Grappling with Issues – 9/2/10
Who will win the upcoming rematch between Frank Edgar and Gray Maynard? Do you agree that Kenny Florian chokes in big fights? Who should BJ Penn fight next? Which division should Nate Diaz call home? Will we see Randy Couture fighting for gold in 2011?
After a somewhat-historic night in Boston at UFC 118 we’ve got a bit of a break for major mixed-martial arts, but that won’t stop Brendhan Conlan and myself from trading opinions on the most important items of the week. Once we’ve had our say it’s your turn to get in on things by responding in the comment box below.
Pick both a welterweight and lightweight option for BJ Penn to face on the heels of a second loss to Frank Edgar.
Tool: There are a veritable bounty of compelling match-ups available for BJ Penn now that his opponents no longer have to prove themselves worthy of a title shot. The number obviously grows if Penn decides to move back and forth between two divisions, Couture-style. Penn has stated repeatedly that he’s not really all about the title belts, he simply wants the biggest fights to prove that he’s the best. His status as a modern-day legend and former champion ensure him a spot towards the top of the card for a long time.
At lightweight I feel there is only one option, and that’s a rematch with Takanori Gomi. It’s somewhat amazing to me that one of the most important fights in the history of the lightweight division took place on small card in Hawaii, under a fight banner that most fans have never heard of. With Gomi riding high from his KO of Tyson Griffin and Penn in desperate need of an exciting opponent he can beat, this fight is essentially a no-brainer.
At welterweight we’ve certainly got plenty of good choices. Part of me wouldn’t mind seeing Penn and Matt Hughes complete a trilogy of fights, but since I already made one rematch I’ll try a fresher opponent at welterweight. For that I think I’d be happy to see Penn matched up with the winner of the upcoming Carlos Condit/Dan Hardy scrap. I think either man would match up well with Penn, and they could easily be propelled into title contention with a win over the former welterweight champ.
Conlan: Adam said it all in the opening sentence of his rant. Now that Penn’s aura has dimmed a bit he has a number of options seeming more realistic today than they did during his recent run as lightweight champion. Obviously Gomi is a great choice for the reasons Tool listed, and I’d welcome their match-up as a co-headliner of any upcoming card. I also like Condit/Hardy as a potential opponent because neither welterweight is an overwhelming wrestler (which Penn has struggled against as of late) and both are fairly fearless in the cage.
A few other names I’ll throw out there for discussion are Nate Diaz, Matt Serra, and George Sotiropoulos. Penn’s physique against Edgar told me he’s not necessarily opposed to going back to welterweight in the near future, as he was in nowhere near the same shape as he was a year or two ago. Serra fights at 170 pounds, but is relatively undersized for the division and has history with Penn as the two fought to a decision at UFC 39 in 2002. I remember it being an entertaining fight and one that wasn’t nearly as decisive as people felt it would be prior to the action unfolding, so why not run it back if BJ wants to go back up in weight? I also like Diaz and Sotiropoulos as opponents because they embody a similar fighting spirit to Penn’s and, like Serra, have high-level jiujitsu to offer back in return to “The Prodigy”. Also, similar to Serra, Diaz’s physique is a little small for a welterweight and Sotiropoulos is a little big for a lightweight. I think all three pair well with what Penn offers from an overall standpoint and would also provide “Baby Jay” a legitimate chance to earn a win against a respectable opponent rather than setting him up with an adversary who offers a significant chance at delivering him a loss for the third straight time.
Do you agree/disagree with Dana White’s recent statements about Ken Florian’s “choking” in big fights?
Tool: I’m not a fan of the idea but it’s hard to argue against it. Everybody I know that loves MMA loves to watch Kenny Florian fight. He’s incredibly popular and would make a great champion but he’s (almost) always come up short. Does Florian have a mental block that prohibits him from achieving the greatness he knows he’s capable of? I don’t really think so but nobody outside of Kenny’s head can really know for sure.
