Top 10 M.V.P.s of MMA

Upon watching The Ultimate Fighter last week and being more or less underwealmed by the entire production I started to think about Brock Lesnar and what I expected of him. Generally speaking he is one of the most unique and divisive figures in the sport but his role on the reality show has been lackluster, even if it should have been predictable. Away from the omnipresence of the reality show camera Brock is wildly entertaining and perhaps the biggest draw in all the sport. These thoughts where then put against the back drop of the always colorful, always visible Dana White – which then lead me to question who was the most important person in MMA today. By that I started to wonder who would leave in his or her wake the most profoundly negative impact if they wereto vanish from the sport all together. Immediately four or five names came to mind but after that the exercise got a lot harder. What serves the sport most profoundly, drawing power or combat skill? How about cultural appeal or global likeability? Below list of the top 10 most important figures in the sport today. Specifically this list pertains to Western/North American MMA as a growing global phenomenon.

1. Dana White – He is the only non-fighter to make my list but there is no doubt in my mind that Dana White is the most important man in MMA today. He is not only the face of the UFC machine but he is the face of a growing sport. Ohh yeah, and he is pretty good at his actual job, building his promotion and cultivating the sport’s culture in America. In fact, few people, if any, know more about mixed martial arts than Dana White. He knows the ins and outs, the business side and the fighting side. While he is good for his share of “are you kidding me” moments, none of this would be possible without the big bald man in the front row. Like it or not, MMA reflects Dana White and wouldn’t be the same without him.

2. Georges St-Pierre – As far as fighters go, there are those that are important because they dominate the sport and those who put butts in seats. GSP does both and that is why he finds himself at number two on this list. Anderson Silva may be, in my humble opinion, a better fighter and Brock Lesnar may be at least as big a draw but no one brings the entire package like the UFC Welterweight Champion. His lack of ability to finish his last few opponents and his lack of desire to take chances to do so have led some to jump off the GSP bandwagon and at least a few casual fans to second guess tuning into his next fight. As I have stated elsewhere, GSP has every right to fight however he wants to fight within the rules of the game but fans every right in the world to spend their money elsewhere. There is no fighter in MMA that is bigger than the sport and GSP could lose this spot quite easily. However, for now all eyes are on Canada’s greatest fighter.

3. Anderson Silva – Silva is likely the best fighter in the world but he barely made number three on this list. He rubs a lot of people the wrong way but fans know they have at least a 50% chance of seeing a finish in an Anderson Silva fight so they tend to give him the benefit of the doubt. He is also by far the best and most important Brazilian fighter and seeing that the UFC is eyeing expansion into that market, Silva’s stock is way up right now. If he puts on a good showfor the fans in Rio he might become a full-blown megastar for Brazilian sports fans and global MMA fans a like.

4. Brock Lesnar – If Lesnar had managed to beat Velasquez or had he been the wildly entertaining coach many, including myself, hoped for he would quite likely be in the number two spot. Alas, Lesnar has fallen from grace a bit and his recent injury only exacerbates the situation. Many suspect he may be done in the sport but this is likely just typical keyboard warrior overreaction. Brock will continue to bring in the fans and fans will continue bring the money as long as he is fighting. His position in the heavyweight division may be somewhat overblown but that is not to say that he is not a handful for anyone he might get matched up against.

5. Cain Velasquez – Velasquez was able to steal some of Lesnar’s star by beating him to a pulp but not enough to overshadow him. Much of the UFC Heavyweight Champion’s fame comes from his appeal to the Hispanic fan base. UFC has made no secret of its expansion goals and North American and MMA goes the way of the UFC now. Velasquez stands a top the always-important HW division with an unblemished record and Brown Pride literally painted across his chest. If he maintains momentum through the end of the year his star will only grow and he might even run out of UFC signed heavyweights to slay.

6. Jon Jones - Jones bum rushed the scene and has become one of the most popular fighters in the entire sport over the last year. Ask some fans and you might even think he is the messiah. What is hot today is not always hot tomorrow and Jones hasn’t put together quite the body of work that Velasquez has in my opinion nor does he appeal to an expansion fan base. However, he will have more opportunity to prove himself as the divisions stand today. The most appealing part about the Light-Heavyweight Champion is that is an “All American” champion in a sport that just lost its hero in Randy Couture and lacks a big name champion to associate with. American fight fans love big guys and Jones fits the bill infinitely better than his lighter weight champion counterparts in Cruz and Edger.

7. Christiane Santos – Here is where the biggest drop off occurs and the game changes a bit. Cyborg Santos doesn’t make a lot of pound for pound lists (although she probably should) and she likely isn’t getting the average fan excited to tune in when they otherwise wouldn’t, but she might be female MMA’s only real shot at making strides under the current conditions. She is scary, legitimately scary in the way that Wanderei Silva was once scary. While various dialogues could center on the politics of Santos – with her somewhat masculine qualities – being the face of female MMA, it seems doubtless that as far as building its legitimacy she is the right woman for the job. She is rarely hypersexualized by marketing ploys and she her English is not such that she can develop much of a personality for the American fan base. That leaves only one sticking point. If you are a fan of Santos you are a fan of her fights, the quality of her work - plain and simple.

8. Nick Diaz – There are two things you can do when it comes to Nick Diaz, love him or hate him. In the case of the later her has some choice words and a photogenic middle finger for you. Either way, most fans know him. Diaz has never been afraid to speak his mind, even if one were to expect that the is actually just a fairly brilliant marketer of his own brand – as I do. Between his winning streak, his antics after fights, his mouth before fights, and his insistence on boxing he may have forced Dana White’s hand in finally paying him the money he wants (or close to it) to fight GSP. Few will give Diaz a chance against the champion and a lose could spell a plummet for the brash welterweight but as far fighters outside the UFC, Diaz has established himself as the man and one of the last potential threats to the crown jewel of the 170 pound division.

9. Frankie Edgar – The perennial underdog, Frankie Edgar is rarely favored in the big fight but he keeps finding ways to win – or at least keep his belt. Fans are really warming up to Edgar though, particularly more casual fans of MMA who tuned in to watch him beat BJ Penn twice and may have tuned in to watch his gutty performance against Maynard. He is quietly charismatic, fairly exciting, and easy to get behind as a champion, much more so than his arch nemesis Gray Maynard. That is all not to even mention the fact that being involved in a great feud can do wonders for your career. Many thought the division would be in trouble as BJ Penn fell from grace but Edgar has a chance to hold the mantle well and continue to raise the stock of the 155 pound division.

10. Yushin Okami – Name one other Japanese fighter that has found significant success in the United States in the past, say, 5 years? Most Japanese fighters you may be contemplating have had their success in Japan but have done next to nothing stateside. Okami has not only found success, despite his speed bumps, but has earned himself a title shot against the best pound for pound fighter in the world on one of the grandest stages of the year as the UFC returns to Rio. As is the case with Brazil and Mexico, Dana White is looking to expand his product toJapan, a much tougher nut to crack. If he is going to do that he needs Japanese stars and one look around lets you know that Okami is the only one he has got. Many undersell Okami’s chances at shocking the world against SIlva but win, lose, or draw he is the most promising current link between a very important international fan base and American MMA.