Rashad Evans defeats Forrest Griffin via TKO in Round 3
Frank Mir defeats Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira via TKO in round 2
Quinton Jackson defeats Wanderlei Silva via KO in Round 1
Cheick Kongo defeats Mustafa Al-Turk via TKO (Strikes) Round 1
CB Dollaway defeats Mike Massenzio via TKO (Strikes) Round 1
Yushin Okami defeats Dean Lister via unanimous decision
Antoni Hardonk defeats Mike Wessel via TKO in round two
Matt Hamill defeats Reese Andy via TKO in round two
Brad Blackburn defeats Ryo Chonan via unanimous decision
Pat Barry defeats Dan Evensen via TKO in round one
Fight of the Night: Forrest Griffin vs. Rashad Evans
Knockout of the Night: Quinton “Rampage” Jackson
Thoughts:
Rashad Evans in underrated. He is a great striker with great wrestling skills. He is a force to be reckoned with in the UFC. He is now the UFC light heavyweight champ and maybe the best light heavyweight in the world. He boasts wins over Michael Bisping, Chuck Liddell, and Forrest Griffin.
Forrest Griffin will be back, but I do not know who he will face. If Shogun beats Mark Coleman there could be a re-match.
I never expected Nogueira to get beat so badly. Mir tore him a new one. Nog didn’t show up. Maybe he is past his prime. Mir looke dreally good though. Now we get the Mir vs. Lesnar re-match.
I didn’t expect Rampage to KO Wanderlei either. It looks like Rampage could get a title shot.
C.B. Dolloway looked impressive in his win over a very good Mike Massenzio. He showed good wrestling, good striking and good submission defense.
Cheick Kongo really impressed in his vicious TKO over Al-Turk
You say Yushin, I say Okami. Yushin… (Okami). Okami is deserving number one contender now that he walked through Dean Lister
Pat Barry has really good kicks and is a force in the heavyweight division
Antoni Hardonk keeps winning. He may move up some rankings
Matt Hamill really impressed and probably knocked Reese Andy out of the UFC along with Dan Evensen, Ryo Chonan and Mike Wessel
UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008 is one of the best cards of the year on paper. This card features what many consider to be 3 super fights. This card is sure to draw a good crowd and good pay per view numbers. Also, this will end 2008 with a bang and the outcomes of these fights will dictate many key match-ups in 2009, including Brock Lesnar’s next opponent, possibly Anderson Silva’s next opponent at 205 lbs, and possibly the next contender at 205 lbs.
Forrest Griffin vs. Rashad Evans
Forrest Griffin
vs.
Rashad Evans
Nickname
Sugar
1
MMA Blog Rank
6
205 Lbs.
Weight Class
205 Lbs.
16-4 (7-2 UFC)
Record
12-0-1 (7-0 UFC)
This fight will be Forrest Griffin’s first title defense and a bout between the winner of the Ultimate Fighter 1 and the winner of the Ultimate Fighter 2. Rashad is sort of a surprise number one contender here. He earned the title shot with his highlight reel KO of Chuck Liddell. Evans is an undefeated fighter with a solid wrestling pedigree and very impressive striking. Forrest Griffin is already a future UFC hall of famer and one of the biggest stars. He relishes being the undersog. He was the underdog against Shogun. He was the underdog against Rampage. Forrest works as hard as anyone in the sport. Forrest is also known for his incredible heart. This is a very interesting match up style wise for me. Forrest will stand and trade, but Rashad probably has the striking advantage (just ask Chuck Liddell and Sean Salmon). The heart and toughness advantage would go to Forrest. The wrestling advantage would go to Rashad, but the submissions advantage would go to Forrest. Forrest will also have a slight size and reach advantage over Rashad. Quite honestly I think this is a bad match up for Forrest. I look for Rashad to use his wrestling to keep the fight standing or to scramble to his feet. I also think that he may clip Forrest with a good shot. However, he better watch for those leg kicks which devastated Ramapge. Forrest would have to have the conditioning advantage. If he is smart he will want to take Rashad past round 3. Forrest is a proverbial “cardio machine”. We saw Forrest win against Shogun due to his cardio. This could be the achilles heel for Evans. I think it is highly possible he will gas and that is Forrest’s best chance at winning. Some people speculate that Rashad could be distracted due to the recent birth of a child. However, I think that Rashad’s training with the legendary Greg Jackson will more than cover that possible distraction. I expect Rashad to have a great game plan. Hidden within this fight is a match up between two great camps Evans and Team Jackson and Griffin and Xtreme Couture. Whoever has the better game plan will win. It may be scary to say, but I do not know if we have seen the best of either of these guys yet. I think rashad has more raw talent, but Forrest has the heart of a champion. With that said, I pick Rashad to win by TKO in round 3 to become the new UFC light heavyweight champion.
