Two Years From Now, Who Will Be Wearing UFC Gold?
by E. Spencer Kyte on Dec 30, 2009 2:35 AM EST
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Inspired by the ancient Mayan calendar and John Cusack's last foray into film, my latest at Heavy.com takes a look at who the UFC divisional champs will be should the world actually come to an end in 2012.
Actually, even if the world doesn't come to an end, I think these five will still be champions. The Apocalypse has nothing to do with their championship credentials.
BJ Penn will most likely be on to bigger and better by then, so I've tabbed Tyson Griffin as the next 155-pound king and here's why:
I can’t lie – a very small part of this selection is based on my desire to have Griffin be the last fighter coming to the cage on a PPV card. Think how awesome it would be?
All the lights go out, the fans start cheering and then one of the best guitar riffs in the history of guitar riffs kicks in as the champion’s long-time walkout song "Eye of the Tiger" fills the arena.
Legen – wait for it... wait for it... –dary!
Delusions of Rocky moments aside, my selection of Griffin is based on far more than the awesomeness that is Survivor.
Honestly - how awesome would it be to hear "Eye of the Tiger" echo through the arena right before a big title fight?
There's more reasoning behind my selection of the Xtreme Couture product, as well as my reasons why other top contenders fall short, not to mention four more divisions for your consideration and - undoubtedly - numerous comments questioning my selections or praising my brilliant deductions and logic.
Chance are it will be more of the former, but that's okay.
Check out the rest of "2012: Who Will Hold the Belts When the World Ends?" at Heavy.com and come back regularly for more MMA goodness.
The FanPosts are solely the subjective opinions of Bloody Elbow readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Bloody Elbow editors or staff.
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LW – Penn – despite the lack of challengers, I don’t see Penn giving up his LW belt in two years. There might be explorations in the WW division, but with GSP running the show, he’ll be defending the LW belt atleast 3 times..
WW – GSP – The whole Marquadt love affair would prevent GSP for staying at MW permanently. Marquadt will be the #2 or #3 UFC MW for the next two years and GSP moving up to the division would be trouble to their championship aspirations. I guess he will try one fight in MW but would eventually drop again to defend his WW belt against new contenders.
MW – Silva – w/ Lil Nog and Machida on LHW, he wont give up the belt. Same as Penn and GSP, there would be LHW fights probably against Rampage and/or Evans. Title fights against Belfort, Marquadt and possibly Anthony Johnson.
LHW – Nogueira – after Shogun defeats Machida, Lil Nog vs Rua II would happen.
HW – Velasquez – It depends if Lesnar will continue to be active in the MMA scene. Without the monster, another monster will rise.
I am. I think. I will. - Ayn Rand
I change my mind.
HW – goes to Mir w/ or w/o Lesnar. 280 pounder w/ decent stand up and top notch BJJ. He will be trouble for everybody.
I am. I think. I will. - Ayn Rand
LW – Florian. Penn will have made his move to WW and been forced to relinquish the LW belt.
WW – Fitch.
MW – Marquardt. Title match vs GSP coming right up. Silva has retired.
LHW – Jones.
HW – Lesnar. Assuming a succesful comeback from the illness, I think he may end up being the next long-time champion in UFC
by Monday Morning Martial Artist on Dec 30, 2009 3:35 AM EST reply actions
Thank goodness they haven’t banned Heavy.com articles here, otherwise I wouldn’t even had read this.
Ok, future UFC champs, barring non-Zuffa fighters like Mousasi, King Mo, Jacare,and Tyron Woodley. The first three are easy, the same champs Zuffa has now just moved up one weight class.
LW: Jose Aldo
WW: BJ Penn (I just don’t see Alves consistently making weight in the future)
MW: GSP
LHW: Bones
HW: JDS
by John Nash on Dec 30, 2009 4:03 AM EST via mobile reply actions
I like this
Don’t necessarily agree, but it’s more realistic than some of the others.
"I’m sorry. I didn’t drink last night, so I’m not funny today."
-Sakuraba
LW: Florian
WW: Koshcheck
MW: GSP moves up after Silva retires and Marquadt fails to capture the title. Possibly (going out on a limb here) Rashad Evans fails to recapture the title (Which is held by Jon Jones anyway) and cuts to MW
LHW: Jon Jones
HW: Alistair Overeem, who switches to the UFC after having his strikeforce title taken away due to inactivity and proves to be Lesnars kryptonite
Overeem makes a ton of money in Japan
Without any in competition or out of competition testing, making money from the fights and European and Asian sponsors, while UFC has little to no reach in those markets, so no global sponsors. Why would he care?
Fighting with SF he can keep up his crazy Japan and Euro schedule and do whatever he wants.
