Why You Should Watch Strikeforce: Fedor vs Henderson

Fedor Ememlianenko and Dan Henderson have been mainstays in the sport for nearly a decade – stoic ambassadors and mirrored stereotypes from opposite sides of the earth. Both men have been to the top of their respective divisions, both have been counted among the best in the world, and both have experienced a recent “fall from grace.” Now both men will try to demonstrate just how relevant they still are as they headline a strong Strikeforce card to close the month of July. If you were thinking of sitting this one out or thinking of just tuning in for the main event, change your thinking because it sucks. Strikeforce: Fedor vs Henderson brings a lot to the table and it has put some of its most entertaining and promising fighters on this card.

Scott Smith vs Tarec Saffiedine

If you haven’t seen Scott Smith or don’t remember him, just think of him as the Comeback Kid. He is the guy you grew up with that didn’t look much like a fighter, doesn’t talk much like a fighter, and to be perfectly honest he just isn’t that good (comparatively speaking of course) – but Christ almighty he just wouldn’t stay down. He has two things that have won him 17 fights to this point in his career: he can take a punch and he can knock anyone out with one clean shot. Saffiedine on the other hand is one of the more exciting young prospects in the game, considered one of better “fight minds” in Strikeforce. He is well rounded and should possess the skills to outmatch the veteran Smith. Fortunately for us fights are never decided by what should happen.

JZ Cavalcante vs Bobby Green

Cavalcante used to be considered one of the best in the world, the future of the lightweight division. Now, he has pundits and fans wondering if he ever mattered, three loses and two no contests in his last six fights. Its now or never JZ, if you fall to Bobby Green you just Ryan Leafed yourself out of the limelight. Green is dangerous in the way that any fighter taking a fight on short notice against a big name fighter is dangerous. This one could be fireworks and will be an important fight for a division with few top contenders.

Tim Kennedy vs Robbie Lawler

This is where the room starts to turn ugly and fights start to get real interesting. Tim Kennedy has been on the radar of the most serious fans and pundits for a long time but is still relatively new to MMA moderates. He started making his mark in military MMA events, dominating tournaments and establishing a reputation as a naturally gifted and technically savvy mixed martial artists. After being a part time fighter and full time soldier for some time he was eventually given the opportunity to fight full time and has since made his mark in Strikeforce, even competing for the vacant Strikeforce middleweight title. His opponent Robbie Lawler has been in the jungle of mainstream MMA for as long as I can remember; losing to the same champion, Ronaldo Souza, that Kennedy was bested by. Both are truly gritty fighters and one of them is going to be in line for a second title shot or a move to the UFC with a win. The real story here is Kennedy’s development. Lawler has improved in spurts throughout his career but what you see is more or less what you get. Kennedy is still a project for a lot of people. Check this fight out to see action because neither one of these guys is prone to snooze fests.

Paul Daley vs Tyron Woodley

Tyron Woodly made my list of top fighters to watch for the latter half of the year, so if you want the real lowdown on him scroll down. In short, he is a highly touted fighter that has worked his way through Strikeforce’s minor leagues with impressive victories and plenty of hype. Woodley meets his toughest challenge by far in Paul Daley. Daley’s record won’t make you shit your shoes but his knockout power might with the most lethal hands in the welterweight division. He will be looking to test Woodley’s chin and there is a good chance Woodley will fail that test if it is indeed administered. If Tyron Woodley is able to win impressively and stay undefeated he would no doubt be in line to vie for the vacant Strikeforce welterweight title. I like young prospect in this but he must demonstrate an ability to fight smart and avoid mistakes to best the dynamic Daley.

Strikeforce Women’s Welterweight Championship

Marioes Coenen vs Miesha Tate

As a big proponent of Women’s MMA I usually encourage people to check out just about any two trained female fighters who are willing to get in the cage professionally. I am going to stubbornly insist that you prove you are not sexist by giving these two women a fair shake as well. Miesha Tate has been praised as one of the best female fighters since women broke into the peripheries of mainstream MMA a few years back. She finds herself across from a Strikeforce champion after what seems like a long road. Coenen however is a submission wizard and will be looking to constrict Tate’s air supply sooner rather than later and make her name more well known. There is really one female fighter that stands tall above all others and Coenen isn’t her but these two women are fighting for one of the few women’s titles in this country that matter. Seeing that Dana White and company aren’t high on women’s MMA, female fighters are in for some of the toughest challenges outside the cage in the coming years. I for one support the women’s arm of the sport and hope to see many more fights of this caliber in the future.

