Review of UFC 51: Super Saturday

Introduction

In today`s world of gimme-gimme-gimme, three years of anticipation for any event is a remarkably long time. But at UFC 51, held on 5th February 2005 in Las Vegas, the main attraction of the evening had exactly those credentials, as "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Tito Ortiz faced "The Phenom" Vitor Belfort. But this is 2005, and that was 2002. Formerly, Ortiz held the UFC`s light-heavyweight title with Belfort impatient for his crack at the title. Latterly, with both fighters having incurred more recent losses than wins, this became a fight to prove a point; the loser was likely to become surplus to UFC requirements.

Nicknamed "Super Saturday" on account of the following day`s "Super Sunday" NFL Superbowl game, UFC 51 was a highly-charged event held in front of a boisterous crowd. With more emphasis on keeping a high-tempo pace to the bouts than in previous times, this event had the potential to be one the finest UFC cards ever held.

Video

Presented here in standard 4:3 non-anamorphic PAL, this is the way that sports DVDs should be produced. I recently criticised the early UFC DVDs for their use of poor source material, but this 2005 event is well-lit, clear, and generally free from compression artefacts. The camera-work must also be awarded special praise, with a series of cameras taking the viewer inside the ring and providing an excellent representation of everything that goes on.

Audio

Audio on this disc comes in the form of a Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack which is also very good. Commentary from Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg is always clear, as are the in-match instructions from each fighter`s corner. Two-channel soundtracks will always have their limitations, but for a DVD of this genre, this reviewer could not have asked for anything more.

Features

Extras on this disc at first appear plentiful, but soon reveal themselves to be lacking in real interest. Ranging from pre-bout weigh-ins to post-bout discussions with the combatants, the extras add depth to the event, but are not worthy of any more than one viewing.

Conclusion

Comparisons with the mid-1990s UFC events may be unfair considering the rapid evolution of the sport as a whole since those times, but those who scoffed at early UFC events as boring or predictable could not levy the same charge at UFC 51. Although the "name" stars such as Ken Shamrock, Dan Severn and the Gracie family no longer compete to the standard that they once did, the "new breed" of UFC match is often more exciting for their absence. Royce Gracie, the ju-jitsu specialist, will go down in the annals as a UFC legend, but many of his bouts failed to entertain in the way that several of these bouts do. This is largely due to the insistence on a more fast-paced event, with rules specifically set in place to avoid stalling or over-defensive tactics. Furthermore, more fighters are being employed for their ability to strike, rather than their ability to wear down their opponent, which can only make for better contests.

I have seen many of the UFC`s previous fifty events, but I am delighted to be able to say that, despite the lack of name talent, that this was an excellent event which will help to restore audience faith in mixed martial arts. It is a tribute to the UFC decision-makers and the spirited to combatants themselves that this is the case.