There is more to the story, of course. The loss to Sean Sherk is perfectly excusable, since most everybody loses to Sherk. That fight was years ago and Florian has come a long way since then. He lost to Penn but up until recently, most everybody at lightweight had lost to Penn. The loss to Gray Maynard is the most telling though in terms of whether or not Florian really “chokes.”
Everybody and Kenny Florian knew that Maynard would use his striking when he felt comfortable, but ultimately the takedown would be coming sooner than later. Florian looked like a deer in the headlights for most of the fight, seemingly afraid to throw a single misplaced strike lest he be put on his back. Maynard’s grinding style is not too different from the offense of Clay Guida (although Maynard clearly has more power), but Florian lacked that aggressiveness he showed against Guida.
Unfortunately for Boston’s favorite fighting son, he has now taken Guida’s place as the premier lightweight gatekeeper.
Conlan: Maynard also has better hands than Guida but that’s beside the point. I don’t get the sense Florian “chokes” in the spotlight, as he’s performed extremely well against talented opposition on big cards and in highly-promoted bouts. UFC 118 was far from his finest performance and Florian would be the first to tell you that. He had no defense for Maynard’s wrestling, as few if any have, and struggled to tee-off out of a combination of fear of Gray’s takedowns and respect for his underrated boxing. Those are things he can work on in the gym, not fundamental flaws in his psyche.
In fact, it bothers me to an extent someone who dismantled Takanori Gomi, Roger Huerta, Clay Guida, and Joe Stevenson in the fashion Florian did would have anything taken away from his ability in the cage by his employer or fans of the sport. I fail to see how losing to a supremely motivated Penn and an undefeated fighter who dominated the current champ two years ago can be cause for concern. The guy has lost two fights in the last four years. What else needs to be said?
What bout on the upcoming “Shark Fights 13” card are you most looking forward to?
Tool: Oh yeah, Shark Fights is this weekend! Let’s get excited! Will Keith Jardine push his losing streak to five? Can Sokoudjou and Houston Alexander finish the fight before they both gas in the third minute? Will Jorge Masvidal be the latest victim of Paul Daley’s temper tantrums?
I guess if I have to pick a fight I want to see on this card, I’ll go with the evening’s opening bout between Brock Larson and Tarec Saffiedine. Larson may have been bounced from the UFC but he’s already racked up three dominant wins this year (granted all of them were against guys you‘ve never heard of). He’s one of the most underrated welterweights in the world and if he’s had a boring fight, it’s not one that I’ve ever seen. His opponent is a Belgian prospect who’s on a two-fight win streak with his most recent victory being a vicious knockout on the May Strikeforce Challengers event. He showed good takedown defense and a willingness to bang, and I think he’s going to match up extremely well with Larson.
Conlan: Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like you to welcome Michael Wilbon to GWI! I don’t understand Tool’s negativity towards the card, especially one from a relatively small company in comparison to those we typically discuss on these pages. And, actually, it’s next weekend – not this weekend.
Moving on, I like that Shark Fights is making the effort to grow from a regional promotion into a larger entity. Offering a streaming undercard for free and an event stacked with recognizable names is a welcome addition to the usual offerings from start-up MMA companies with questionable finances and ten fighters you’ve never heard of. Of all the match-ups I’m most interested in Daley/Masvidal.
“Semtex” always turns in edge-of-your-couch performances based on his style. Masvidal is good on his feet as well and shouldn’t be afraid to stand as long as he’s comfortable with Daley’s power in the beginning. He’s knocked out Yves Edwards and Joe Lauzon in the past, and though I don’t think he’ll necessarily add the Brit to that list I do have faith he’ll strike with him. Masvidal is also a decent grappler so he could cause problems for Daley on the ground as well if things go that route. In the end, I expect it to be an exciting affair and possibly “Fight of the Night” where overall entertainment value is concerned.
Based on what you saw Saturday night, who is your early pick to win the upcoming Frank Edgar/Gray Maynard rematch?
