It seems like only yesterday the MMA world was buzzing over the big rematch, the match that would settle the poorly filled out score cards, Shogun vs Machida. With two cards past, MMA has seen some fairly significant shifts.
UFC
Lets start by trimming the fat. The Kimbo saga finally seems to have come to an end. I honestly thought they would try go get him one more win and feed him to Cro Cop but there is no way UFC brass missed on how one sided this one was always going to be. At best they thought it was a big wager and they didn’t care to lose. The worst part about the whole thing is the mainstream coverage that Kimbo’s fight, destruction, and subsequent firing stirred up while virtually no mention of the main event could be found outside the ol’ MMA standbys. Fortunately enough Kimbo brought some eyes to skilled MMA athletes and now he can go make his career elsewhere, someplace he fits a bit better.
Josh Koscheck and Paul Daley both lived up to their villain personas. Daley let his see him right out the UFC door following a sucker punch after the fight had ended. The sad thing for Daley is that in his head that had to have gone differently, a KO or something more satisfying. Kos on the other hand is getting himself a reputation, drama-king. I am not saying he faked it and I am not saying he didn’t but there is no doubt that MMA fans are beginning to wonder if Mr. Koscheck is taking acting classes in his spare time. Either way you cut it he has lined himself up for a title shot and rematch with GSP.
Shogun has finally done it; he has climbed his way to the top of the MMA rankings at 205 pounds. He had been the unofficial best fighter at his weight before fighting very serious injuries and now it is official. In the process he ended the Machida era as quickly as it began. Shogun’s victory was convincing but these two men are fair matches for one another and it would surprise no one if we saw them fight again. Machida is back to the drawing board. Perhaps it is time for him to try training full time at a big camp. Shogun on the other hand awaits a laundry list of challengers. Everyone from Little Nog to Forrest, Rampage to Rashad, and Couture to Anderson are potential challengers now that Shogun is champion. The win doesn’t flip the division on its head but it certainly opens things up a bit more in terms of potential match-ups in MMA’s most dynamic division.
Strikeforce
Andrei Arlovski hasn’t won since 2008. Considering how dominant he was thought to be as UFC heavyweight champion that is somewhat surprising. There is no doubt that he has been booked against quality competition but one would expect him to pull one win out of his last three. Arlovski will continue to be a relatively marketable heavyweight outside of Zuffa contract, but he is running out of marketable opponents. His fight against Nelson was closer than it should have been (being stood up in the middle of a submission attempt), Fedor nearly killed him for one mistake, Rogers had his punches scouted from a mile away and Silva out boxed the man who I suppose to have the most crisp and technical stand-up in the division. It appears that Arlovski is a crossroads, its time to start winning against quality competition again or he will become a stepping stone for HW’s climbing to the top and making names for themselves.
Bret Rogers looked more than a little exposed by a man who matches his size and possibly his power. That man, Alistair Overeem, silenced a lot of critics. Presuming he can stay away from steroid controversy (which seem to be the case for the time being) it seems like Overeem is well on his way to being a top HW, one to recon with. Fedor will feel the pressure to answer the challenge. The UFC could start feeling the pressure to make a move for him if he were to come available. If Overheem’s stock made the biggest jump, Rogers’ stock took a big hit. He was much more impressive in his fight against Fedor and Arlovski, contests that will likely keep him quite relevant in Strikeforce. However, this was the Rogers that many of the skeptics were waiting for, outmatched by superior striking and completely overwhelmed by talent. The only logical step is for Overheem to meet the challenge of Fedor, but don’t be surprised if he is forced to dispose of Silva first. There are only so many big ticket names in Strikeforce and you might as well call it a round robin tournament at this point because money means more than sensible booking for an organization in Strikeforce’s shoes.
In just 7 day a lot can happen in MMA and a lot did: champions crowned, dynasties fallen, critiques silenced, stars fading, and sucker-shots taken. Such is the climate of today’s MMA, the fastest moving, fastest growing sport in the world today where a new king seems to be crowned every month.
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