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
vs.
Frank Mir
Minatauro
Nickname
1
MMA Blog Rank
3
Heavyweight
Weight Class
185 Lbs.
31-4-1 (2-0 UFC)
Record
11-3 (9-3 UFC)
I am just gonna call this one the way I see it. Nogueira is a legend in the sport. He is a near consensus number 2 heavyweight in the world. He has fought the best in the world. He is nearly impossible to knockout or submit. He has the best heart in MMA. Frank Mir has had good days. He is a former UFC heavyweight champ. He has solid all around skills and good ground skills. However, I do not think Mir is near the calibur of Nogueira. The two Ultimate fighter coaches will pair off for the interim heavyweight title and a chance to fight Brock Lesnar sometime in 2009. Nogueira holds the interim title and is the first person to be PRIDE and UFC champ. This fight gained exposure through season 8 of the Ultimate Fighter. Nogueira was the clear fan favorite of the coaches. In fact, Mir may have entered the reality show as the fan favorite, but the season ended with Nogueira being by far the favorite coach and becoming endeared by fans. At the end of the season of TUF, I posted a poll on MMABlog asking about the favorite coach and 88% of the 200 people polled said Nogueira was their favorite coach over Mir. I say that to say that Nogueira will be a fan favorite in Mir’s hometown. In fact I cannot think of one area where Mir will have an advantage. I think the key is mental. Mir has not been the same since his bike wreck. I also get the sense that he is intimidated by Nogueira. Many interviews Mir speaks of Nog as his hero, as a “Frankenstein”, and as nearly impossible to beat. I think Nogueira wins by submission in round 2…maybe even round 1.
Wanderlei Silva vs. Quinton Jackson
Wanderlei Silva
vs.
Quinton Jackson
The Axe Murderer
Nickname
Rampage
4
MMA Blog Rank
2
205 Lbs.
Weight Class
205 Lbs.
32-8-1 (2-2 UFC)
Record
28-7 (3-1 UFC)
This is the third installment of this particular fight. Two times Wanderlei Silva has destroyed Jackson. For those that have not see the previous two fights they are must sees, check them out here and here. Jackson claims to be in better shape and better prepared than he has ever been. Jackson also claims that Wanderlei is not the same guy he was in his days of dominance in PRIDE. Jackson is coming off of a defeat to Forrest Griffin, a bizzare string of events and eventual arrest, and a change in camps which saw him move to England to train at Wolfslair. Wanderlei is coming off of an impressive win over Keith Jardine at UFC 84. He looks to build on that. The winner of this fight could very well be in line for a title shot.
I do not know what makes this fight different than the previous two. I have to wonder if Wanderlei does not just have Rampage’s number. This fight will answer many questions such as: Is the difference in rules between PRIDE and UFC a big factor? Is Wanderlei past his prime? Is Rampage really better now than he was against Forrest? All I know is that Rampage better avoid the clinch and the knee of Silva. I do not see this fight going the distance. I think that we will see this also be fight of the night. I look for Wanderlei to win by TKO in round 2.
C.B. Dolloway vs. Mike Massenzio
C.B. Dolloway
vs.
Mike Massenzio
The Doberman
Nickname
27
MMA Blog Rank
28
185 Lbs.
Weight Class
185 Lbs.
7-1 (1-1 UFC)
Record
11-2 (1-0 UFC)
I am not going to defend the placement of this fight on the main card over Yushin Okami vs. Dean Lister, but I will tell you this will be a good fight. These guys may not be as high up the middleweight ladder as Okami and Lister and they may not have the same name recognition, but both of these guys are solid prospects.
C.B. Dolloway burst onto the scene in the Ultimate Fighter 7. He was the heavy favorite throughout the whole season, but was upset in the semi-finals by Amir Sadollah. However, he was given a second chance following the booting of Jesse Taylor. C.B. beta Tim Credeur handily to earn a second crack at Sadollah for the TUF title. C.B. lost int he same way to Amir int he finale. However, he bounced back with a highlight reel submission of Jesse Taylor by way of peruvian necktie a submission that many consider a submission of the year candidate. C.B. is an accomplished wrestler out of Arizona State University who trains at Arizona Combat Sports with other MMA stars like TUF 8 winner Ryan Bader, WEC lightweight champ Jamie Varner, and WEC welterweight champ Carlos Condit.