Conlan: I haven’t seen anything vastly different from either since the two originally fought so I won’t be surprised if action unfolds similarly to how it did in April 2008. It’s no secret they are almost mirror images of each other where skills are concerned. The only difference I really see is Edgar being a bit faster and Maynard slightly stronger mainly due to a difference in their size/builds. Neither takes a lot of risk in their approach to opponents and, as evident by their high number of decision wins, both are comfortable controlling action from the top rather than taking unnecessary risks in hopes of wowing the audience.
I hate to undersell Edgar after beating BJ Penn in back-to-back bouts, but styles often determine outcomes and Maynard’s is slightly more suited to stifling Edgar than Penn’s was. Maynard’s grappling ability should allow him to strike with Edgar without fear of being dragged down to the mat at the champ’s choosing while also opening the door for him to land takedowns of his own (as he frequently did in their initial fight). In the end I think Gray will blanket “The Answer” for five rounds, win the belt, and walk away as a participant in one of the most boring title fights in UFC history. However, he deserves the opportunity, and any action the eventual match-up actually lacks should be blamed on the similarity of their styles rather than focused on either man’s overall offerings in the ring.
Tool: It seems so strange to me to think that a UFC champion is going to be the underdog in his first two title defenses, but that’s the situation we’re facing with Frank Edgar. The loss to Maynard was fairly one-sided and Edgar hasn’t completely changed as a fighter since then, so I can understand people’s assumptions that the rematch will be five more rounds of the same.
I do believe that Maynard’s power will allow him to take Edgar down whenever he sees fit to do so, but we also know that Gray has been working diligently on his striking as well. If Maynard chooses to stand and trade with Edgar he’ll likely be on the losing end, as Edgar’s quickness has allowed him to outstrike just about anybody he’s faced. If Edgar can stuff the takedowns and avoid the iron grip of Maynard he could conceivably win this thing, but obviously that’s a mighty big if.
Would you rather see Nate Diaz stay at welterweight or move back down to lightweight?
Conlan: I’m open to either scenario and don’t have a preference between the two. Diaz has been successful at 170 pounds thus far but hasn’t fought a ranked welterweight yet so it’s difficult to gauge how successful he’ll actually be in the division. Wins over Rory Markham and Marcus Davis are nice to be sure, but Diaz has never had a problem beating mid-tier opposition and is absolutely a talented fighter at any weight. The question is, how will he be able to fend off the grappling and cardio of someone like Jon Fitch or Josh Koscheck if he was unable to do so against Clay Guida or Joe Stevenson? He won’t, at least in my mind, and as such I’m slightly indifferent to what weight he fights at so long as he keeps turning in entertaining performances. If he improves to the point where he isn’t constantly marked up or on his back when competing against high-level opponents I’ll gladly reconsider my stance to include those accomplishments. Until then, I’ll continue tuning in to watch him fight, but I won’t care what division he’s throwing down in because I can’t see him currently having a significant impact on either.
Tool: I’d prefer to see Diaz stay at welterweight now that he’s getting some good momentum going in the division. As Brendhan pointed out, Diaz will likely still have trouble with powerful wrestlers (of which there are a few at 170) but he’s still easily one of the strongest BJJ practitioners in the division. Diaz’s guard may not quite be the stuff of legend yet but he can certainly pose a threat off of his back. Combine the ground skills with his ever-improving striking and you’ve got a great potential contender in the division. If Diaz gets matched up with one of the top ten welterweights in the company he could certainly be a win or two away from contention, especially given the severe drought of contenders for the UFC Welterweight Championship.
TRUE/FALSE – Randy Couture will compete in his 16th UFC title fight before the end of 2011.
Conlan: False. Even if Couture was currently deserving of title consideration, both the UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions have enough contenders lined up to keep their champions busy for another year-and-change as is.
