By MATT MOLGAARD
MMANEWS.COM Staff Writer

I’m all for a highly anticipated rematch. Second duels (and sometimes third) between familiar foes tend to boast big intrigue, and often manifest a new level of motivation for fighters. What could be more gratifying than potentially toppling a man who proved superior in the past? Well, toppling a man who proved superior in the past with a title on the line certainly holds more reward, but few other accomplishments in combat sports rival the chance to batter a professional nemesis. That said, one must wonder where is the line drawn? Are constant rematches necessary? Should we be seeing immediate rematches, or do fighters deserve an opportunity to test the waters against foreign competition before battling familiar faces straightaway?

If you’re UFC match maker Joe Silva, apparently you’re a huge advocate of the almighty rematch. In recent years, Silva has taken to compiling repeat collisions on a regular basis. I’d comfortably state that this trend seemed to begin with Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock, and it hasn’t exactly slowed since. While that’s not necessarily a bad thing, it can become a little, well, redundant. If you really need proof, all that need be done is reference Frankie Edgar’s last handful of fights… well, we’ll come back to Frankie, now that I mention it.

In the upcoming months UFC fans will be witnessing too many rematches to count. For this reason, I’ve opted to highlight the marquee bouts featuring two combatants who’ve already tangled during their professional careers.

The Ultimate Fighter Season 15 Finale: McCall versus Johnson

This is one of the very few fights on this list that makes legitimate sense. These two first met at UFC on FX 2 in what was an absolute barn burner. After what appeared to most an obvious draw upon the conclusion of three rounds, there was a serious mishap behind the scenes. Scores were improperly tallied, and Johnson was (shockingly) awarded the victor. The commission quickly acknowledged their folly, and a rematch was booked. I have no problem with this fight, as it should certainly happen. If the scores are announced improperly due to… well, I’m not sure how you improperly tally a score comprised of three rounds, to be completely honest, but that’s really irrelevant. This is just about the only justified rematch on this list, and I should leave it at that before I launch into a tirade about judges, commissions and complete idiocy. That’s a road I’d rather not travel.

UFC 147: Belfort versus Silva

Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva first met at Ultimate Brazil some fourteen years ago. Belfort proved to be far too much for Silva; blitzing him in just 44 seconds. Fast forward and you’re looking at two fighters at completely different stages of their careers. Belfort hasn’t been as active as Silva in the last decade, and it shows. Wanderlei, once one of the most feared 205 pounders on the planet, has competed in 40 bouts since he first met Belfort inside the octagon; nearly twice as many bouts as Vitor has had (23) in the same stretch of time. His durability has clearly diminished, as he just cannot withstand the same punishment that once helped make him a bona fide star in Japan. Belfort all the while, sits near the top of the middleweight (where they both now campaign) roost still, fairly fresh and still fully capable of absorbing as much damage as he’s able to dishing out.

These men are in two completely different stages of their career, and save for the bloodlust of fans, there’s absolutely no reason to see this rematch happen. Belfort isn’t far from another title shot, while Wanderlei isn’t likely to ever be considered for a championship bout again. This fight signifies the proverbial lamb being led to slaughter, and while I’m fairly excited to see the two tangle in a contemporary setting, the truth is, there’s zero reason to make this rematch a reality. It feels to me as though Dana White and Joe Silva are looking to usher Silva into retirement as quickly as possible.