Head Kick Legend
Twitter @HeadKickLegend
In two years time I’m assuming that a) Fedor is retired and Overeem wants to prove he is one of the best heavyweights going around thus needing to fight in the UFC and b) that the UFC has continued to grow overseas and that the UFC thus has the money to pay Overeem’s salary and also wants big European stars to help them make inroads into the European market.
LW – Jose Aldo – He’ll be everything people wish Jon Jones turned out to be. Heck, he may already be that and more.
MW – Sexyama – Too erotic to be contained.
LHW – Anderson Silva – After some mildly contentious contract negotiations, Anderson will move to LHW full time and dominate.
I specializes in grammar fail.
Also
WW – Sexyama - see above
I specializes in grammar fail.
by a tommy point on Dec 30, 2009 6:35 AM EST up reply actions
LW- Sexyama
WW- Sexyama
MW- Sexyama
LHW- Sexyama
HW- Sexyama
"I’m sorry. I didn’t drink last night, so I’m not funny today."
-Sakuraba
haha!
Awesome!
"I will do nothing lightly. When I walk, I will walk heavily. When I fight, I will fight with conviction. When I speak, I will speak strongly. When I love, I will love with everything"
I was trying to be modest in the face of overwhelming sexy.
I specializes in grammar fail.
by a tommy point on Dec 30, 2009 6:37 PM EST up reply actions
It's like enjoying the UFC
You can only let on so much…
BUT I CAN’T HELP IT!!! SEXYAMA!!!!!!!
"I’m sorry. I didn’t drink last night, so I’m not funny today."
-Sakuraba
Both of you who call Jose Aldo LW champ in 2 years
I like your style. I 100% agree that he will have UFC gold, though it may take 3-4 years
Or
Maybe his weight class is IN the UFC in only one year? Hmm..
"I’m sorry. I didn’t drink last night, so I’m not funny today."
-Sakuraba
Id say..
LW- Penn: he’s an unstoppable force, an it will take some practice to stop him.
WW-St. Pierre: im not saying he’s not going to lose anymore in the next few years, especially since im heavily favoring hardy, but he’s a machine..
MW-Cote: personally, i think he’s done the most impressive against anderson silva, and with that ends the explanation..
LW-Mousasi:I’d love to see this guy in there with the already stacked to the teeth and back Lightheavy weight division, he’d make for a good fight everynight.
HW- Emelianenko: IN FEDOR WE TRUST..
-THC
Explanation-
Look at the sig.
"I’m sorry. I didn’t drink last night, so I’m not funny today."
-Sakuraba
I like
How he’s heavily favoring Hardy.
"I will do nothing lightly. When I walk, I will walk heavily. When I fight, I will fight with conviction. When I speak, I will speak strongly. When I love, I will love with everything"
LW- Benson Henderson: With Zuffa folding the WEC into the UFC, and Henderson’s rapidly improving skills, he’s a dark horse pick to reign the UFC lightweight division. And there’s no way BJ Penn sticks around 155 this long.
WW- St. Pierre: I think he stays at 170 to give Nate Marquardt first crack at the 185 pound title.
MW- Marquardt: With Silva gone the road to the title is clear for him.
LHW- Mousasi: Could just as easily be Jon Jones. I just have a feeling about Mousasi for some reason.
HW- Velasquez: His wrestling and cardio are too good. Probably the most solid bet or any UFC division.
LW – Aldo buzz-saws BJ Penn into retirement in early 2011
WW – GSP will fight BJ Penn every 6 months as he periodically comes out of retirement
MW – Lyoto Machida after repeated beatings at the hands of Shogun, Jones and Mousasi he moved down
LHW – Jon Jones, of course
HW BROCKLESNARRRRR who will be known as the greatest HW of all time after consecuitive Mur-stompings of Fedor, Nog, Carwin, Mir, Cain, Dos Santos, and Duffee
Keep firing Assholes!
Editor of www.downsyndromematuremidgetsheltlandponyporn.com/
I like everything save for..
..Machida getting run out of town after having his ass kicked like four-six times? Ouch..
"I’m sorry. I didn’t drink last night, so I’m not funny today."
-Sakuraba
Every division will be won by BROCKLESNAR!
Brock Lesnar?! BROCKLESNAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FIRE JIM MORA NOW!
LW – Me
WW – Me
MW – Me
LHW – Me
HW- Me
You heard it here first folks.
2 years is a long time and I’m gonna start training UFC right now. I am air-punching as we speak. I don’t need a camp or nothing either cause camp is for little kids and I don’t like marshmallows. I also taught myself joo-jitsew from the internet so I will be a force to be reckoned with.
