Dana White Talks Up the UFC Heavies But Fedor Emelianenko Looms
by Kid Nate on Sep 11, 2009 11:34 AM EDT
in News
87 comments
Michael David Smith assesses the strength of the UFC heavyweight division, pivoting off Dana White's claim that the division is the strongest it's ever been:
With Brock Lesnar as the champion, Shane Carwin as the No. 1 contender and a nice mix of veteran fighters like Frank Mir, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Mirko Cro Cop with young up-and-comers like Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos, I think it probably is true that the UFC's heavyweight division is more exciting right now than ever before.
But I also think it's important to note that heavyweight is also the only weight class in MMA where the generally recognized champion isn't under contract to the UFC or its sister promotion, the WEC. As long as Fedor Emelianenko is fighting with Strikeforce and M-1 Global, and not with the UFC, we'll be deprived of a true world heavyweight title fight -- no matter how exciting the rest of the heavyweight division is.
I've tried to make this point many times in the past, but this is why signing Fedor meant so much to Dana White and the UFC. Fedor is the undisputed #1 heavyweight in the world as confirmed by the USAT/SBN Consensus MMA Rankings and as long as he's fighting somewhere else, there will always be a shadow looming over the UFC heavyweight division. Even if Fedor loses, his linear title just moves somewhere else. In combat sports, to be the man you've got to beat the man.
Also take a look at this post from FightMatrix assessing the current rankings of the TUF 10 cast members. There may be a lot of new talent on the cast, but there's certainly a paucity of proven contenders.
UPDATE: The Brock Lesnar interview was old. My bad.
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Linear title moves...
Well, if Fedor were to lose to a guy like Brett Rogers, for example, I think most people would start to recognize Brock Lesnar as the true HW champ at that point.
The mystique of Fedor would be over to some degree, and even if Rogers were the “linear” champ, people would just call him the Strikeforce champ.
I think Fedor losing would really help bolster the case for the UFC HW champ as THE champ.
by GregS123 on Sep 11, 2009 11:01 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Ray Mercer
Will be the linear champion of HW MMA.
by TCR on Sep 11, 2009 2:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’m so tired of this topic regarding Fedor.
While I’m a huge Fedor fan, I don’t find myself sitting around saying… “Well, Lesnar is so dominating, but it KILLS ME INSIDE to not see a true heavyweight title fight between Fedor and Lesnar”.
Personally, I don’t give a shit at all. Fedor is not going to sign an exclusivity contract with the UFC unless he has a change of heart in regards to showing M-1 stuff on a UFC broadcast. People need to get over it, and Midsy is just prolonging this garbage even further. Blah blah blah… Fedor isn’t fighitng the best, The UFC heavyweight title is questionable because of it…
You can’t remedy the problem, yet there is article after article about it. It’s NOT going to be remedied, so we keep talking about it over and over? UGH!
On a side note, TUF 10 having a paucity of proven contenders is true, but that’s not the point of the show. There is some huge potential on that show from guys who have just dipped their toes into MMA, and I like that format much more than past shows.
Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Sep 11, 2009 11:04 AM EDT reply actions 5 recs
i agree it’s a topic to be sick of… but unfortunately i think we’re going to keep hearing about it for a while
by GregS123 on Sep 11, 2009 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
My problem is…
But I also think it’s important to note that heavyweight is also the only weight class in MMA where the generally recognized champion isn’t under contract to the UFC or its sister promotion, the WEC. As long as Fedor Emelianenko is fighting with Strikeforce and M-1 Global, and not with the UFC, we’ll be deprived of a true world heavyweight title fight — no matter how exciting the rest of the heavyweight division is.
I don’t feel deprived at all. If people would just get it through their heads that he isn’t coming to the UFC, it’s so much easier to look forward to UFC heavyweight battles and take what we can get from SF and Fedor.
Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Sep 11, 2009 11:08 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Rec'd
Completely sick of this topic…
…until Fedor’s contract with M-1 is up, that is lol – j/k sorta, I fully expect him to re-sign with M-1. He seems mindlessly committed to believing & trusting them with all his heart, soul & career choices.
"Who the fuck is this Bruz Malt Liquor?" -Dana White
by Bruz on Sep 11, 2009 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That’s not even my issue though. My issue is that writers are trying to make me feel like I should still give a shit about some sort of TRUE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT that’ll never happen. I don’t care at all.
Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Sep 11, 2009 11:10 AM EDT up reply actions 5 recs
It’s true, most of the UFC’s fans don’t know or care who Fedor is, they’ll consider whoever is fighting for the UFC belt as the “true world heavyweight title fight” unless Fedor or someone trounces the UFC champ and takes off.
The situation is settled for at least the next year, there’s no point in continuing to get worked up over it in the mean time.
Both sides are going to take pot shots at each other, but nothing is going to be resolved.
by Phildo on Sep 11, 2009 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
To me it’s like, there was this match to decide the n°1 HW and Fedor didn’t show up.
You don't look like a Tanaka.
by spectaa on Sep 11, 2009 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
To clarify...
This is in regards to the MDS comment.
Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Sep 11, 2009 12:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Awesome. I totally agree. I don’t care if Fedor ever fights in the UFC. Personally, he won’t ever be in the UFC until he either parts ways with M-1 (not likely) or if M-1 desperately needs cash and get to the point where they’re willing to drop co promotion. Regardless, they’re so shady, there’s no way one could ever trust them.
I love me some Sexyama!
by pud333 on Sep 11, 2009 1:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
that video is old as fuck before carwin fight was announced nice try though
"Frank Mir had a horseshoe up his ass. I told him a year ago. I pulled it out of him and I beat him over the head with it." Brock Lesnar
by pitbull187 on Sep 11, 2009 11:34 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
before fedor even signed with Strikeforce as well. brock is a big enough dick by himself he doesn’t need any help…plus the interview he was well spoken and respectful he just said he thinks the best should fight the best. fedor is considered the best so thats who he would like to fight simple as that
"Frank Mir had a horseshoe up his ass. I told him a year ago. I pulled it out of him and I beat him over the head with it." Brock Lesnar
by pitbull187 on Sep 11, 2009 11:38 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
yeah actually i thought maybe there was a separate link to the “trashing” that i didn’t click on originally. but i can’t find anything but that 3 minute clip where brock is nothing but respectful.
where’s the trashing?
by GregS123 on Sep 11, 2009 11:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
that's my question as well
I'm the kind of girl who loves to watch a GOOD fight!
--------
Join the DC Area UFC Meetup Group
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by funnytiger on Sep 11, 2009 11:44 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
And mine. I was waiting for Brock to be a jackass but more than that I noticed right away that it was an old interview.
"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"
by dedstrk316 on Sep 11, 2009 12:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
to be the mean you got to beat the man…thats hard to do if the man wont step foot inside the UFC. I say if Brock fights top 10 guys and fedor feeds off of w/e fight strikeforce can get him then eventually Brock should overtake him in the rankings. I dont care if fedor wins every fight until he retires he still has to face reasonable competition to be considered to best.
"Frank Mir had a horseshoe up his ass. I told him a year ago. I pulled it out of him and I beat him over the head with it." Brock Lesnar
by pitbull187 on Sep 11, 2009 11:50 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
UMMM, Nate WTF??
First off that video is almost 2 months old and nowhere in it does Lesnar trash Fedor. Did you even watch the video before you posted it?
by GoldenOldie on Sep 11, 2009 11:55 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
UHHH...
Where did all of Leland’s posts go? It would kind of suck if the mods/staff on this site frequently looked back at their comments and decided to pull them off.
I mean, if I say something stupid, I’m forced to live with it and possibly admit I’m wrong. But a staff member can post something and then just erase it as if it never happened?
Not saying Leland’s posts were stupid or bad at all. But why are they gone?
by GregS123 on Sep 11, 2009 12:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
we were having an internal discussion, they're back
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
by Kid Nate on Sep 11, 2009 12:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
ok thanks guys! you do a good job – that’s why i and others are increasingly hanging out here instead of other MMA sites. just keeping you honest…
by GregS123 on Sep 11, 2009 12:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
and they're gone again
still having internal discussions. lol. bear with us.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
by Kid Nate on Sep 11, 2009 1:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I cannot possibly explain to you in words how much I hate the use of the word “mods” for writers on staff.
by Luke Thomas on Sep 11, 2009 1:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
sorry i’m trying to escape sherdog but it still has its hooks in here and there
by GregS123 on Sep 11, 2009 2:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Lol the comments, please guys show some lovin, you can’t ace it everyday.
You don't look like a Tanaka.
by spectaa on Sep 11, 2009 12:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Of course the new guys on this season of TUF aren’t ranked, they’re just getting started in their careers!
PS If BROCKLESNARRRRR!!!!!!!! wins his next two fights over tough guys in convincing fashion I say he’s the #1 in the world. Fedor shouldn’t keep his #1 ranking if he’s avoiding a credible, dangerous #2 threat like the plauge.
Keep firing Assholes!
Protect your caterpillar from Kimbo Slice.
by Ubernoober on Sep 11, 2009 12:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Let's assume for a minute
that both Brock and Fedor keep winning in their respective promotions. Let’s assume Fedor beats Rogers, Werdum and Overeem (if they can ever get him to defend the belt) and Brock beats Carwin and a couple other top10 HWs. Is it still so clear cut then that Fedor is still the best HW? Rephrasing: how many legitimate contenders must Brock beat while Fedor is busy with Strikeforce’s excuse for a heavyweight division before we start looking at Fedor and Brock differently?
Kuwabara Kuwabara
by J. B. Maddox on Sep 11, 2009 12:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I don’t know if there is a good answer to your last question. Fedor is basically undefeated… so until he loses a fight, it’s going to be a really frustrating situation and difficult to sort it out. Consequently I think it’s a matter of Fedor losing, not Brock winning, that solves this problem.