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua is out of action until mid-2011 and already has an opponent lined up in the form of Rashad Evans. With Lyoto Machida set to fight Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in late November, and Ryan Bader waiting with Jon Jones in the wings, there’s already a logjam of contenders at 205 pounds. Couture hasn’t beaten a significant light heavyweight since Brandon Vera (a controversial decision) and would have to march through at least 2-3 of the division’s best before meriting discussion as a legitimate contender. That takes time, and in the context of this question the days are literally numbered.
As far as heavyweight, Couture’s hasn’t won in that class since knocking out Gabe Gonzaga in August 2007. Yes, I understand the Toney fight was technically a heavyweight bout, but it’s hard to consider a debuting, out-of-shape Mixed Martial Artist with a singular skill-set to be more than the “freak show” it was. Even if you want to include Toney it makes “The Natural” 1-2 in his last three heavyweight bouts. The UFC’s “big boy” division has never been stronger than it is now, and I think Couture would again have to get by at least a few of the UFC’s top heavies before sniffing a title-shot.
Also, I don’t think there’s any reason for the UFC to put Couture in championship contention at this point in his career. He should be focused on taking “money” fights rather than working his way up to the top by potentially knocking off younger stars or risking his own credibility in the process against lesser-known guys. Why opt for Couture fighting Thiago Silva or Brendan Schaub to work his way up to a belt when he could instead be involved in legendary encounters regardless of divisional standing (vs. “Rampage” Jackson or Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic for example)?
Tool: I’ve also got to go with false, although in all honesty I wouldn’t be surprised if this one winds up being true. Brendhan’s points are all well and good, but we can’t apply the usual criteria for contenders when talking about “The Natural.” The man is a modern-day legend and can still main event cards whenever he’s needed. His status within the company affords him a fair amount of leeway when it comes to match-making, and with that being the case it wouldn’t take much for Dana White and co. to slot Couture into a title opportunity. After all this is the man that has been in more title fights than anyone else in UFC history. If he wants to compete for the light heavyweight belt (and judging from interviews it would appear that he does) then I have a feeling he will probably end up doing that at least one more time before he finally walks away from the sport for good.
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Weak-Sauce.
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Honestly I’m more curious to see how Nick Diaz would do against the UFC welterweights.
Well-Done.
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did you really just throw out a WWE style match….
Dude, Kenny does not choke in big fights, his 3 losses in big fights are Sherk – Sherk was a roided up monster, plus Kenny still maturing as a fighter, Maynard – had the lamest game plan ever, plus a great wrestler, and BJ – still the greatest lw ever, plus Kenny’s 2 strengths which he’s better at than most are striking and jui jitsu, unfortunately BJ’s got the best boxing and jits in the division…bad style matchups…
Now, lets talk about the “Kenny I finish fights Florian”, finished Huerta, Stevenson, Guida, Gomi, and then all of the lesser name opponents.
Honestly, i’d even like to see him against Frankie. Styles make matchups and Frankie was a bad matchup for BJ, just like BJ was a bad matchup for Kenny, but i’d LOVE to see Frankie fight Kenny i think Kenny has a style that might force more action out of Frankie, his kicks wouldn’t allow Frankie to close the pocket and jab is his way out, and i think his wrestling/conditioning might be good enough to get up, i know evidence points to the contrary, but Frankie used speed to takedown BJ, not strength, and Gray used strength to take down Florian, so i think Kenny might be able to make a highly competive fight with Frankie…too bad it probably won’t happen
Hot debate. What do you think?