Mike Massenzio is 1-0 in the UFC. He won is his UFC debut quickly over UFC vet Drew McFedries. He sunk in a kimura forcing McFedries to tap. Massenzio is a very good prospect who is very good on the ground. Massenzio is one of the fighters the UFC picked up from the now defunct IFL.
The question for me on this one is can C.B. avoid Massenzio’s submissions. He couldn’t avoid Amir’s. C.B. may elect to keep the fight standing if he can. He also may want to work some ground and pound. A lot of people like Mike Massenzio in this fight. However, I think C.B. is going to prove too good standing and too strong on the ground. I pick C.B. to win by unanimous decision.
Cheick Kongo vs. Mustapha Al Turk
Cheick Kongo
vs.
Mustapha Al-Turk
Nickname
5
MMA Blog Rank
12
Heavyweight
Weight Class
Heavyweight
12-4-1 (5-2 UFC)
Record
6-3 (0-0 UFC)
This fight will be the first fight to air on the main card. Cheick Kongo may be one the most inconsistent fighters in the UFC. He beats Cro Cop, but eats a loss to Heath Herring. I do think Kongo is one of the top 10-15 heavyweights out there, but he needs a big win. Kongo wants a title shot. He makes no bones about it. A win here may inch him closer, but it won’t put him next in line. He still has guys like Carwin, Gonzaga, and Couture ahead of him. However, rumor has it that a win here could garner him a fight between former UFC fighter Jeff Monson.
Al Turk is the former Cage Rage hevayweight champion. I am sure Al Turk would like to get out of here unscathed. Either way we could see Al Turk return at UFC 95 in England against new heavyweight signee Neil Grove. Al Turk seems to be a decent striker, but I do not know if he can hang with Kongo.
I pick Kongo by unanimous decision.
The Undercard:
Yushin Okami vs. Dean Lister
Lister is a world calss grappler and jiu jitsu player. Okami is a top 3 middleweight in the world. Many people (including me) think Okami is deserving of a title shot. If Okami beats Lister it will be hard to withhold a title shot from him. There are two reasons Okami has not gotten that shot. First, he is not very marketable. Second, he is coming off of an injury. He would have gotten the shot over Cote, but an injury slowed Okami. Tehre are tons of people in line at 185 lbs. including Thales Leites, Nate Marquardt, Michael Bisping, and Demian Maia. I believe Lister could submit Okami, but I have to pick Okami to win this by decision.
Quick Picks:
Matt Hamill vs. Reese Andy – Hamill by Unanimous Decision
Brad Blackburn vs. Ryo Chonan – Blackburn by Unanimous Decision
Check out this preview for UFC 92 which breaks down Forrest Griffin vs. rashad Evans, Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Quinton Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva.
·Steve Cantwell vs. Razak Al-Hussan at UFC Fight Night 16 on December 10
·Forrest Griffin vs. Rashad Evans @ UFC 92 on December 28 (For Title)
·Quinton Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva @ UFC 92 on December 28
·Matt Hamill vs. Reese Andy @ UFC 92 on December 28
·Rich Franklin vs. Dan Henderson @ UFC 93 on January
·Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Mark Coleman @ UFC 93 on January 17
·Andre Gusmao vs. Antonio Mendes @ UFC 93 on January 17
·Ivan Serati vs. Tomasz Drwal @ UFC 93 on January 17
·Jon Jones vs. Stephan Bonnar @ UFC 93 on January 17
·Lyoto Machida vs. Thiago Silva @ UFC 94 on January 31
Match Ups I’d Like to See:
·Luis Cane vs. Keith Jardine
·Brandon Vera vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
Other Thoughts:
·There are rumors of a Anderson Silva vs. Chuck Liddell match up at UFC 95
·There are a lot of light heavyweight contenders and the match ups are being set.The winner of Wanderlei vs. Rampage should get the next title shot, although the winner of Lyoto Machida and Thiago Silva should be considered as well.
·We are waiting for the debut of rumored UFC signee Glover Teixeira who has been having visa troubles in Brazil.
·The UFC could sign former EliteXC light heavyweight Rafael Feijao, which would be a big time contender.