I believe in you
Get some youth sized Silver Star shirts (everyone except me likes them, apparently), some Tapout DVD’s, nu-metal CD’s (like Disturbed), put in an order for a case of dianabol to China, do 15 reps every morning with a gallon of water that is sitting next to your bed (you don’t want to strain yourself) and get drunk at the bar during UFC’s and repeatedly shout “GUILLOTINE! GUILLOTINE!” no matter what’s happening on screen, then when the show is over stand near the front door with your shirt off and tell everyone that your uncle was a 1996 Idaho Regional Golden Gloves quarter finalist and you inhereted his boxing skills without ever training!
Those are the keys to success. You’re in it to win it!!
"I’m sorry. I didn’t drink last night, so I’m not funny today."
-Sakuraba
by Blackout612 on Dec 30, 2009 3:45 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Alright, may as well..
(weight- first pick, second pick, third pick)
155- Miguel Torres, Kenny Florian, Tatsuya Kawajiri
170- Dan Hornbuckle, Yoshihiro Akiyama, BJ Penn
185- Nate Marquardt, Lyoto Machida, Gerald Harris
205- Jon Jones, Gegard Mousasi, Xande Ribeiro
265- Anderson Silva, Brock Lesnar, Junior Dos Santos
There’s obviously not much science involved and there’s a million ways to think about this.. I think all of these are possibilities and I wanted to differentiate myself on a few choices. Also, I clearly didn’t restrict myself to current-Zuffa fighters.
"I’m sorry. I didn’t drink last night, so I’m not funny today."
-Sakuraba
…says the guy that started downsyndromematuremidgetsheltlandponyporn.com
"I’m sorry. I didn’t drink last night, so I’m not funny today."
-Sakuraba
You’re just as fucked up as me.
Keep firing Assholes!
Editor of www.downsyndromematuremidgetsheltlandponyporn.com/
I am the only paying member.
Blackout612- "Wuts teh UFC?"
Ubernoober- "It like two guy who just stand and swing for fence and try to knock each other shit out it awesome"
I don’t know what’s more deviant, that or the fact that you think that Miguel Torres will be the 155 champ in 2 years.
Keep firing Assholes!
Editor of www.downsyndromematuremidgetsheltlandponyporn.com/
Fuckin ZANY
Frankie Edgar- 5’6"
Tyson Griffin- 5’6"
Sean Sherk- 5’6"
Miguel Torres- 5’10"
Blackout612- "Wuts teh UFC?"
Ubernoober- "It like two guy who just stand and swing for fence and try to knock each other shit out it awesome"
I had a friend that wanted to start a series of mentally retarded pornos. I offered up the name “Fucking Retarded”. I kid you not.
Jon Jones vs Gegard Mousasi for the LHW title, make it happen!
by bigislandboi808 on Dec 30, 2009 6:46 PM EST up reply actions
Hmm...
Ok if we are going to go with non-Zuffa fighters as well as fighters over 30 I’m going to change my list.
155: Jose Aldo, Tatsuya Kawajiri, Eddie Alvarez
170: Josh koscheck (by fact of GSP going up to 185 and Alves not making the cut as well), BJ Penn, Tyron Woodley
185: Mo Lawal (give him two years and let him cut to 185 like he supposedly can and look out – and be even more annoyed), GSP (I think he’ll still be good but he’ll hit the wall against bigger fighters), Jacare
205: Gegard Mousasi (in 2013 Jones will surpass him), Jon Jones, Anderson SIlva (age and the previous two will catch up to him)
265: Brock Lesnar, Junior Dos Santos, Cain Velasquez
And before anyone gets on me for picking so many non-Zuffa fighters remember this is in 2012. I’m not saying they’re are better than the UFC fighters now, there’s a reason they are in the other promotions: they’re prospects. But if you were making an all NBA team for 2005 you wouldn’t have wanted to ignore LeBron James because he played at St. Vincent–St. Mary.
Good stuff
In my scenario, GSP must be dead. Yeesh.. Didn’t think it all the way through. Though, I almost included King Mo at 185 on mine, as well. I decided to gamble on Gerald Harris instead. Part of that has to do with the fact that I don’t think he’ll wise up and fight at 185, though he absolutely should.
Blackout612- "Wuts teh UFC?"
Ubernoober- "It like two guy who just stand and swing for fence and try to knock each other shit out it awesome"
Love what Gerald Harris has done, but I haven’t really been able to watch him – only by the net on his latest fights and it’s hard to get a sense of how good he’s really gotten that way. Xande Ribeiro intrigues me but I haven’t seen enough of him to make up my mind yet.
185 is the one I find the most interesting. GSP is awesome but I don’t know if he can dominate 185 the same when he’s only 5’9". I don’t know if he can set up his takedowns if his opponents aren’t as threatened by his striking.
Two things though: do you really see Lyoto making the cut to 185? He always struck me as the type that wouldn’t cut down anymore than he has (against his philosophy and shit). And even if Yoshihiro Akiyama make the cut to 170, do you see him making a splash? It seems to me he’s really lost something ever since Kazuo Misaki kicked him in the head.