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I have to disagree with you boomnutz. Yes, the Sherk fight wasn’t a fair contest, and yes, BJ was rockin’ and rollin’ during their matchup, but we really learn something from the Maynard fight – specifically, we learn the same thing that we’re starting to see across the board in MMA regardless of weight class: high level wrestling is the way to success. Yes, you may be able to knock someone’s face off with gorgeous Thai kicks to the noggin’, but a high level wrestler will almost certainly take you down if you telegraph a kick even the slightest bit. While I agree that Maynard edges Edgar in power and that Edgar edges Maynard on speed, Edgar’s speed will frustrate Kenny even more than Maynard’s power because Kenny’s power shots will be that much easier to counter with the kind of speed Edgar possesses, and while Kenny’s BJJ is slick, it’s not as slick as BJ’s and Edgar absolutely smothered him for 25 minutes last weekend from the top without a single truly threatening submission attempt. As bad a matchup as Florian v. Maynard was, Florian v. Edgar is equally as bad, if not worse. Kenny is basically a mini BJ who uses Muay Thai instead of western boxing, while Edgar and Maynard are like Ken and Ryu from Streetfighter – virtually identical, one slightly faster and the other slightly stronger, neither lesser than the other.
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you missed the 2 main points, Kenny’s kicks should upset Frankie, and yes BJ’s jits is better, but Kenny’s defensive wrestling is better, so i think Kenny could get up from below Frankie way easier than he could from Gray, and also avoid the takedown better…and Kenny doesn’t wing power shots, he’s very technical and precise using jabs and crosses instead of haymakers, that’s a moot point about Edgar countering, he’s going to hit you anyway, he’s just a pussy so it won’t hurt.
I’m not trying to say Kenny would win, but i think of the 4 Gray, BJ, Kenny and Frankie, Frankie and Kenny is the only desirable fight, as like i said before styles make matchups and i think it would prove to be a good scrap…also let me add Kenny’s footwork would help against Frankie too, they’re both speed guys
and you make a valid point about wrestlers, i’ve been saying it for awhile. I wreslted in high school and have a true love for the sport, but nothing irks me more than fighters like Frankie and Gray that use their wrestling to win by points instead of using it to end a fight, i have no problem if they use it hurt the other opponent, but simply to score points is fucking lame…they should utilize stalling calls more effectively, and i don’t just mean staying busy, but actually trying to advance position or hurting someone
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Believe it or not I think I wanna see Penn vs Florian… again, because both guys are in different places right now then in there previous encounter. And I like the idea of the winner of Hardy/ Condit.
I understand why DW would say that but it’s not necassarily true… Florian is a hell of a fighter & they all have there off days… If he has one more big fight and it goes down like that then he warrants that label but i’m not ready to give it to him yet.
Guess i look forward to seeing if Jardine picks up a win… doesn’t matter though, he’s got a ways to go.
On paper I give the W to Maynard but in my mind I got Edgar for the W….see what happens.
I think actually Nate Diaz could probably go on a run in the LW division right now, but the competition is tough, but as far as acclaim and getting a shot at a title the LW div. may be the way to go??
For Randy maybe early 2012 if he’s still around… he got atleast 2 more fights before a LW title shot comes his way… with all the logistics considered above.
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awesome GWI this week…but before gettin started @boomnutz Kenny didnt finish huerta…..no one has.
Ok moving on… At lightweight I would love to see BJ fight someone like a Ross Pearson or George Sotiropulous. Ross only because it would be slug fest from the second the bell rang and regardless of the outcome, it would be entertaining. Soti because That kid has looked near unstoppable and I think it’d be a huge feather in his cap to beat or even compete with The Prodigy.
I also think that at WW Matt Serra is an awesome rematch and I would love to see BJ against Kos. Mainly just in the hopes Kos would try and trade and catch that goodnight right hook,
Diaz would look better at WW. Personally i think his problems have been based mainly from not letting his frame bulk up and get some more muscle and strength. He embarassed Markham and completley thrashed Marcus Davis. Marcus may not be the highest ranked WW, but he’s only been finished once before and beating him at his own game then choking him into oblivion is terribly impressive. I currently agree with our two hosts that the wrestlers may give him a problem but if his guard continues to improve I can see him using that sneaky triangle to submit anyone not named GSP or Jon Fitch.
