For those who gamble on MMA fights, you know just how stressful it can be. This is not a team sport, and one shot could ruin your whole night, marriage and maybe destroy your livelihood. Everyone has those gut wrenching losses that make absolutely no sense. Everyone still has those bets that should have cashed no matter what. Everyone has dare I say faced the pain…

FIGHTS WE REGRET is a weekly post where we will touch on previous MMA bets that did not quite go our way. Whether the fighter outright ignored the game plan, played into their opponents strengths, or just came out flat, MMA gamblers know the sting of which I speak of.

For our first fight, we will be reviewing one that still gives me chest pains on a regular basis:

Jarred Brooks vs. Jose Torres

This fight took place at UFC Fight Night Utica, where the two flyweights contenders met on the prelims. Jarred Brooks closed in as the (+130) underdog, while Torres ended as the (-155) favorite although it was his UFC debut. Did I mention that Torres took the fight on 11 days short notice?

Brooks started the first round very quickly, and after landing two great spinning back fists, he began to dominate. He used his wrestling to smother Torres and win the round convincingly. By the end of the first, Brooks had 28 significant strikes to Torres’ 4. It was everything you would want in a first round from an underdog.

Brooks came out in the 2nd with an early shot that slightly backfired as Torres managed to get Brooks to the ground. When Brooks was able to separate, both men landed in exchanges as Torres seemed to be getting more comfortable; not a great sign.

With about 2:22 left in the 2nd round, Brooks managed to clinch up and get Torres to the cage, where he proceeded to pick him up off the ground for a suplex takedown. This is where the story gets interesting.

I am no doctor, I am no expert, but I do know for a fact it is impossible to win a fight if you KNOCK YOURSELF OUT. Jarred Brooks, channeling his inner Cody No Love fight IQ, decides the best was to slam his opponent and get him to the ground was by first slamming his own head into the canvas leaving him unconscious. You literally cannot make this up. The pure disbelief that you have lost a bet because a man knocked himself out makes me want to throw up to this day.

I lost sleep. I lost friends. I lost faith. Oh, and I lost money. So here’s to you Monkey God, thanks for the heartburn.