Fedor Emelianenko vs Dan Henderson

Lets face a few facts right up front. Both of these guys are past their primes. Fedor has been a huge disappointment to casual American fans. This fight doesn’t make any sense for either man as far as advancing their careers and could fatally wound Fedor’s. Dan Henderson left a lot of people with a sour taste when he lost to Jake Shields. Neither man is particularly charismatic or even interesting for that matter. There it’s out of the way and its all right up front. The fact remains that none of that should matter to you. If Michael Jordan and Shaq were going to play one on one you would watch – even being absolutely pointless – you would tune in. If in seven years Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather finally signed to fight one another despite being eight years too late – the boxing world would lose its collective marbles and go collectively ape shit. If you need any background on these two guys here it all is in a nutshell. Fedor was once the greatest fighter in the world and is considered by some the greatest of all time. He has knockout power, deceptive speed, and a powerful sambo game that makes him hard to control. Dan Henderson has done just about everything you can in this sport. He has fought at three different weight classes and found success in all of them. He can knock you out and his wrestling is still considered top notch. To be honest, I think both of these guys, particularly Henderson, have a lot left in the tank and that their “falls” are a bit overblown. Both men have a lot to prove to the world and whoever wins wont really move up his respective division but he will look a lot better than he did the day before. Given that both of these guys have concrete heads and heavy hands I suspect they will have some very fun exchanges early in the fight and if all the storms are weathered we might be in for a classic three round brawl.

This card should be called “The Test” because just about every fight tests an important Strikeforce fighter. The talent on this card will be seen in the future, one way or another. There are potential future champions here (Woodly, Cavalcante), all time greats (Fedor, Henderson) and exciting strikers (Daley, Lawler). This card has all you need as fan.

Chael Sonnan is Back!... And Better (?) Than Ever

If you have not yet seen Chael Sonnan’s most recent interview you need to turn your life around and watch it. The interview runs about 20 minutes long and even though I will abridge the interview below it is worth every second our time. Pop it on, make a sandwich, eat your sandwich, and by the time your done you will know why Chael Sonnan is one of the most interesting men in all of MMA.

The Highlights

- Chael discussed his failed drug tests and compared it to Nate Marquardt’s recent infraction.

- Discussed Wanderlei Silva(dubbed a Brazilian immigrant as compared to himself as an American Gangster), wherein he alluded to the belief that Silva’s Pride FC victories were all fixed, threatened to break into his house and described the plan in vivid detail to prove a point about trash talking, simply claimed that Silva sucked, and claimed that he (Sonnan) had done more for the country of Brazil than Silva ever had.

- Alluded to the fact that Cro Cop and Fedor were also the product of fight fixing in Japan as well.

- Insinuated Anderson Silva was more (insert loaded silence) than a winner for lying on his back for 25 minutes in their fight.

- Accused Big Nog and Little Nog of trying to feed and pet a bus as if it were a cow when they first came to the U.S. from Brazil.

- Mocked Machida’s style, the light-heavyweight division’s strength, and Jose Aldo’s status.

- In short, Sonnan took issue with almost every major Brazilian fighter in the UFC.

This was classic trash-talking Chael Sonnan back from obscurity. Sonnan was silent directly following his loss to Anderson Silva, positive drug test, and accusations of money laundering/fraud – go figure. Now he has a fight on deck and apparently some pep back in his step again. The thing is Sonnan is about the best there is at hyping and bringing drama to a fight. The question that people seem to consistently bring up is just how much of this is sincere and how much is gamesmanship – a question that keeps us constantly and needlessly cycling back on ourselves. Sonnan may mean every word (sans the overtly ridiculous) and then again he probably doesn’t, but the result is the same. Sonnan divides 90% of MMA fans and attracts nearly 100% to his fights. You see Sonnan doesn’t just talk; he backs it up. He is the fighter you want to match fighters you don’t like against; I was crushed that he didn’t get to coach against and fight Michael Bisping. It is not so much a question of what is “real” but what “matters.” Not in that it actually makes a difference in the cage or in some grander transcendent way but in that people care, even if it is just simply engrossing wordiness. Chael Sonnan is a mauler and he is a talker and what he says, be it gospel or complete perjury, matters to MMA fans. Love him or hate him, it’s awful hard to turn away from him.

