FightLines: UFC Middleweights

by Mike Fagan on Jul 14, 2009 8:26 PM EDT in News Comment 25 comments

FULL VERSION

MARQUARDT > KAMPMANN > LEITES > MARQUARDT
LEBEN > MARTIN > RIVERA > GROVE > DAY > BELCHER > STARNES > LEBEN

If you've ever doubted the UFC and Joe Silva's ability to make matches and set up timelines, I need only point you to the beauty of what they've done with the middleweight division over the past couple months. Just two months ago, the middleweight division looked in shambles. Champion Anderson Silva fought two lackluster title fights, and there was no immediate challenger for the title. Fans clamored for Silva to make a permanent move to 205.

Flash forward to mid-July and the entire scene has changed. Silva's next foray at light heavyweights gives the middleweight division time to sort itself out. Dan Henderson has staked his claim to a rematch with the champ after three straight wins, including an absolute firebombing of Brit Michael Bisping. Less than a month after Silva battles Forrest Griffin, Demian Maia and Nate Marquardt square off in a fight that will manufacture another credible challenger to the throne.

All that without including the Asian contingent. Yushin Okami might have to continue his search for the holy grail just a little longer, but represents a rematch that many hardcore fans have wanted for the past couple years. While his UFC 100 win wasn't as impressed as some had hoped, Yoshihiro Akiyama might only be a fight or two away from a title shot of his own.

Speaking of Sexyama, I'm interested to see who he gets matched up with in his sophomore UFC fight. Maybe he gets Mr. Thirty Seconds Drew McFedries? Chael Sonnen? The winner of Thales Leites-Alessio Sakara? The winner of Ricardo Almeida-Kendall Grove?

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I think clearly it will be

one of these two — winner of Thales Leites-Alessio Sakara or the winner of Ricardo Almeida-Kendall Grove.

Akiyama is a franchise player they’ll bring him along slowly like they did Bisping.

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by Kid Nate on Jul 14, 2009 5:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

or why not Tom Lawlor?

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by Kid Nate on Jul 14, 2009 5:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Honestly I think Akiyama

needs to cut weight and fight at 170. But I guess we’ll all have to learn that the hard way.

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by Kid Nate on Jul 14, 2009 5:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree...

by Loot on Jul 14, 2009 5:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He spent his Judo career competing at 81kg (about 178 lbs.), so he’d be attempting to weigh in 8 lbs. lower than he ever has in his career at the ripe age of 34. Not to mention that he probably didn’t cut to make 178 either. So, as striking as the size differential was between him and Belcher, I don’t know how realistic a move to 170 would be.

by JRN on Jul 14, 2009 5:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If he didn’t cut to make 178 doesn’t that prove the point that he should try to make 170? If he only walks around a few pounds heavier than the MW limit then he should be able to make a healthy cut to 170 in a few months time.

Some people might say that winning a fight makes you a better fighter but I don’t agree with that.- BlueberryMuffin

by ufc4 on Jul 14, 2009 5:30 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

Normally I’d say wait til he loses to start this kind of talk, but there’s actually more immediate opportunity at WW than MW right now. A couple of decent wins and he’s up against GSP, and that’s a much more compelling fight than Swick, Kampmann, and so on.

I still think he’ll hold off until actually losing, but that won’t stop me from shooting my mouth off here.

by An Old Friend on Jul 14, 2009 7:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He was much younger when he was 178, so I’m speculating that he’s just naturally a little bigger now.

I think the bigger obstacle is the combination of his age and probably never having cut an appreciable amount of weight. It’s certainly not an impossible cut, though.

by JRN on Jul 14, 2009 8:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

he needs a good strength and conditioning coach..

his diet could be handled and he could be taught how to cut weight properly, so this way they could know if it was really possible to cut to 170.. If not, then at least his cardio will surely improve, cause aside from having a small frame, he also needs a bigger gas tank..

He looks powerful at 185 already.. If he cuts properly to 170, imagine how strong he’d be against the other guys.

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by Anton Tabuena on Jul 14, 2009 9:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Great info as usual. Recd

by Riney on Jul 14, 2009 5:18 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Akiyama vs. Leben or McFedries sound like decent fights. I also think that stylistically, he could give Leites more than a bit of trouble, though they should probably do that fight after one or two others.

"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito Ortiz on Vitor Belfort at Affliction:DOR

by Rundownloser on Jul 14, 2009 6:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Akiyama vs the Leites/Sakara winner sounds pretty good. Just don’t waste his time with Bisping.

I’d actually like to see Belcher vs Bisping as rebound match for both. Kinda sorta intriguing to me, especially considering I don’t like either of those fighters.

by a tommy point on Jul 14, 2009 6:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Belcher vs Bisping

I would like to see that fight, for sure.

by MickDawg on Jul 14, 2009 7:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm curious...

why would Bisping be a waste of time?

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by Brent Brookhouse on Jul 15, 2009 11:37 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Because I think Akiyama would beat him handily. Maybe not in as devastating of a fashion as Hendo just did, but with relative ease nonetheless.

by a tommy point on Jul 15, 2009 12:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

MW is a great division.

There aren’t many guys I feel that could take Silva’s throne, but that next lower tier is stacked.

If Silva wasn’t so dominant, we would be talking about the MW division like we talk about the LHW division.

The WW division also is stacked, but with GSP’s dominance, many are claiming it isn’t anymore. I think that’s silly.

Same will be said about LW, now that Penn is back full-time (hopefully).

by MickDawg on Jul 14, 2009 7:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

A Worldwide, Lightweight Division Fightlines.

It might not have too many connections, but there’s a few there that you could work with.

That might be tough, but I’d love to see that one.

by MickDawg on Jul 14, 2009 7:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Look through the archives. I used to do FL like this. It makes a little more sense to just focus it on the UFC though.

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by Mike Fagan on Jul 14, 2009 7:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Winner of Demian Maia / Nate Marquardt = title shot

This is the key match up in my opinion with the next contender for Anderson Silva. Dan Henderson can get it after them.

Akyiama will not see the belt for a while so the Joe Silva should be in no rush. Build him up slowly.

by Bishman on Jul 14, 2009 7:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Who do you like in the Almeida / Grove fight?

by goodbones on Jul 14, 2009 7:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Almeida all day long.

"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito Ortiz on Vitor Belfort at Affliction:DOR

by Rundownloser on Jul 14, 2009 8:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs