After a trip to Chicago for Lollopalooza and a trip to Huntington, WV to visit some friends, I finally have time to sit in front of my computer and talk about some MMA. I thought with so many phenomena occurring since my UFC 101 preview the best way to return would be to hit the high notes and then elaborate where need be later. A lot of divisions hit turning points in the last two weeks so there is no shortage of observations to be made, here is the UFC section.
Silva Walks Over Griffin
It might be more appropriate to say that Forrest gets made to look like a little kid. Anderson Silva brought a new level of stand up that Forrest had simply not seen before. Silva hit him, mocked him, helped him up, danced around him, and knocked him out silly. They were just on different planets when it came to striking prowess and it showed, big time. My biggest concern regarding Forrest was his tendency to put his head down and swing. Even though he keeps his eyes up more, his head is still a big, slow target when he comes in. This fight accomplished a lot. It solidified Silva as the best fighter in the world by most accounts (simply reigniting the question for me). It caused a wirlwind of questions regarding Silva’s place in the UFC. Is it at 205, 185, or both? It also basically squashed the Silva/GSP talk. We also got to see another fit thrown by Forrest Griffin, which I do not begrudge him this time around. It was embarrassing and it is hard for me to imagine facing that many fans after what happened to him. As it stands now, Silva will not be dropping his title, but still wants his next fight to be at 205. This tells me two things. First it indicates that the Brazilian is serious about his distaste for a rematch with Henderson. Second, it leads me to believe that he does want to hold two belts at once and wants to put himself in a position to do so in Machida were to suffer a loss. Anderson Silva ran through a top contender at 205 in the UFC and there is no telling just how successful he could be there.
Penn Reestablishes Himself
BJ Penn was the favorite coming into UFC 101, but his defense was no walk in the park. Florian put up a good fight and even had a decent game-plan, but as soon as that fight hit the ground for a good floor scrap BJ Penn put on a clinic. KenFlo easily represented the most deserving challenger but now we must turn to fighters like Diego Sanchez and Gray Maynard. The break Penn took from 155 to chase revenge might actually have been a good thing. It gave other contenders time to emerge. I for one hope the energy that Penn had after the fight is a sign that he is ready to dedicate himself to being a long-term champion. There are good matches waiting for him at 155. It is unfortunate for Florian that he has lost his second title shot, ast is going to take a fair amount of time for him to climb back up to get another shot, even if he wins and wins big. I would kind of like to see him fight Franky Edgar next, being that Edgar could become a serious contender but could use a test from a gatekeeper like Florian. Either way, Florian is going to be working hard to get back to the top, which means more exciting fights and finishes.
Little Nog Signs Zuffa Contract
Word on the street is, and by street I mean the internet and his brother, Little Nog is the latest addition to the UFC’s Light Heavyweight division. He could provide a number of interesting match-ups, although one of those might not be with the champion, Machida. I am not sure where these two stand on fighting each other but I would guess they aren’t too keen on it. All the same, Forrest, Jardine, Rashad, Rampage, Shogun, T. Silva, Cain, and the list goes on and on could all provide interesting challenges for the smaller Nogueira brother. It is quite possible that Machida won’t be the champion (but he will be) so their friendship might not even be an issue. I for one would like to see Forrest welcome him to the big U. S. show, but White and company might not want to put Forrest in such a dangerous position. This pick up also means one less top 205er roaming the streets outside the UFC’s door, an implication for another time.
Tito Ortiz vs Mark Coleman??????
When I heard the rumor a few weeks ago I just started laughing. It is odd. There was a time that this would have been a crazy superfight. Now it is a fight of two guys past their prime that attempt to convince the world they are ready for one more run at the title every time they hype a fight. Neither fighter is likely to make that run, but they are still significant. This fight represents an odd phenomenon in MMA. People are going to buzz about it. It will likely get time on a countdown show and neither one of these fighters have done anything significant in years. However they are both heroes from certain time periods in MMA history. MMA is so young that even its pioneers can find themselves fighting stars of today and yesterday at major events. This is a microcosm of the way the MMA world works. I am not saying I don’t want to see the fight. I am not saying it won’t be a good fight (but it likely wont). All I am saying is that it is amusing. It is funny on a base level. Just say the names out loud and you will likely giggle (manly MMA fans giggle). I have nothing but respect for these fighters but what is this fight, the stagnant fight of the century? Maybe the UFC should do a big hall of fame induction and create a Hall of Fame title… that would work, right? Right?
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