Fighters to Watch In The Second Half of 2011

Brian Bowles (Bantamweight - UFC)

Record: 10-1-0

So Far in 2011: Bowles has fought twice so far in 2011 and finds himself on a two fight streak following his only lose, to Dominick Cruz. His most recent victim was top 10 rated Takeya Mizuagaki.

Why Watch: Former WEC Champion, Only lose came to current champion (Dominick Cruz), Heavy Hands, Finished all but one of his fights, Vocal about wanting a title shot

Summary: Bowles looked to be the heir apparent to the Bantamweight thrown until he ran into Cruz. The right match-up could put Bowles one fight away from a title shot. Many, including myself, think a rematch with Cruz could be look very different from their first meeting.

Tyron Woodley (Welterweight – Strikeforce)

Record: 8-0-0

So Far in 2011: Woodley notched his eighth win in January. Strikeforce usually forces longer layoffs than the UFC because it runs fewer events but Woodley fights in July and would earn a title shot with a win, a shot that could come by years end.

Why Watch: Faces his biggest challenge to date on July 30^th in Paul Daley – a title eliminator, Highly touted, Athletic, Dynamic wrestling

Summary: Woodley has been talked about for years but has been relatively untested against top talent. Strikeforce has protected Woodly to this point and thinks he has potential to be great. Circumstance has forced Woodley into a title eliminator with Paul Daley so the kid gloves are coming off, one way or another.

Carlos Condit (Welterweight – UFC)

Record: 27-5-0

So Far in 2011: Just one huge win over Dong Hyun Kim, but 2010 saw two significant victories, all finishes. Condit handed Kim his first defeat and flirts with a title shot following his next success.

Why Watch: Four fight win streak, Already in line for shot at Georges St. Pierre, Considered one of the to WW’s in the sport, Tons of momentum, Experienced, Well-rounded, Exciting, Knack for finishing fights.

Summary: Condit is one of the hottest topics in all of MMA. He has put together one of the most impressive four fight streaks in recent memory and seems to finally be coming into his own in the UFC. This is a really good fighter who is both young and experienced on the brink of becoming a true top tier star.

Alexander Gustafsson (Light Heavyweight – UFC)

Record: 11-1-0

So Far in 2011: One win in 2011 defeating highly regarded James Te Huna in just one round. Gustafsson has never seen a decision in his professional career. He has shown a propensity for excitement and at just 24 years of age his best days are in front of him.

Why Watch: Quietly gathering momentum with a three fight win streak, Finished all his fights, Unique blend of skills, Shows improvement with each outing

Summary: Next month Gustafsson squares off against veteran Vladimir Matyushenko, who will likely present his toughest test since Phil Davis. A second win in 2011 with time for another fight by years end would go a long way in developing him as a future contender.

Matt Mitrione (Heavyweight – UFC)

Record: 5-0-0

So Far in 2011: Mitrione is 2-0 against tough opponents this year and 3-0 against quality heavyweights in the last 9 months. He shows true improvement in every fight and as a former NFL football player he is a superb athlete.

Why Watch: Gets Better with every fight, Heavy hands, Technically improving stand-up, Big personality – always entertaining, Knack for finishing fights

Summary: Mitrione should get another fight this year and it could be a breakout fight at that. If he is not pushed too far too fast he could develop into a legit contender in a tough yet evolving division.

Melvin Guillard (Lightweight – UFC)

Record: 29-8-2

So Far in 2011: Guillard started the year with a huge victory over blue chip prospect Evan Dunham, putting him back on the map and marking what might be the full on turn around of his career. He then went on to knock Shane Roller into another dimension, putting him at 2-0 for the year with time for another fight.

Why Watch: Elite athlete, Dynamic striking and knockout power, four fight win streak, Strong wrestling base, Showed marked improvement since joining Greg Jackson’s camp

Summary: Few fighters are as hot as Melvin Guillard, who has long been touted as the guy who “just couldn’t put it all together.” A move to Greg Jackson’s camp seems to have changed that and now Guillard is knocking on the door of the top tier fighters.