Shark fights is exciting all around, but I think that Jardine and Prangley is gonna be the best, two tough dudes that will fight and fight hard
No I dont think Kenny chokes in big fights, I dont think Kenny choked in that fight. At the beginning he was striking comfortably and seemed to be ready to defend that first takedown…..once he hit his back he looked scared and never seemed to get into mode after that. Those sub attempts in the third had me hopin and IMO showed that Kenny has that champs heart of never giving up till the fight is over. I think if he would work on subs off his back he could get himself back in contention.
False….but once again that could change. Injuries happen and DW is in the business of selling fights. If you were to ask almost anyone on this page if Randy could beat any of the top 3 LHW(minus Rashad, I think Randy would give him FITS) but if you were to ask a casual fan, they’d answer that randy can do anything. I too agree that the risk/reward isn’t there for Randy against say a Thiago Silva or a Brendan Schaub but I think he could easily wipe the mat with T. Silva(Let’s face it dude’s nothing special as his biggest win is the inconsistent jardine) and I think the Hybrid would have his hands full as Randy has a game plan for everyone. I do think Bones and Bader would be stiff matches for the natural and I’d hate to see Randy smashed like that.
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Oh and I forgot…I say Frankie….Gray has improved his striking but I think Frankie has improved overall. The fact that he was able to take BJ down at will shows his wrestling has come even further and the fact that BJ couldnt hold him down shows that he has improved his scrambling even more. I think that Gray still has the ability to take him down but I think Frankie has a quicker standup game and just might be able to stay off his back and run and gun his way to a victory.
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thanks for correcting me, i wasn’t sure on that one, but didn’t feel like looking it up, and i thought i remembered Kenny finishing a bunch of fights in a row so i went with it.
On Monday, I said i’d love to see George sotiropuoulus (damn that name’s hard to spell) or even Dunham fight BJ, they’re both my hopes for taking the belt now that BJ and KenFlo are back to the drawing board, plus those fights would surely be fireworks, i would just hate to see any of them lose, so it’s almost a lose lose for my personal preference
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I would love to see Penn vs Diaz at WW. You could make a legitimate star out od Nate if he wins and a win for Penn alos would be a huge statement.
I dont think Kenny chokes but rather isnt a championship caliber fighter. Sure Kenny is great and I love to see him fight but against the absoulte best he will always be second, and there is no shame in that.
Really looking forward to seeing Jardine vs Prangly as I have always been a huge fan of Jardine.
Edgar over Maynard, Frankies Jiu Jitsu is getting better everyday and at some point I think he gets a submission on a tired Maynard.
Nate is a tough fight at either but will probably always come up short when facing superior wrestlers who have very strong submission defense. I dont care which weight he fights at as long as we get to see him fight.
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1. Penn vs. Nate Diaz. Both well rounded fighters. I think BJ would own Hardy or Condit.
2. Florian has had a lot of big fights. I think he does his job well. He didn’t kick Maynard because he didn’t want to end up fighting from guard. I say give the dude a break.
3. Sokoudjou and Houston Alexander. I’m actually interested in seeing who wins. Not a bad match up.
4. I agree that, “Gray will blanket “The Answer” for five rounds, win the belt, and walk away as a participant in one of the most boring title fights in UFC history”.
5. Diaz to LW for ever. I think he could be a serious force there, while at welter weight it’s a matter of time before he falls off. Granted he putt a beating on Davis, but Kos or Fitch or any of the top guys will dominate him. Against Edgar or Maynard he’d have a better chance I think.
6. True. Randy gets another shot, as much as it pains me.
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I’ve been calling for a Penn/Gomi fight since he entered the UFC. I think it’s the only fight left for him at LW. In WW, I’ve been saying Penn/Serra since before Penn fought GSP the second time. Both ex WW champs with a history at LW. I wanna see Penn make a run for the WW title. It’s gonna be a lot tougher now but I would like to see him try. Maybe give him Hieron as a welcome back to the UFC?
Kenny doesn’t choke…..he just looses. No one is invincible and only Fitch goes undefeated outside of title shots.
