There's no questioning the fact that UFC 137, which goes down tonight (Oct. 29, 2011) at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, has been decimated by injuries, bad luck and insubordination.
But while Georges St. Pierre's knee injury will surely hit hard once the receipts are counted up for gate and pay-per-view buy totals, his abrupt removal from the fight card created an opening for a couple fighters who are still trying for their shot at the big time.
Enter Scott Jorgensen and Jeff Curran.
Jorgensen is the former WEC bantamweight title challenger who came over to the UFC as a part of the merger in January of this year. Having just lost in his title opportunity against Dominick Cruz, "Young Guns" was going to have to start from the back of the line upon his debut inside the Octagon.
So that's what he did.
He viciously knocked out Ken Stone at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 13 Finale on June 4 and emphatically declared to the world that he was "back." But to UFC fans, what that really meant was he is here.
And now it's his time to shine.
Jeff Curran knows all too well what its like to get a shot in the big leagues and blow it. Of course, his first go-round in the UFC was back in 2004, when fighting inside a cage still had yet to be accepted by the masses.
Still, he blew his lone chance inside the Octagon by dropping a unanimous decision to future welterweight champion Matt Serra at UFC 46.
Now, seven years and 25 fights later, he's back.
Curran, who goes by the name "Big Frog," is fighting more than just Jorgensen or for respect; he's fighting to break away from his reputation as a regional warrior, a skilled combatant who simply can't cut it with the big boys.
You see, the UFC isn't the only major promotion Curran has failed out of. No, he had a 6-fight run with the WEC and was abruptly released after losing four consecutive fights.
This is a tough business, the fight game, and while perseverance and heart are admirable qualities, they certainly won't save you when it's time to face the music. This is a results driven business and if you can't win when it's time to shine then it's time to move on so someone else can have their shot under the bright lights.
That's what makes this fight so special -- and so crucial -- for both Curran and Jorgensen, the former, obviously, much more than the latter.
This is one more shot to bring it home, one more chance to dance where they'll make you a hero if you come through in the clutch. This is that moment and it may never come again.
Tonight we see who makes it count.
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