Mark Munoz - (Middleweight – UFC)

Record: 11-2-0

So Far in 2011: Munoz has put up two wins in 4 months to this point and is on a three fight streak over the last 9 months. Most recently Munoz defeated former MW challenger Demian Maia, typifying his ascension into upper tiers of the division.

Why Watch: Elite wrestling, Drastically improved striking, Coming off biggest victory of his career, Trains with elite camp - Black House (Anderson Silva, Jose Aldo)

Summary: Mark Munoz is 6-1 since moving to 185 pounds and his only lose has come to current number one contender Yushin Okami. He is a young fighter who still has his best days in front of him and his win over Maia should open the door for him to make more big moves sooner rather than later.

Daniel Cormier – (Heavyweight – Strikeforce)

Record: 8-0-0

So Far in 2011: Cormier is 2-0 in 2011, notching his biggest win to date over Jeff Monson in June. He could be in line as a Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix alternate and should be booked to fight at the tail end of 2011 or the front of 2012 regardless.

Why Watch: Olympic caliber wrestling, drastically improved striking, Has yet to be truly threatened in the cage, Unlimited potential

Summary: Cormier has been nurtured along slowly to this point but the time seems ripe to test him. If he doesn’t get another fight this year it could signal him being saved as a potential alternate in the tournament but the two are not mutually exclusive. One way or another expect Cormier to take a huge step in his career and soon. He is one one of the hottest prospects the heavyweight division has seen in quite some time.

Matches To Make After A WAVE of MMA

Usually a “Matches To Make” piece comes after a single, significant event but now we are left reeling from the impact of a wave of MMA. From June 4^th to July 2^nd there were five major MMA events and two minor. Some fights are already booked and others are mere speculation but a lot of fighters still await their next match-up.

Booked Match-Ups

Josh Barnett vs Sergei Kharitonov – Round two of the Strikeforce Grand Prix will see dark horse striker (Kharitonov) and tournament favorite wrestler (Barnett) square off. No surprises here. One guy will move on to the finals of one of the most exciting things going in MMA, the other will likely be on the under-card.

Antonio Silva vs Alistair Overeem – The winner of this will likely be a heavy favorite in the final of the Strikeforce Grand Prix. It is the Fedor Killer vs The Strikeforce HW Champ. All eyes are on Antonio Silva who could establish himself in the upper echelon of the division.

Junior Dos Santos vs Cain Velasquez – The UFC Heavyweight Championship will be defended in likely the biggest bout in the division’s history. I have been fancying this fight for over a year now and the collision course these two have been on could not be more impressive. Nothing can be said here that I haven’t said before and I won’t say again. The two best HWs in the world will finally clash.

Fights That Should Be Made

Tito Ortiz vs Franklin/Little Nog Winner – Ortiz didn’t beat the world when he beat Ryan Bader but he might as well l have. Franklin and Nog are both looking to rebound against one another. Whoever finds success will be primed for a co-headlining bout and potential career boost against a resurgent Ortiz.

Carlos Condit (pictured) vs Charlie Brenneman– Many will hope for Condit vs Koscheck or Fitch but Condit isn’t really one big win away from a title shot, he is just the unlucky victim of bad timing. He needs to fight again and to be honest it shouldn’t have to be a huge hurdle. Brenneman is coming of the biggest win of his career on Spike TV. It’s a chance for Condit to notch another win against a game opponent people will recognize and a chance for Brenneman to take another huge step up the ladder and become the upset kid.

Melvin Guillard vs Clay Guida – I was somewhat tempted to pit Guillard against the winner of Jim Miller and Benson Henderson but Clay Guida is a much more interesting match-up. Guida isn’t an easy fight for anyone and Guillard has been looking like a world-beater. More than anything this fight will test how Guillard deals with going into deep waters against a fighter that will take him out of his comfort zone.

Cheick Kongo vs Shain Carwin (pictured) – Kongo is coming off one of the most important wins of his career and Carwin is needs to stop a two-fight skid. A classic wrestler vs striker bout, this fight would test how well Carwin can control the pace of the match and how well Kongo can stay on his feet against a strong wrestler. One way or another, this one doesn’t go the distance.