·The UFC has a clear monopoly on the light heavyweight division.There are only a few fighters worth adime in this division not in the UFC (Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Vladimir Matyushenko, Ricardo Arona, Tito Ortiz, and Renato “Babalu” Sobral)
·I looks like two solid light heavyweights have dropped to middleweight in Goran Reljic and Wilson Gouveia
·The Ultimate Fighter 8 which featured light heavyweights is sure to place a few good fighters in the divison, but it will take time for them to climb the ladder.Watch out for guys like Ryan Bader, Vinny Magalhes, Kryztof Soszynski, and Eliot Marshall.
·It is somewhat possible to see Randy Couture take a few fights at light heavyweight and also to see Anderson Silva fight at 205 more often in 2009
Here are my 205’ers. The UFC clearly has the deepest and best pool of 205 lb fighters. I only see a couple of non-UFC fighters being top 25 material.
Rank
Name
Organization
Next Fight
1
Forrest Griffin
UFC
Evans (#6), 12/27
2
Quinton Jackson
UFC
W. Silva (#4) 12/27
3
Lyoto Machida
UFC
T. Silva (#10) 1/31
4
Wanderlei Silva
UFC
Jackson (#2) 12/27
5
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua
UFC
Coleman (NR), 1/17
6
Rashad Evans
UFC
Griffin (#1), 12/27
7
Dan Henderson
UFC
Franklin (#12), 1/17
8
Keith Jardine
UFC
9
Chuck Liddell
UFC
10
Thiago Silva
UFC
Machida (#3), 1/31
11
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
Affliction
Moisa (NR), 11/3
12
Rich Franklin
UFC
Henderson (#7), 1/17
13
Brandon Vera
UFC
14
Vladimir Matyushenko
Affliction
15
Luiz Cane
UFC
16
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
UFC
17
Ricardo Arona
18
Renato “Babalu” Sobral
Affliction
Southworth (NR), 11/21
19
Matt Hamill
UFC
Andy (NR), 12/27
20
Tito Ortiz
21
Rafael Feijao
EliteXC?
22
Steve Cantwell
UFC
Al-Hussan (NR), 12/10
23
Stephan Bonnar
UFC
Jones (NR), 1/31
24
James Irvin
UFC
25
Brian Stann
UFC
Also considered: Jon Jones, Tim Boetsch, Bobby Southworth, Mark Coleman (Didn’t include him because he hasn’t fought again. He probably is top 25 material)
UFC 92 is already a dominant card that will put great fights on the undercard. One of those fights appears to be a light heavyweight cout between Matt Hamill and Reese Andy. Andy and Hamill are both coming off of loses to newcomers to the UFC Light Heavyweight divison in Rich Franklin and Brandon Vera.
Both of these guys are very good wrestlers and are strong guys. Matt Hamill would obvious be the favorite going into the fight, but one shouldn’t sleep on Andy. Looks to be a solid fight, but I doubt it makes the main card, which has a trio of headliners in bouts between Forrest Griffin vs. Rashad Evans, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir, and Wanderlei Silva vs. Quinton Jackson. Wow!
In my previous post about the title picture in the UFC heavyweight divison I mentioned how the UFC’s match making has caused problems in the title picture. The same is true of the light heavyweight divison. Okay, Forrest Griffin is now the light heavyweight champion. The question should be who gets the next title shot and what is the order of contenders. The UFC made clear that if Chuck Liddell beat Rashad Evans at UFC 88 then he would fight Forrest Griffin in December for the title. However, Rashad Evans played spolier and ruined the potential blockbuster fight. Very quickly, the UFC gave Rashad the title shot for December. Kudos to rashad for a big win, but most people would agree that even with the win over Liddell he was not the number one contender. I believe that distinction has to go to Lyoto Machida who has notable UFC victories over Sokoudjou and Tito Ortiz. I have no problem with saying Machida needs one more win, but he better not be ignored. I have heard that he isn’t getting the shot first because guys don’t want to fight him and secondly because he has limited marketability. So, what other options are there? Here are my rankings in order of who I feel the contenders are right now. I see 4 guys right now at the top of the heap that could get a title shot without much complaint from me. Some like Rich Franklin may need one more win…
1. Lyoto Machida
2. Quinton Jackson
3. Wanderlei Silva
4. Rich Franklin
Needs one more win…
4. Rashad Evans
5. Thiago Silva
6. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua
7. Chuck Liddell
Guys who could earn their way into contention soon…
8. Brandon Vera
9. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
10. Keith Jardine
The problem is booking. Several of these guys are booked for fights. It seems Quinton Jackson and Wanderlei Silva will square off November 15th, surely the winner of that fight will get a title shot. Lyoto Machida was to face Thiago Silva, with the winner surely getting a title shot soon, however Silva pulled out leaving Machida opponent-less. Shogun is waiting for a December opponent…possibly Chuck Liddell. Keith Jardine is fighting Brandon Vera and Sokoudjou is fighting Luiz Cane at UFC 89. That leaves Rich Franklin, Lyoto Machida, and Rashad Evans available for the title shot in December. The UFC chose Evans, the weakest of the possible opponents for Griffin. The heap is big and growing. Contenders need to keep winning. It looked like 2009 will see Machida get his title shot, but he may need two more wins. Wanderlei or Jackson may get the next shot in the spring of ’09. Rich Franklin could work his way in the mix too. The picture won’t clear up either with a lot of solid guys in the top 15.
I believe there are several answers people might give as to why Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell got beat by Rashad Evans. Chuck would just say that he “got caught”. I would say there is more to it than that.
Perhaps Chuck Liddell lost because he is a one dimensional fighter who is a legenday striker. Perhaps Chuck Liddell lost because of his age. Perhaps Chuck is over the hill. I might point out that Liddell has struggled recently. He lost to Rampage, he lost to Keith Jardine, and he beat Wanderlei Silva. Maybe the Chuck of old is gone. He hasn’t finished a fight in quite some time. I would defintley suggest that Rashad Evans speed has something to do with it. Perhaps as of today Rashad Evans is simply a better fighter than Chuck Liddell. Perhaps it has to do with training. Rashad has shown a willingness to learn from new trainers such as Greg Jackson. Whereas, Chuck Liddell has been at “The Pit” with Hackleman for years. Perhaps Liddell should be willing to try some new trainers, such as Xtreme Couture well he can develop new striking techniques and more diverse MMA skills. Perhaps Liddell lost because of the nagging hamstring injury. I don’t think that it is an issue, some may use it as an excuse, but it isn’t the reason. Perhaps other fighters have Chuck Liddell’s number. I think this is a great problem. Liddell has one way to win and he has done well with it, but maybe he has been figured out. Greg Jackson seems to have his number. Leg kicks are effective on Chuck, just ask Keith Jardine. Frustrating Chuck and making him come to you rather than allowing him to KO you while going away may work too. Maybe Chuck needs a new game plan. Perhaps my biggest suggestion has to do with the mental aspect of fighting. Perhaps Chuck Liddell has gotten too big and that has in turn gone to his head. I seriously question when fighters are more worried about careers outside the ring than fighting. Chuck is the face of MMA. He is a legend. He is super popular. That in turn has led to endorsments, books, interviews, sponsors, and many other opportunities. Perhaps Chuck has been distracted by all those things. Perhaps he needs to refocus and not worry about advertising through human signs for his sponsors and focus more on his fighters. Perhaps the problem is in the fact that he partys way too much, he loves the party scene. Some say it doesn’t affect him, and maybe it didn;t before when he was younger and on top, but maybe it does now. Maybe the fame, popularity and fun side of fighting has become his passion to the neglect of performance in the octagon. Perhaps he has lost his drive and passion which made him so effective before in his career. We can give numerous reasons why Chuck lost to Rashad. Perhaps some people more knowledgable than me can give technical reasons as to why Rashad’s game plan was so effective. However, let’s not take away from Rashad. There may not be a clear answer. Perhaps the answer is that Rashad just fought better, was faster, and better that night. Give Rashad some credit. He is super underrated. However, I do think there are several things Chuck could do differently to still be effective in his late 30’s and even into his early 40’s. I know some won’t like this post, but it is the truth. I know Chuck is a fan favorite, but even his fans have to question some things about his career. Matt Hughes loses two fights to Georges St. Pierre and Thiago Alves and everyone thinks he is done and should retire. Chuck Liddell has lost 3 of 4 to lesser competition in his divison. I am not saying Chuck is done. I am saying he needs to re-think some methods. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. Perhaps the problem is in Chuck’s pride. Maybe he thinks he is better than Jardine, better than jackson and better than Evans, but he just got caught or just had a bad night. Maybe though the reason is deeper than that. Liddell can still be effective as a fighter in the UFC, but he will need to reevaluate his career, training, styles, game plans, and training methods. Rashad Evans was indeed the spoiler. Chuck was to leap frog Lyoto Machida and get the title shot against Forrest Griffin in December with a win over Rashad. The UFC longed for the pupil vs. teacher storyline. Now they will get the TUF 1 winner against the TUF 2 winner. Well done Rashad, you just beat a legend of the UFC in highlight reel form and earned a title shot.
Dan Henderson def. Rousimar Palhares by unanimous decision
Nate Marquardt def. Martin Kampmann by TKO in round 1
Dong Hyun Kim def. Matt Brown by split decision
Jason MacDonald def. Jason Lambert by submission in round 2
Tim Boetsh def. Mike Patt by TKO in round 1
Kurt Pellegrino def. Thiago Tavares by unanimous decision
Ryo Chonan def. Roan Carneiro by split decision
Fight of the Night: Kurt Pellegrino vs. Thiago Tavares
Submission of the Night: Jason MacDonald
Knockout of the Night: Rashad Evans
My Predictions: I went 6 of 9 (I missed the Rashad Evans vs. Chuck Liddell, Martin Kampmann vs. Nate Marquardt and Kurt Pellegrino vs. Thiago Tavares fights)
My Thoughts on UFC 88:
Rashad Evans was impressive as heck. I was utterly shocked. I thought after round 1 Chuck would finish it. Rashad looked good all round 2. He was winning that fight even before the KO. By the way, that was one of the most vicious KO’s I have ever seen in one punch. That will be a highlight reel KO for years to come. That will be knockout of the year candidate. Rashad Evans showed he was no joke. I don’t know if he deserves the title shot he was granted in December, but I won’t complain about it too badly. I still think Machida deserves it.
Rich Franklin is back. I love Rich Franklin. He is a class act fighter. He is super talented and always improving. His striking is world class. He is a threat in the light heavyweight divison. There are some guys he would lose to, but I think he would beat Forrest or Rashad right now. I am glad to see him back on track.
Matt Hamill looked good in the loss. He showed he is improving his striking. I think he still needs to rely on his bread and butter more of take downs and ground and pound, but he wants to show his striking. Rich was just too experienced for him and found a weakness in his game and exploited it. Hamill will be back and in my opinion he is still a top 15 light heavyweight.
Dan Henderson looked alright, but nothing special. I think that is because Palhares is that good. Palhares has a solid chin and superior submissions. Keep his name in mind because he will be back too.
The most impressive performance to me was Nate Marquardt. Nate has always had excellent grappling and submissions, but he showed versatile and skilled striking against a dangerous Kampmann. He looked crisp and solid. He is in the top heap at 185. I’d love to see him fight Dan Henderson or Michael Bisping with the winner getting a title shot. However, it may be that after Cote, Silva will get Okami. Then Bisping is likely the next guy in line. Then perhaps a re-match with Marquardt or Henderson.
Some people think Matt Brown should have gotten the decision over Dong Hyun Kim, but I don’t think so. I think Kim won round 1 due to submission attempts and a near finish and I think he won round 3 due to the take downs and big elbows out the end. I think Kim looked really good against a tough as nails Matt Brown who showed some improvement. Kim is a contender at 170 and though many people think he shouldn’t have won, and though I am sure he would have rather finished the fight, a win is a win and he will climb the ladder.
Tim Boetsh looked impressive against UFC newcomer Mike Patt, and I think if he can gain some cardio he can be a contender at 205.
It looks very likely that Chuck Lidell’s next fight is in the works. Of course his next fight will be determined by his fight at UFC 88 against Rashad Evans, however it is being reported that if Chuck beats Rashad that he will get a crack at Forrest Griffin at UFC 92. I would be curious as to what would happen if Liddell loses to Evans. IcemanRX, on of Liddell’s sponsor’s leaked this news.
I know the UFC wants that Liddell vs. Griffin match, but I don’t know if it is fair to a guy like Lyoto Machida, who with a with at UFC 89 would undoubtedly get a title shot. Liddell better not look past Rashad Evans who is a great wrestler and dangerous striker. Some people will be picking Evans to win this fight.
According to MMA Junkie, Wanderlei Silva has been told by UFC officials to prepare for a December return. It appears he will be on the December 27 card which will feature a heavyweight title match between Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira as well as a possible match between B.J. Penn and Georges St. Pierre. This is what Wandy had to say:
“I’m talking with (UFC co-owner) Lorenzo (Fertitta), they’re talking about December because it is the best event of the year. (Antonio Rodrigo) Nogueira is going to fight (Frank) Mir for the belt for the heavyweights. This is the best event. It’s much more promotion. They told me to be ready to fight in December. They gave me 10 (possible) names. My division is the best division in the world. They have so many names. I think they’re going to give a good opponent to me. I wanted to fight [Jackson] again and I think it’s a very good match. For me, I have time to fight for the belt in the future, no problem, I’m going to wait for my opportunity. I’m going to give my best on every fight. After I win my fights, I’m going to have an opportunity to fight for the belt. For me, no problem, I’ll fight with everybody.”
