Kalib Starnes is now a Champion and Fans Still Haven’t Forgiven Him for the UFC 83 Debacle

(Video courtesy YouTube/AFCFights)

Well, Canadian MMA has caught up to Japanese MMA and has officially jumped the shark.

Onetime UFC marathoner Kalib Starnes (11-5-1) won the Armageddon Fighting Championships middleweight title Saturday night with an armbar win over former King of the Cage light heavyweight champ Nick Hinchliffe (15-6).

Interestingly, the bout was only Starnes second fighting for the upstart British Columbian promotion and only his first at 185. His only other AFC bout was contested at a catchweight of a catchweight as his opponent, Marcus Hicks (10-20) failed to make either the contracted 185-pound or the then-agreed upon 190-pound catchweight and ended up weighing in at 201 lbs for the bout.

Although the video quality isn’t great, the jeers Starnes was met with when his name was announced were unmistakeable. Many Canadian MMA fans, who are patriotic to a fault, took it personally when Starnes put on an embarrassing performance at UFC 83 back in April of 2008 in which the Surrey, BC native literally ran from Nate Quarry for the majority of three rounds, refusing to engage. The incident, and Starnes excuses subsequent remarks, prompted the UFC to drop him from the remainder of his contract.

At least they still have Jason Thacker to live vicariously through.

In other AFC action, grappling phenom Robert Drysdale (1-0) didn’t disappoint in his MMA debut, defeating Canadian Bas Huveneers (8-3-1), via arm-triangle in just 1:12 of the opening frame.