Chris Leben vs Mark Munoz – Both Munoz and Leben notched big time victories over the last month. Leben has struggled to find consistency and could use a win over someone with a few good wins behind them. Munoz is looking to leave a trail of fighters in his wake. Leben will test Munoz’s stand-up and could provide the name opponent that he needs. Munoz provides Leben with a rising contender, by whom thwarting he would gain a lot of legitimacy in his own climb.

Official Arm Triangle Blog Ranking

Heavyweight

1. Cain Velasquez (UFC) – We await his return from injury eagerly while the number one contender and former champion coach TUF and fight for a title shot.

2. Junior Dos Santos (UFC) – Another fight, another win. JDS is ready for the only test that remains in his way.

3. Antonio Silva (Strikeforce) – His win was the most impressive of the Strikeforce GP first round. Thtas enough to bump him up.

4. Alistair Overeem (Strikeforce) – Unimpressive in his win but a win over a legit top 10 HW all the same. His fight against Silva will be a true test.

5. Brock Lesnar (UFC) – Illness thwarts another fight for Lesnar. All eyes are on Brock to see if he can return.

6. Fabricio Werdum (Strikeforce) – Coming off a tough loss but he has been very impressive as of late. Not a lot of people in the division are streaking so he doesn’t fall far

7. Fedor Emelianenko (Strikeforce) – The fall of Fedor continues. As much as I thoroughly enjoy seeing Fedor fight, I thoroughly hate seeing him lose. Maybe it is time to hang it up.

8. Shane Carwin (UFC) – A valiant effort is not enough to hold ones spot in this division. Carwin needs to come back with a big win.

9. Frank Mir (UFC) – Another win and another ho-hum from the fans. This time he failed to finish a clearly out of shape fighter with his hands at his waste.

10. Josh Barnett (Strikeforce) – On skill and on record I consider him top 5 or very close. His lack of competition and his failed drug test keep him at 10 for me.

Light- Heavyweight

1. Jon Jones (UFC) – There is no doubt that he is the number one LHW in the world but now the true test of a champion begins.

2. Rashad Evans (UFC) – Has KO power and knows the strengths and weaknesses of Jones, but everyone is counting him out.

3. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (UFC) – Despite all the flack, Rampaged looked great in his last two outings and earned himself a title shot.

4. Lyoto Machida (UFC) – Machida knocked Randy Couture into retirement with ease. What’s next for the Karate Kid?

5. Shogun Rua (UFC) – In such a tight title division, he gets jumped by two guys with recent high profile wins.

6. Dan Henderson (Strikeforce) – Won the SF title and returns himself to the LHW ranks. He meets Fedor at the end of the month.

7. Forrest Griffen (UFC) – Big win over Franklin propels him up the list. He is probably even a little better than a few guys above him, but needs wins in 2011.

8. Muhammed Lawal (Strikeforce) – Very good athlete but very green. King Mo should continue to improve.

9. Phil Davis (UFC) – Opportunity strikes again as Davis replaces yet another main event fighter and gets a shot at Rashad Evans. A win puts him really close to a title shot.

10. Tito Ortiz (UFC) – This guy has never fought a can in his life and has had lots of close loses to top guys. His win was huge and he will make my top 10 based on skill.

Middleweight

1. Anderson Silva (UFC) – Anderson Silva is the best fighter in the world and he will look to prove it at home when he meets Okami in Brazil.

2. Yushin Okami (UFC) – Okami has earned his shot but will likely again be passed over. He still gets the number two nod from me though.

3. Ronaldo Souza (Strikeforce) – There is a really good chance that a lot of guys below him could beat him but its hard to argue with his recent success.

4. Chael Sonnen (UFC) – Between the drug test fiasco and the money laundering, I can’t put him any higher than this.

5. Hector Lombard (Bellator) – One of Bellator’s greatest attractions, keep an eye on Lombard in 2011.

6. Vitor Belfort (UFC)– Vitor came to fight and it’s a real shame there wasn’t more time to see what he had. Back to the drawing board.

7. Mark Munoz (UFC) – Huge win over Maia, who was also quite impressive.

8. Brian Stann (UFC) – Stann is the man for now. We will see how he stacks up against the next level of competition.

9. Chris Leban (UFC) – As much as it pains me to see Wandi lose, Leban gets another big win and jumps into the top 10.

10. Demian Maia (UFC) – Jumped by Leban and his huge win. Maia needs to bounce back from his speed bump lose to Munoz.

Welterweights

1. Georges St. Pierre (UFC) – Another fight and another win. Some still call for the Silva fight but that seems to be on hold for the moment.

