Not Fit to Be A Fan...

Ok, I'm not the only one. I'M NOT! But when my hero, Randy "The Natural" Couture, came out of retirement at 43 to face the giant Tim Sylvia for the UFC Heavyweight Championship, I doubted him. I worried for Randy's health facing the 6 foot 8 inch Sylvia with 17 knockout victories to his credit. I was angry at the UFC for putting my hero into harm's way. I was depressed that Sylvia (a champ that I really didn't like very much... nothing personal, I just didn't enjoy watching him fight and he had a real antagonistic relationship with fans) would be coming out to brutalize my Hero.

I guess a little background is needed here for those of you not familiar with the UFC. Randy "The Natural" Couture was the organization's first two time Heavyweight champ. Then at age 40, after consecutive losses to much larger opponents, he dropped down in weight to 205 (light heavyweight) to face possibly the most dangerous striker in the entire sport, Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell. No one gave Randy a chance. So, in answer to that, Randy spent three rounds beating the crap out of Chuck, earning himself the Light Heavyweight Championship belt thus becoming the first fighter in UFC history to own two belts in two different weight classes. Randy would then spend nearly two years brutalizing younger opponents in that weight class until the belt was taken away from him by Chuck Liddell in consecutive knockout matches. At 42, Randy Couture retired from the sport.

Or so we thought. Three months ago it was announced that Randy would be coming out of retirement to face the Heavyweight knockout artist Tim Sylvia for the Heavyweight belt. I was sad. I thought after two knockout losses to the smaller Chuck Liddell, the UFC was just placing the ever popular Randy against an unpopular champ to boost Sylvia's popularity.

So, I was wrong. I was so wrong that I feel like I betrayed my hero. This guy came out like a man possessed, not only repeatedly dragging Sylvia to the matt and having his way with him, but also completely dominating the stand up aspect of the fight. The first 20 seconds of round 1 saw the first punch landed in the fight send Sylvia flailing to the ground. Which shocked each and every one of us. 25 Minutes of complete domination from Randy Couture...

So, am I a TRUE fan? I didn't believe in my guy. I lost faith. I let logic get in the way. But, as one reporter said about the event. "Again Randy Couture is making me eat crow. But sometimes it's worth eating crow if you get to witness a miracle." I think that applies. I came out of UFC 68 feeling rejuvenated and fresh, like I wanted to be a better person.

Ok, Randy, you got me. I don't know what they're feeding you but I wanna eat it. And I will NEVER EVER EVER EVER bet against you ever again. EVER! I don't know how you're going to dismantle and destroy Mirko "Cro Cop" Fillipovic, but I'm sure you'll figure out a way. I'm in your corner. But I feel as though I don't deserve it.