Stand and Deliver: UFC Fight Night 195

Ben Duffy/Sherdog.com illustration

Every fight matters, but some matter just a little more.

In some ways, a win is a win and a loss is a loss. The difference between any two fights lies in the stakes. Think of a fighter on a losing streak who knows he or she is likely fighting for their job; or conversely, any title fight in a top regional organization, where the participants know they are almost certainly being scouted by MMA’s big leagues. At other times, a fight feels especially important for reasons that are harder to quantify, but no less real. Whether it’s the symbolic burden of being a pioneer in MMA from one’s country, or the simple added spice of two fighters who really hate one…