2. Jon Fitch (UFC) – It appears that Fitch would be a dominant champion if it wasn’t for GSP. A win over Penn could put him in line for a title shot soon.

3. Carlos Condit (UFC) – I would rather see Condit and Diaz fight GSP but not even his most recent win will jump him over Fitch who stubbornly wont lose.

4. Nick Diaz (Strikeforce) – Gets a title shot against GSP. If nothing else this will be worth tuning into for the trashtalk.

5. Jake Shields (UFC) – He fought hard but there was never a sense of urgency in this fight. He seemed content with not getting finished.

6. Josh Koscheck (UFC) – Few can match his athleticism. It may be back to the drawing board for Kos but it wont be long till he regains momentum.

7. Diego Sanchez (UFC) – Diego Sanchez creeps back into the ranks with his recent win but its hard for me to take him seriously till he picks a weight.

8. Martin Kampmann (UFC) – A tough let down against Sanchez in a fight that could have easily been decided the other way.

9. Charlie Brenneman (UFC) – You can’t overstate how big his win over Story was. This guy might not stay here long but he took advantage of his opportunity.

10. Rick Story (UFC) – Had a chance to jump to the elite tier in the division and blew it. He doesn’t fall out of the top 10 but he has some rebounding to do.

Lightweight

1. Gray Maynard (UFC) – The only non-UFC Champ at the top. Maynard has a win and a draw over the champ and is unbeaten as a pro.

2. Frankie Edgar (UFC) – Will get another shot to beat Maynard and silence the critics that are still not sold he is the best LW in the world.

3. Gilbert Melendez (Strikeforce) – Probably as good as anyone in the world at 155. We would all be better MMA fans if we got to see him fight the best.

4. Eddie Alvarez (Bellator) – Another reason big reason to keep an eye on MMA outside the UFC, Alvarez could meet Melendez this year… if we are lucky.

5. Jim Miller (UFC) – On talent I think he is four but achievement counts for something so his patience must hold for now.

6. Melvin Guillard (UFC) – He is the real deal and now that he is fighting a lot smarter he has looked unstoppable. Whats next?

7. Shinya Aoki (Dream) – I tend to think he is a bit overrated, especially after taking a beating from Melendez but his record speaks for itself.

8. Dennis Siver (UFC) – Another main card win but this one with controversy. Jumps Guilda but gets jumped by Guillard.

9. Clay Guida (UFC) Gets jumped by a few guys with big wins but maintains his spot on the list.

10. Anthony Pettis (UFC) – A bump in the road to the top is just that… a bump. I think we havne’t heard the last from Pettis.

Featherweight

1. Jose Aldo (UFC) – Good News: He is 2010 fighter of the year and pound for pound rated. Bad News: Top UFC lightweights are moving down to Featherweight.

2. Kenny Florian (UFC) – He made the weight, he got a big win, and now it looks like he has a title shot lined up.

3. Mark Hominick – No one forgot his epic demonstration of will against Aldo. This guy deserves to stay in the mix.

4. Hatsu Hioki (UFC) – Quite brilliant over the last few years with only one blemish on his record in that time. Hioki just got picked up by the UFC.

5. Chad Mendes (UFC) – Unbeaten and rising quickly, Mendes will likely have to fend off a former UFC lightweight before he can get his crack at the belt.

6. Tyson Griffin (UFC) – He is primed and ready to make a run in his new division.

7. Diego Nunes (UFC) No harm in losing to Florian at this point in his career. He will have another chance.

8. Joe Warren (Bellator) – Big questions about quality of competition loom but Warren has beaten his share of game opponents.

9. Dustin Poirier (UFC) – Loads of potential and very entertaining, Poirier is going to have to tighten up his game if he wants to break into the top 5.

10. Patricio Freire (Bellator) – Just one lose on his record and it came to Joe Warren. He is exciting and has a bright future.

Bantamweight

1. Dominick Cruz (UFC) – Simply put, he has been more impressive than anyone at this weight over the last year. He awaits his challengers for his new belt.

2. Joseph Benavidez (UFC) – Benavidez doesn’t lose to people not named Dominick Cruz. Unfortunately that is the one guy he needs to beat to move up.

