Hot! Ronda Rousey

If any questions remained about whether the UFC brass awarded title shots based on merit, they were answered and answered definitively by president Dana White at a pre-fight press conference in Seattle. Merit was nowhere to be found, and fair play had also gone missing, as White announced UFC title shots for Nick Diaz and Liz Carmouche, respectively.

The UFC, it seems, has fallen down the proverbial slippery slope, with Chael Sonnen's title shot against Jon Jones in the light heavyweight division opening the boxing glove-shaped Pandora's Box for others to follow.

Sonnen was given the opportunity to compete for the UFC's marque belt despite losing his last bout in the middleweight division. Many said it was an aberration and was nothing more than a product of Sonnen's rare gift with words a reward for his tireless work promoting the sport and his memorable bouts with Anderson Silva .

Not so fast.

It's now become clear that it wasn't a unique situation at all. The Sonnen title shot was actually the start of a new way of doing business for the UFC. Nick Diaz Sonnen-lite was chosen for his marketing potential, not his athletic performance.

Like "the Gangster from West Linn," Diaz lost his last bout, a five-round decision to Carlos Condit. That, according to White, is no reason for him not to compete for Georges St-Pierre's welterweight title.

It's a baffling decision to anyone who expects athletes to earn their opportunities. For boxing fans used to political wrangling and dollar-driven matchmaking, it's all too familiar.

There is no pretense that can explain White's decision, no excuse to justify it as the right move from a sporting sense. The UFC, quite simply, thinks Diaz and St-Pierre will garner more pay-per-views, and they are probably right. Diaz's bad-boy persona will play nicely against St-Pierre's white-hat act. But does its potential as a blockbuster make it the right decision for a company still fighting for legitimacy as a sport?

Diaz's coronation as title contender came at the expense of the more worthy Johny Hendricks, and he has more than a recent loss to speak against his selection as St-Pierre's next foil. That loss was accompanied by a drug-test failure that put him on the shelf for a year.

With his ascension, as well as the recent buzz that the human science experiment known as Alistair Overeem would also be considered for an immediate title shot after his return from a drug-test failure , the UFC is making it clear that it is wiping the slate clean for PED users.

Identification as a drug sport could be devastating for the UFC's attempts to capture the mainstream. Despite this, the promotion continues to pay mere lip service to stopping the spread of drugs into the sport. Still, all the talk in the world can't overpower action, and the UFC's actions show a complete disregard for fair play and a willingness to reward drug-test failures as if nothing happened at all.

The other big announcement was the selection of Ronda Rousey 's opponent at UFC 157. Liz Carmouche got the nod , a decision that left people who follow the women's sport closely shaking their heads.

There's no doubt that Carmouche has shown potential in her two-year career. But there's also no doubt that she is still a very raw product, one who was bounced from the big time after two consecutive losses in Strikeforce.