So, the question is who will he fight in December. Process of elimination may help. We would figure he would get a top 10-15 opponent seeing as how he just beat a top guy in Jardine.
Lyoto Machida is booked for a fight with Thiago Silva
Rameau Theirry Sokoudjou is booked for a fight with Luis Cane
Brandon Vera is booked for a fight with Keith Jardine
Chuck Liddell is booked for a fight with Rashad Evans
Shogun should return in December, but Wanderlei won’t fight him
Dan Henderson is booked for a fight at UFC 88
Rich Franklin is booked to fight Matt Hamill at UFC 88
That leaves Forrest Griffin, Quinton Jackson, Stephan Bonnar and Goran Reljic
I wouldn’t object to Wanderlei getting the title shot, but it isn’t likely yet. They train together also, but I am sure they would fight if the price is right, but I doubt they can push aside Machida for Silva.
Stephan Bonnar may be a good option as he should return by that date, but I don’t know if he is the calibur that Silva wants to fight. He wants someone to get him into contention
Goran Reljic os good and also possible, but not likely because he isn’t ranked high enough
Quinton Jackson has to be the most likely but seeing as how he has all sorts of legal problems, I don’t know if it will happen.
The other option is a quick turn around for someone fighting in Semptember like Chuck Liddell, Rashad Evans, Dan Henderson, Rich Franklin or Matt Hamill, or even Andre Gusmao. Any of those would be interesting and UFC 88 may dictate Silva’s opponent.
The final option is some new to the UFC guy. A new signing could be possible, but it is unlikely it would be someone that could jump right in and be cosndiered Silva level. Someone like Vladimir Matyushenko is possible, but not likely.
It has neen no secret that the UFC and Anderson Silva hoped to work out a title defense for Silva’s middleweight belt in September. The expected fighter was to be Yushin Okami. Dana White made clear that if Silva go out of his fight with Irvin injurt free then he would most likely fight September 6th and then again in December. Here is what Dana White said now:
Okami’s out of that fight. He broke his hand. If (Silva) fights in September it’ll be (Patrick) Cote,” stated White at Saturday night’s post-fight press conference at the Palms in Las Vegas.
Patrick Cote is coming off a lackluster win over Ricardo Almeida. The fight was billed as determining who would geta shot at the title. It looks like Cote will get that shot and get it earlier than expected. Okami’s hand is broken and that will allow for Cote to fight for the title. I am sorry, but Patrick Cote is way out of his league here. At least it will be one more step before Silva cleans out the divison. I presume he has 3-4 more fights to officially clean out the divison. I would say he needs to beat Kampmann, Bisping, and maybe Quarry to officially clean out the divison.
There seems to be more plans for Silva than any other fighter in the UFC. Why not? He is the best and his popularity is growing quickly. Dana White added more speculation…
“(Silva) said he wants to defend his 185-pound title. He said he wants to test the waters at 205. He did (on Saturday night),” continued White. “He’s going to defend his title again in September and then probably try to take another fight at 205.I think he wants to take his time. I think he wants to stay at 185 and completely clean out that division, go from there. (Silva) took the fight (with Irvin) on short notice, moved up to 205, wants to fight all the best guys in the world at 185 pounds, wants to fight all the best guys at 205 pounds, wants to fight every three months… uh, yah. It’s a little difficult for us to move things around, but when a guy has that mentality… I love it.”
I believe Silva’s win over Irvin means he is not done at 205. I kmow Silva is very close to Machida and feels right now the belt is Machida’s at 205, I respect that and I really like Machida, however many people don’t like Machida. The UFC’s worry about Machida is his marketability. He has a upcoming bout with Thiago Silva, and a win there makes a title shot inevitable. Perhaps Machida and Silva will never fight, but there are appealing fights out there for Silva, more than Silva-Cote. We can think of a move of WEC middleweight champ Paulo Filho to the UFC and get a title shot, but he has to get through Chael Sonnen in September first. We can think of a dream match at 205 between Liddell and Silva, but Liddell has to get through Evans first and he would call for a title shot if he does. We could imagine Wanderlei vs. Anderson. The list goes on and obviously there are more appealing fights for Silva at 205 than 185. For now, it looks like it is right back to the grind for Anderson as he prepares for a possible Sept. 6 fight with Patrick Cote at middleweight, no sweat.
