The Rukus Perspective – Every Dog Has Its Day
THE RUKUS PERSPECTIVE: EVERY DOG HAS ITS DAY
by Mikey Rukus
Every dog has its day. This is a phrase that can be applied in several ways regarding last nights course altering UFC 196 event. An event that had virtually limitless implications for a star on a meteoric rise, bright eyed possibilities for a young man getting the opportunity of a life time, a woman who shocked the world a few short months ago looking to prove she wasn’t a fluke, and a pioneer looking to fulfill a career long goal, while potentially reopening old wounds of a previous saga destined for a trilogy. Yes…every dog has its day, but not always in the way they may want to get it.
Conor McGregor seemed to be unstoppable. The hype he has generated in the last 2 years has been historic. With every contest you are left asking yourself how high can the young Irishmen go? There was a new found wonderment that hadn’t been felt in the fight game..in probably ever. His fights, as well as his talk, always made you wonder if this was the guy to turn the industry upside down. Would he beat Nate Diaz moving up 2 full weight classes and then challenge Robbie Lawler for the Welterweight title? Would he ever think about going back and defending the Featherweight belt? What about Rafeal dos Anjos? Will he win every fight that’s put in front of him, break away from the UFC and start his own promotion? This left you partly feeling that this could be amazing to watch, but part of you wondering if a monster was being created in the midst. How high can McGregor rise? Those plans were stunted last night, in a fight that he appeared to have control of in the first round, yet the hands, chin and heart of Diaz were stronger than the McGregor train could withstand. Yes….every dog has its day.
The night Nate Diaz dismantled Michael Johnson and tossed his hat into the ring challenging the mega dollar revenue machine, there was something about his callout that was different from all the others. His declaration was not manufactured, it was not desperate, he was not begging, nor was he asking politely for it. Diaz was simply himself, the raw, unpolished, brash punkass that has become an endearing quality of the Diaz brothers within the pool of UFC-yes men who fight for job security. Instantly I was ridiculed on social media as I stated that McGregor/Diaz was the fight to make. Two men cut from the same cloth, in terms of attitude and confidence would be a glorious thing to witness. In the 10 days leading up, more drama than can be mustered for a fight in recent memory was injected into the storyline. Diaz is the quintessential anti-establishment individual that resonates with so many. I used to run a string of groceries stores years ago. Prior to that I had worked as an assistant manager under some managers for years who either did not deserve the position they had, or I was stuck carrying others who had aged to the point that they physically could not perform the job, and were hanging on for their pension. I didn’t make the money they made. I had a family to feed and felt disrespected when I was made to be the grunt, earning only a fraction of what the upper management would make. This is a familiar story for the every-man. Those who display top quality work ethic, only for someone else to reap the benefits. Millions of Americans in the United States right now are disgruntled employees of companies that they feel do not pay them anywhere near enough. When Diaz had his opportunity to grab the microphone, he made it clear, that not only was he the right choice for this fight, but that everyone else was the wrong choice. He didn’t care what his co-workers, his bosses, his friends, or anyone thought of him in that moment. He took stock his life, his career… his future. And with resounding F-bombs, shouted to the rafters what was rightfully his. Yes…..every dog has its day.
Miesha Tate, a pioneer of women’s MMA, whom after taking her second loss to Ronda Rousey, also felt the weight of playing the grunt. Seemingly sitting sandwiched between the bantamweight champion and the rest of the division- like so many others in different weight classes throughout the years- Tate would not get another crack at the Rowdy one. Instead she would be put in fights with stiff top contender competition for less money, while the champion fought lower ranked opponents making millions. As “Cupcake” was passed over for Holly Holm at UFC 193, she was put in a place where she had to contemplate where her career was headed.hether Would she wait for a title shot, fight more top contenders, or retire? Be as it may, Holly Holm would shock the world, which opened the door for a new chapter in Tate’s storied career. Could she achieve the goal she had longed for? Was this her moment? Would she topple the new champion who was responsible for the greatest upset in the history of the UFC? Would she dust off the old story of two bitter rivals and revive that disdain and attempt to avenge those losses? The answer is yes….for every dog has its day.
“Mikey Rukus is known as MMA’s Fight Music Producer, creating custom walkout music and theme music for fighters and organizations all over the world to include some of the UFC’s most well known athletes. You can catch him live tweeting with fans during MMA events. Follow Mikey on Twitter at @MikeyRukus.”
