UFC 105: What's Next?

I love these British cards, I don't know why.  They don't get big names, but these European fighters are usually hungry and full of spit and fire.  The crowds are always hot, too, which makes for an exciting atmosphere.  Your never going to get top tier fights, but when its free on television its a good deal.

1.  Ross Pearson vs. Aaron Riley

Pearson is good.  Damn good.  Riley is a great fighter, a veteran who can hang with anyone in the cage and it was perhaps the toughest test any TUF winner has gotten for their first time.  Riley is a perfect gatekeeper, a true barometer of how good a lightweight fighter is.  And Pearson looked like a world-beater, like a TUF winner that the UFC could really do some business with.  Riley's great from undercard and prelim fights, but Pearson looks to be the one young British fighter to break free of the European shows and hit the big time in American.  For Pearson, I would love to see him paired up next with either Spencer Fisher or Roger Huerta.  A Pearson-Fisher fight would be epic.  Riley would fight anyone.

2.  Matt Brown vs. James Wilks

As good as he looked on the TUF9 finale, I always thought the wrong man won last season, that Demaques Johnson was the better fighter.  It was a tough fight, per usual with Brown.  Brown is at a crossroads now, where does he stand?  Is he just a tough guy who will take a 10-12 fight UFC career bouncing from undercards to free tv shows?  Or will he make a real run at the top?  A perfect test next for him might be a Mike Swick.  Wilks will probably have to toil on more of these Euro shows now.

3.  Michael Bisping vs. Denis Kang

Bisping said before the fight he understood he lost some respect in the fight world and he wanted to get it back.  He did.  Denis Kan is no joke, and its the same trolls he dog Bisping every day that cream over Kang.  And Bisping dismantled him in the second round after showing Kang he couldn't do anything to him on the ground.  While his takedowns weren't pretty, its clear that Bisping wans't lying before UFC 100 that he was working on his wrestling.  Bisping has always been at his best standing, as a kickboxer who can mix up his strikes.  Kang clearly wasn't prepared for a MIchael Bisping that would take a shot.  And as clumsy as his takedowns may have looked, his ground in pound was outstanding.  He took that fight from Kang, effectively posturing up and reigning down blows on Kang while smartly avoided submission attempts.  Let the haters hate, but that was Bisping's best performance over a legit top-10 middleweight.  Next for the count?  Chael Sonnen would be an interesting match-up, as would the winner of Wanderlei Silva vs. Sexyama.  As for Kang?  Its either more prelims or Dream.

4.  Dan Hardy vs. Mike Swick

Hardy looked good, but unless he's got some Serra in him, GSP won't sweat it.  But I will say this, Hardy will make a fight with GSP interesting.  The only chink on GSP is his chin, and he's effectively nullified that by being the best takedown wrestler in MMA, not allowing and opponent to truly get a clean shot at him.  Hardy might have the heaviest hands in the welterweight division, and its best boxing.  Hardy's mouth, with talk of "fighter" versus "athlete" should also help drum up interest.  He's a character who can take a punch and give one back.  In an era of dominate champions, perhaps thats the best we can ask for in challengers right now.

5.  Randy Couture vs. Brandon Vera

The bad-luck kid is back, Brandon Vera takes another tough loss overseas.  Couture is so beloved, I think any close fight to the judges goes his way.  But Vera is never going to be the fighter we thought he would be.  He's just not.  And while Couture is tough, this was in many ways a replay of the Vera/Jardine fight.  I think thats about the ceiling for Couture right now.  Fight, have fun, he might get a title shot off his name.  But he's not in the class of Rashad Evans, Shogun Rua, Quinton Jackson, Thiago Silva, or Lyoto Machida?  He's tough and he can't be finished, but he can be beat.  However close it was, I see no need for a rematch.  A fight with Jardine might actually make sense next for Couture, and would be a fun one, or maybe a rematch with Tito Ortiz on the UFC senior circut.  But he should be, IMO, at least two fights away from hitting the top of the division.