The new UFC light heavyweight champion of the world is Forrest Griffin. While Rampage is beloved and great for the UFC and for marketing, Forrest Griffin has been billed as perhaps one of the most beloved and popular mixed martial artists in the world. Forrest’s win was great for the UFC. It was great the The Ultimate Fighter. And it brings up the question as to who will Griffin fight next? I do not know how bad Griffin was hurt, but I would have to think the UFC would love to see him fight in September in Atlanta. He is a Georgia native and it would be awesome. I do not know if the timing is right and that card already has one huge main event fight with Chuck vs. Rashad. I still look to see him fight again by year end. In my opinion there are 4 fights that could happen for him at his next fight…
1. A Re-Match with Quinton. Quinton is now the number one contender. I am sure he would love the re-match and would love to get his belt back. The question for him will be 2 things. 1. How is his leg? 2. Will the UFC want him to win a fight before he gets a title shot? I would say a re-match would make tons of money and people would run to see it, but I’d kind of like to see it built up a while and see Quinton win a fight to earn it. If you do that you make for 3 blockbuster fights rather than one because Forrest would get one title defense, Quinton would fight once and then ideally you woul follow up with the re-match.
2. Chuck Liddell. A Liddell vs. Griffin fight would be a huge blockbuster. You could market it as the coach vs. the student of the Ultimate Fighter. You could bill it as the two most popular light heavyweights. That fight would be huge, and if I was Dana I would hope that somehow Rashad gets out of that UFC 88 fight and you could make a huge fight in Griffin’s backyard. I doubt it will happen like that, but some have suspectd a Liddell vs. Griffin year end fight. Chuck has to get through Rashad first.
3. Lyoto Machida. He has earned a top 3 spot in the divison. However, many people feel like his fights won’t sell. He is an awesome fighter and is feared by many. He deserves a shot, but Forrest is on record as saying he wants nothing to do with Machida. I don’t look for this to happen, but I do look for Machida to be scheduled for a big fight soon.
4. Anderson Silva. If and only if Anderson Silva steam rolls through James Irvin you could see this fight happening. Silva wants to fight more and this could be his ticket. His next fight is July 19th and after that he is expected to fight Yushin Okami at UFC 88 for the middleweight title defense. A December fight between Silva and Griffin could happen, but I don’t look for it. The reason: I doubt the UFC would sacrifice Forrest that readily even to Anderson Silva.
The UFC could shock us and put Griffin against some other good contender. I never expected Forrest to get the title shot and he did. It won’t be Wanderlei Silva. They could pull out someone like Dan Henderson, Thiago Silva, or Sokoudjou, but I doubt it. We could see someone like Keith Jardine come in and fight him for a re-match or Shogun, but I doubt it. I think Forrest’s next fight will be between the four names I mentioned above (Jackson, Machida, Liddell, or Anderson Silva).
Yesterday MMAblog reported that Rich Franklin was set to fight at UFC 88 in a Light Heavyweight match. I threw out a couple of options for his opponents, and one of the ones I mentioned was Matt Hamill. Well, go ahead give me the props I deserve. It seems to be a reality. Rich Franklin and Matt Hamill will square off at UFC 88 in Atlanta. MMAblog confirmed from reliable sources that the fight will indeed take place.
I don’t know about this fight for Rich my friends. I think Rich Franklin is a top 3 middleweight in the world. I understand his predicament. He is probably the #2 guy in the UFC and the world. He can beat everyone in the divison except for the number 1 guy. He is stuck. A light heavyweight fight is not a bad idea, in fact, I like the move to light heavyweight for Rich. There are 10-15 great figths for him there. However, out of all the top 15 light heavyweights he could have fought, Matt Hamill may pose more danger to him than most. Matt Is big. Matt is strong. Matt is big for a light heavyweight. Matt has amazing wrestling. I still think Rich can win this fight if he keeps it standing, but personally I don’t like to see two of my favorite fighters fight each other. It means one will rise and one will fall in the divison. Both those guys are good guys and class acts. I still think that most will consider Rich the favorite in this fight, but I wouldn’t be shocked if Hamill beats Franklin in this fight. Oddly, the fight most people called for was Franklin vs. Dan Henderson at middleweight. Dan Henderson is on the card, fighting at middleweight against Rousimar Palhares. Personally, I was hoping for Rich Franklin vs. Forrest Griffin. UFC 88 is looking decent so far with Chuck Liddell vs. Rashad Evans to headline. Stay tuned for more.
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