UFC 81

Tonight is UFC 81, featuring the very hyped debut of former WWF champion Brock Lesnar, who is facing ex-UFC heavyweight champ Frank Mir.

This was a show that for the longest time I had planned to buy. About a week ago, I changed my mind and decided I would skip this show.

It basically boiled down to deciding that watching Brock Lesnar's first UFC fight wasn't worth $45.

I have absolutely no doubt that I am in the minority on this one, because the buzz for tonight's show is gigantic, and UFC has very smartly cross-promoted the fight to WWE fans to get them to buy the show.

Bully for UFC. But I'm not plunking down $45 for a one-match show ... particularly when that match has the high potential to be a three-round snoozefest.

The secondary consideration in skipping the show tonight was that the only title fight is Tim Sylvia facing off against ex-Pride heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira - and it's for the interim UFC heavyweight championship. (Interim, of course, because of the contractual standoff with Randy Couture, who remains the official UFC heavyweight champion for the time being.)

I have and will continue to pay for UFC title fights - even interim titles on occasion. (I bought the December show, which featured the interim welterweight title match of GSP and Matt Hughes.) But Tim Sylvia is hardly the most entertaining fighter in UFC, and this match is nearly guaranteed to be a five-round snorer.

Bottom line for me: I'm figuring there's not going to be $45 worth of entertainment out of this show. And if I'm wrong, I can buy the DVD for $25 in a couple of months.

Now ... the April show in Montreal featuring George St. Pierre unifying his interim welterweight title against welterweight champion Matt Serra ... nothing will stop me from watching that show on pay-per-view.