Kid Nate wrote "how is Kimbo vs Tank any different than Matt Hughes vs Royce Gracie or any of the Tito Ortiz vs Ken Shamrock fights the UFC treated us to in the last couple of years?"

-Here's how: Hughes was a champion and Royce was a legend.  Both had winning records.  Sure, it was a mismatch and Royce should have known better, but both were serious fighters.  In this case, Kimbo is trying to become a serious fighter, and I hope he does.  But fighting Tank, who was never very good and never bothers to even get in shape, is a step backwards in that endeavor.

As for Ortiz-Shamrock, that was a rivalry thing.  Even so, both guys were legitimate athletes.  Tank is a barroom brawler willing to take a beating for a paycheck. He should have gone the elder statesman of MMA route by now.

Kid Nate also wrote: "How is it that the late PRIDE was so often held up as the gold standard of world-wide MMA when their bread and butter was spectacles, many of them more grotesque and less competitive than Kimbo/Tank?"

-When did I hold Pride up as a gold standard?  Pride's never even mentioned in my article.  They loved to put on mismatches and freak shows (Giant Silva, anyone?  Zuluzinho?), and I've called them out in previous articles.

Of course, I don't agree that these freak shows were Pride's "bread and butter", as you claim.  Pride put on some great matches.  Many more good ones than bad, I'd argue.

Kid Nate wrote: "If your objection to the Kimbo/Tank fight is not the fight, but the "reasons for the fight" why are you not objecting to the rumored Chuck Liddell vs Wanderlei Silva matchup? That match certainly has little bearing on the rankings and is solely being promoted to put butts in seats."

-How can you seriously claim that Liddell-Silva would have no bearing on UFC rankings?  The winner of that fight is immediately in line behind Jardine and maybe Forrest Griffin for a title shot.  Not to mention, they're two ex-champions who are still well-regarded.

Kimbo has won one MMA fight against a retired boxer.  And Tank?  What has Tank done in the last 2 1/2 years except lose and look bad doing it?

The main thrust of my article was that I don't think Tank-Kimbo would be a fight worth watching.  If you want to watch it, you're welcome to it.  But honestly, it confounds me when people get outraged at any slight against Tank Abbott.  He was the old guard of MMA.  He never evolved.  The sport is doing fine without him.  I don't hear anyone jabbering about how they want to see Joe Son or Keith Hackney, and there's a good reason.

Tank is done.  Let Tank go.  Kimbo should fight a real opponent.  That's all I'm saying.