Matchmaking, as any good talent relations chair will tell you, involves a great deal more than just coming up with an exciting fight.
Like Kasparov staring down a chessboard, matchmaking involves thinking three or four moves ahead, preparing promotional strategies for all possible outcomes and determining what a match result will mean for business a year or more down the road -- not to mention navigating the myriad of contractual, personal and physical issues that can undermine plans.
It's a thankless job. Credit for a good fight goes to the athletes, and blame for a somnolent mess falls on the beleaguered matchmaker. (Fun fact: Joe Silva began his UFC career at a sturdy 6-foot-2. True story.)
Thankfully, this space doesn't need to concern itself with responsible thinking. To that end, here are eight bouts that would make 2008 a happier new year for fans.
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