The Dean of Mean! I’ve never seen him a boring fight and Prangley is no slouch so this should be a great fight, regardless of the outcome. Although I wanna see Keith get back to winning.
Edgar is becoming the Randy of the LW division. Smaller than everyone, never the favorite, and still coming out on top. I think Edgar is gonna avenge his loss to Maynard and retain the title.
I posted the same thing Conlan said about Diaz in a different story….only worded less eloquently.
I’m gonna say True. If he wins his next fights. With Shogun out for a year that leaves Randy the opportunity to get 2 more wins under his belt. And with a proven box office record, you’d be hard pressed to find a better all around candidate than Couture. I say Franklin and Bader then winner of Shogun/Evans. (this was also posted in a different story)
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1. Honestly, I would hate to see Penn run to Welterweight after these back-to-back losses. He may think it’s a good way to get back in the mix of things, but over the years, all of his losses have been at 170, and that’s for a reason. Besides, all the Penn-worthy Welterweights are tied up right now. Alves is 0-2, Fitch is set for a title bout, and GSP and Kos will be duking it out sooner or later. I suppose I will give a suggestion for a LW fight, though. I’ve always thought Guida/Penn would be interesting. Right now, Guida is coming off two finishes in a row (which may be a first in his career) and is looking better than ever. Yet, he’s still a beatable opponent for BJ. Takanori is a good fight, too.
2. Kenny Florian doesn’t choke in big fights, he loses to better fighters. Come on, can you call getting dominated by Sherk, still one of the best wrestlers ever born, choking? Or losing to Penn, the greatest Lightweight to walk the planet? The only fight you can say Kenny choked in was the Maynard fight, for he didn’t look like himself. But, that could easily be passed of on Gray’s gameplan, and ability to break through Kenny’s defense and take him down at will. Kenny will come back better than ever. That just wasn’t his night.
3. I’m not sure who to call in Maynard/Edgar II, because I feel Frankie has changed drastically since the last fight, as far as heart, ability, and drive go. But, I’m almost positive it will be a close one, most likely decided in the 5th round.
4. Nate Diaz should stay at Welterweight, but who knows what he’s thinking.
5. Randy will earn his title shot when he beats one of the top dogs at his weight class. I know he’s a legend, but we’ve hardly seen anything indicative of his current skill level in his last two bouts, which happened to be against an out-of-it Coleman, and a first time Mixed Martial Artist with hardly any actual Mixed Martial Arts training. Get him in there with a guy that throws bombs — like Bader, Cro Cop, or Rampage — or a guy that’ll be all over him from start to finish — like Jones or Machida — or even a guy that will test him in new areas — like Mir — and if he wins, give him the title shot. I know this sounds harsh but surely most of you would agree.
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I would also like to see Penn fight Sotiropoulos at 155, and Alves at 170, because if he hasn’t retired after this last beat down, one more should do the trick. Arrogant, deluded and without a major attitude shift, BJ is done.
Harsh as it seems, I have to go with DW about Kenny choking. Or to be more kind, although his skills are up there with anyone, Florian loses his confidence when fighting someone with more physical talent. I’d like to see him go to 170 and work on his striking. His frame is too big for 155 so he’s light on muscle. Sanchez vs. Florian 2 gets my vote.
Sorry, but Shark fights isn’t on my radar. If I had more hours in the day…
Based on the other night, I would have to say that Maynard matches up well against Edgar and unless a title shot makes him nervous, he’ll beat him. I think to beat Grey, someone will have to out strike him and that’s no Edgar’s strength.
Although I can understand how dropping down to 155 might seem more appealing than trying to get a chance to fight GSP, I would like to see Diaz stick at 170. He has some pop behind his strikes at that weight and it makes him more fun to watch.
Couture in a title match. Well, it’s never a good idea to bet against Randy, but it would have to happen at 205. If Rua’s rehab doesn’t go according to plan, I could see the Natural getting a crack at an interim title, if that counts. But even then, he’d have to take out another contender to get there. Not likely.
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