UFC 99 Post-Mortem: Foreign Relations, Falling Axes and More

Despite misinformed opposition from typewriting German stormtroopers -- due to the time difference, it was actually 5 p.m. ET on a Tuesday in 1995 -- the UFC made a successful debut in Cologne on Saturday, offering up a card that was surprisingly robust in the weeks leading into their kitchen-sink 100th event.

In a bout that had reverberations through the deep 195-pound division, Rich Franklin managed to ace Wanderlei Silva in a three-round decision. Though Silva appeared to easily fatigue -- perhaps he shouldn’t have hunted, killed and eaten that wild boar the evening before -- he was the more aggressive of the two in the latter 10 minutes; the premise of scorecard victimization will come up repeatedly in his the coming weeks. Franklin, meanwhile, seemed relieved that he didn’t have to put another paycheck in the hands of his plastic surgeon.

Next for Franklin: No more catch weight nonsense: He fought Dan Henderson at 205 pounds and now Henderson is back at 185; he fought Silva at 195 pounds, a Bermuda Triangle class. Talk about spinning your wheels. Give Franklin the winner of Stephan Bonnar/Mark Coleman or Thiago Silva/Keith Jardine and let the guy take a step forward. For God’s sake.

Next for Silva: A harder weight cut -- one he should approach with more discretion than this one. What’s Drew McFedries doing in October?

Next for Cain Velasquez: Probably one more fight before a title shot: Velasquez/Carwin for the slot makes sense. Especially if you’re a Las Vegas-based brain trauma specialist.

Next for Cheick Kongo: Someone to tell him taking a big fight on 21 days’ notice is not a good idea.

Next for Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic: He looked good -- but not great -- dispensing of Mustapha al Turk after an inadvertent eye poke. However, Yahoo is reporting that Filipovic has already exited the UFC for Dream.