3. Brian Bowles (UFC) – If he can’t shake the injury bug he may move down further. Bowles has top tier skills at 135 pounds.

4. Urijah Faber (UFC) – His razor close lose to Cruz doesn’t drop him far but when Bowles wins and he loses, despite competition, I find the move needed.

5. Scott Jorgensen (UFC) – Back on the winning track, Jorgensen will look to keep his spot among the elite at 135 lbs.

6. Demetrious Johnson (UFC) – Biggest win of his career over Miguel Torres and now he eyes a title shot in the not too distant future.

7. Masakatso Ueda (Shooto) – He may only be on a two fight win streak but he is 12-1-2. Ueda seems to be improving with each fight.

8. Miguel Torres (UFC) – Another set back has a lot of people wondering if Torres was ever as good as his billing.

9. Eddie Wineland (UFC) – As impressive as you can be in defeat against a top-notch guy. Wineland made his mark at UFC 128.

10. Brad Pickett (UFC) – Just one lose in his last 11 fights, Pickett will need to continue his exciting ways if he wants to move up from here.

Updated: July 4th, 2011

UFC 132 In Retrospect: Learning Something

UFC 132 was one of the most exciting and entertaining cards of the year, delivering on all its promises and then some. It caps off a whirlwind of MMA activity over the past month and left fans with a mouthful to discuss following the final bell. So what did we learn from UFC 132?

Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber learned that they are very evenly matched. Putting aside the various scores that might have been considered reasonable for such a closely contested fight, Cruz looked really crisp and technically sound, even for him. He had locked onto this fight and was determined to win but Faber would not be denied his moments of success. He gave Cruz everything he could handle with good anticipation, fast hands, and various takedown attempts. If this fight isn’t run back immediately don’t expect Faber to have to jump through many hoops to get another title shot. This was 25 minutes of fighting well worth watching.

We learned that Wanderlei Silva might be done. I hate to fall into the traps of post fight hyperbole but seeing Silva KOed so quickly doesn’t sit well with me or any self respecting, long time MMA fan. All credit to Leben but this fight brought nothing but sadness and despair to my pathetic fan heart.

Speaking of Leben, we learned he has a huge boner for Silva (no homo). Leben couldn’t stop talking about Silva after laying him out (no homo). Rightfully so; a slugger like Leben had to admire Silva’s proper mauling days in pride and his relentless style. Although his man love (no homo) for Silva wasn’t the only thing that fueled his fire. Like a jilted lover, Leben got a surge of excitement when he heard the fans blow up (no homo) for Silva and his techno music entrance. He was self-admittedly jealous that they weren’t rooting for him. No matter how you cut it, this fight was a lot of hype and provided plenty of talking points after the fact but didn’t deliver but a short flurry in the cage (no homo).

Matt Wiman learned that not all judges are wrestling groupies. He was bound and determined to grind out a win over Dennis Siver but Siver avoided enough of those prolonged takedowns to earn a decision victory. I tend to agree with the judges; it is hard for me to give a round to a guy who fails on three takedown attempts in a round and then gets one. Hats off to both men, but give me a break with all the Matt Wiman got robbed nonsense. Ohhh and next time you take a lose Wimen, don’t run out of the ring ripping your hand from the ref’s like a pouting kid denied a wicked Star Wars Lego set – its not a good look.

GSP Learned that there is another contender on the horizon. Carlos Condit looked very impressive in his most recent victory. If the timing was right he might be fighting for the title but given that Diaz has been given that opportunity Condit will likely have to fight at least once more before the end of the year. Given his recent success there is no reason to believe that Condit might not secure himself a title shot sometime in 2012. The Natural Born Killer made short work of another rising contender and is one of the most noteworthy fighters to keep an eye on in the latter half of the year.

UFC lightweights learned the Melvin Guillard is turning the corner. Guillard has always been a freak athlete - 155 pounds of potential. It appears that he is finally turning the corner and in turn turning himself into a legitimate threat to the upper echelon of the division. Moving to Greg Jackson’s camp seems to have helped eliminate some of the oft criticized holes in his game. Before the move Guillard was criticized for being a “dumb fighter” in that he came in with terrible game plans and got baited into fighting to his opponents strengths. That doesn’t seem to be the case these days and the rest of the division has been put on notice. Melvin Guillard is here and is coming for the belt.