bowles showed the poise of a champion by landing a beautiful short right, which started the end of Torres’ reign.

Again, though: why is it such a “holy %&$#” moment when, in retrospect, it is so clear that Bowles had all the tools to finish Torres, or anyone else for that matter?

The thing is, MMA is much different than other combat sports, like boxing.  We get used to the idea that the top combatants in boxing rarely, and in some cases never, lose.  However, this is not just due to the greatness of the boxers, but also to the structure of the sport itself.  In boxing, you have a deep, vast pool of lower and middle-level fighters that can help to build a young boxer’s career by providing a challenge without damaging their ability to learn and grow.

Let’s put it this way- you will never see a boxer with less than five professional fights fight for a major heavyweight boxing title, the way that Brock Lesnar did in the UFC.  That’s not an indictment of the UFC’s decision to ascend Lesnar so quickly, it’s just acknowledging how different things are in MMA.

In mixed martial arts, when you make it to the UFC (or the WEC in the case of Torres and Bowles), you join a group of maybe 10 to 20 fighters that actively compete in your weight class, all fighting under one umbrella.  When you put a couple of wins together, playtime is over.  You’re expected, as an MMA fighter, to fight mostly (if not all) top-ten fighters once you become one yourself.  Imagine if the same were expected of great boxers?  Surely, we would see less spotless records.

Besides that, another thing that should help us to swallow such an amazing finish and truly appreciate Torres’ run leading up to the Bowles fight is that there are so many ways to lose in MMA.  The well-roundedness of a champion such as Torres, who can fight opponents who specialize in many different areas, all while continuing to defeat them and hold onto your position in a difficult weight division, is nothing short of amazing.  Still, look at what we’ve seen in MMA just over the last few years.  Ridiculous knockouts of top fighters in the midst of an attempted reverse elbow?  Check.  Early stoppages when a fighter shows the slightest indication of being in trouble?  Double check.  Submissions that come literally out of nowhere to steal victory from the proverbial jaws of defeat?  Check, check, check.  There are a lot…a lot of ways to lose in MMA.

As Bowles looks to build his own legacy, it’s good to have an appreciation for the type of success that Torres enjoyed; the same type of success that Bowles is looking to attain.  Also, the loss is a reminder to seemingly unbeatable fighters such as Anderson Silva, Georges St. Pierre, Lyoto Machida and Fedor Emelianenko.

Defeat lurks around every corner in the form of a overhand right with bad intentions, a submission attempt from the most minor of mistakes, or a top-notch athlete with a perfect game plan to neutralize everything that you try to do.  No fighter should ever count on getting a win; not at the highest levels of the sport.

And similarly, we fans should really appreciate those rare runs of greatness, like the one that Bowles put a halt to on Sunday night.

by Jon Hartley for Fightmania.com

Tags: Anderson Silva, Brian Bowles, Brock Lesnar, Fedor Emelianenko, Georges St. Pierre, Lyoto Machida, Miguel Torres, UFC, WEC