Well
Xande is only 2-0, but both wins are in Sengoku, both come by KO (this is one of the best BJJ practitioners in the world, mind you— 09 ADCC World Champ, World BJJ Absolute Champion 06 & 08, World BJJ Pesado Champ four times, etc, etc, etc) and both came in the 3rd round (which exhibits that he has power and great cardio). He’s already said on numerous occasions that he’s trying to get seasoned before inevitably going to the UFC (so we know that he’ll likely end up there). I think he’s a scary prospect and will have what it takes to beat anyone in two years.
Gerald has been a fucking wrecking machine lately and he’s already back in the UFC. Could work his way up in rapid fashion. We’ll see if his luck continues under the bright lights, but he has very clearly upped his game since leaving last.
Lyoto was physically smaller than me when I stood beside him— and I’m a natural 185. I don’t think it will be much of a strain at all and he walks around near his fighting weight. Again, not a ton of science going into some of this, but he could do well there. I suppose there’s as much a chance that he cleans out 205 and considers going up to be more of a challenge. Conjecture, my man..
A couple of guys— like GSP, BJ and Anderson, I consider that they’re not fighting as often, retired, or are just taking big fights around different weight classes for the most money possible. I feel that’s a very real possibility with some of the biggest earners.
I don’t think Sexyama has lost a thing— just keeps getting more Sexy (honestly, am I the only one that still believes in the guy; even as a middleweight? Whacky..)
Blackout612- "Wuts teh UFC?"
Ubernoober- "It like two guy who just stand and swing for fence and try to knock each other shit out it awesome"
by Blackout612 on Dec 30, 2009 10:20 PM EST up reply actions
I’ve been watching Gerald and been impressed. But my caveat is that I’ve been watching his last couple fights by youtube and shit, which makes it really hard to actually judge how quick and good a fighter is. But I think he’ll end up being the guy from that season of TUF, especially since his standup (or the blurry images I’ve been seeing) look so much better.
I hate to say I disagree with you on Sexyama, but I do. He hasn’t looked the same to me. Except for the sexiness. He’s still got it.
And have you seen Phil Davis yet? Any opinion on him?
Phil Davis is a young Rashad— Big Ten wrestler with raw striking, but natural power that he needs to harness. Good leg kicks, excellent wrestling (obviously) and even a little jits (already has an RNC on his record). He’s gotta work at keeping his hands up and sticking his jab more (his corner seems to always be asking him to, so I’m guessing he trains it). I think the Stann fight is a good first UFC fight for him, even though Stann is a hell of a test. I think if the bright lights don’t blind him and he’s not totally in love with his boxing, he can wrestle his way to victory. Big upside. If he can weather the early going in the UFC (beating Stann and whatever comes after that) he’s there to stay. Easier said than done, though.
Blackout612- "Wuts teh UFC?"
Ubernoober- "It like two guy who just stand and swing for fence and try to knock each other shit out it awesome"
2 Years:
LW: Florian
WW: Alves
MW: St. Pierre
LHW: Shogun
HW: Velasquez
5 years:
LW: Escudero
WW: Hathaway
MW: St. Pierre
LHW: Jones
HW: Struve
/why the hell not
I like it. Struve is going to be a beast when he bulks up and stops hopping around on one foot.
Blackout612- "Wuts teh UFC?"
Ubernoober- "It like two guy who just stand and swing for fence and try to knock each other shit out it awesome"
by Blackout612 on Dec 30, 2009 11:20 PM EST up reply actions
I can’t help but think he still doesn’t understand how long he is. It took Schilt years to figure out how to use his length properly. Here’s hoping Struve doesn’t take as long. His ground game is so cool, pair it with striking = badass.
by Michaelthebox on Dec 30, 2009 11:47 PM EST up reply actions
I agree with these list for the most part. At 5 years I could see Aldo as the LW champ. I also don’t think Alves is going to be a WW for too much longer. And in 5 years I think Phil Davis could be right there with Jones for the title. If Struve can put on 3-5 pounds between his fights, and grow into his frame until he is walking around at 270-280 he will have a good chance at being champ.
In 5 years just about any ‘talented’ fighter could be champ; those are just the youngest and most talented of the ones I’m aware of. I completely forgot about Aldo though, if he moves up he could easily be champ.
by Michaelthebox on Dec 30, 2009 11:48 PM EST up reply actions
I point I feel I should make— I like Rosholt’s chances at 185 in two years, but I think he’ll still be working his way up (after returning). I really believe that in three years time a Rosholt/Marquardt fight could be a seriously legit main event. He’s improving in leaps and bounds.
Blackout612- "Wuts teh UFC?"
Ubernoober- "It like two guy who just stand and swing for fence and try to knock each other shit out it awesome"
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