In a weird way, as much as I love Fedor and think he’s the shiznit, I kind of hope he loses just so that this whole problem will sort of dissipate.
by GregS123 on Sep 11, 2009 12:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes I tried to ask the harder question. If Brock keeps winning and Fedor loses, the answer will be made simple. I too think it’s a matter of Fedor losing. And with the kind of credibility (or lack of) the Strikeforce HWs present, he stands to lose a lot.
Kuwabara Kuwabara
by J. B. Maddox on Sep 11, 2009 1:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
if Brock wins over the same guys(Big Nog and Cro Cop) as Fedor did when they where younger and stronger years ago…can we say the same for Brock as we say it for Fedor….? i mean when Fedor fought Tim and AA every one said oh they are out of their prime…so if its not a double standard then the same could be said for Brock.. in My opinion Rogers is a better fighter then Carwin. plus SF signed that 2 time olimpian wrestler (4got his name) who in my opinion will be the next big thing in few yrs.
by 1WAYtiket on Sep 11, 2009 1:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Carwin < Rogers ??!
Kuwabara Kuwabara
by J. B. Maddox on Sep 11, 2009 4:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
possibly… i don’t think we really know yet until we see each of these guys fight a little more.
oddly, they’re in nearly identical positions. nearly identical undefeated records, and both guys are coming off of wild, fast victories over very good opponents.
by GregS123 on Sep 11, 2009 5:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Carwin is no where near as one dimensional as Rogers. Out of Carwin’s first 7 wins i think 5 of them were subs. I know he has won by arm bar one and rear nakid choke twice. I believe that one was by tko strikes. The last one i have no idea. Rogers is just a dude with huge power while carwin is a dude with huge power and a good ground game to boot
by Riley_96 on Sep 11, 2009 8:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The only thing that would be truly clear cut is that… Fedor should go to the UFC. Because then there would truly be NOBODY out there for him to fight. Right now, people grasp to Rogers and Overeem, but if he beats them badly… there’s nowhere else to go but down unless he signs with the UFC.
Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Sep 11, 2009 1:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, in a year from now, things will look quite different for Fedor.
I love me some Sexyama!
by pud333 on Sep 11, 2009 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Unless Brock loses to Nog or Cro Cop (can’t see it happening but who knows). In which case it would be pointless for him to come over and test himself against opponents he’s already defeated (One of which he did so twice in convincing fashion).
I think we should all just focus on the positive. Up until last year everyone was complaining that:
A. Fedor never fought anymore. And
B. When he did it was against unworthy opponents.
Well now he’s fighting again consistently (at least twice a year) and against top notch opponents. Would I love to have seen him in the UFC for the last year fighting Couture and Lesnar? You bet. But I’ll also be thankful I’m seeing him against Rogers and Overeem instead of Hong-Man Choi and Zuluzinho.
by nottheface on Sep 11, 2009 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
if Brock wins over the same guys(Big Nog and Cro Cop) as Fedor did when they where younger and stronger years ago…can we say the same for Brock as we say it for Fedor….? i mean when Fedor fought Tim and AA every one said oh they are out of their prime…so if its not a double standard then the same could be said for Brock.. in My opinion Rogers is a better fighter then Carwin. plus SF signed that 2 time olimpian wrestler (4got his name) who in my opinion will be the next big thing in few yrs.
by 1WAYtiket on Sep 11, 2009 1:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
If both men keep winning, the answer is “infinite.” All other things being equal, it’s hard for me to see why their positions should change unless Brock beats Fedor.
Sergio Non,
MMA writer, USA TODAY
http://mma.usatoday.com
by Sergio Non on Sep 11, 2009 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
So if Fedor never signs with the UFC, he gets to keep his #1 rank forever? From the immortal words of a Saturday Night skit, “Isn’t that convenient!”
by cyph on Sep 11, 2009 4:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He’s either going to lose or retire some day.
Sergio Non,
MMA writer, USA TODAY
http://mma.usatoday.com
by Sergio Non on Sep 11, 2009 6:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
What if Fedor spends the rest of his career fighting the Jimmy Ambrizes of the world? I’d guess Fedor can have one freebie before people knock him down the rankings.
He won’t be fighting guys like that at first, but Strikeforce won’t have top competition for him forever.
by Michaelthebox on Sep 11, 2009 4:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
especially if the UFC keeps up its strategy of grabbing every free agent there is…
by GregS123 on Sep 11, 2009 5:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
They can keep up respectable competition for awhile. They’ve got Overeem, Rogers, and Werdum. They could co-promote a fight with Bigfoot or Barnett. By then David Cormier might be a respectable challenging. The UFC has more heavyweight talent than ever before, but they still only have 55% of the top 25.
by nottheface on Sep 11, 2009 7:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
fuck the dog hit enter
Barnett? do you rememebr what happened the last time some of booked Barnett and Fedor for a main event?
by Riley_96 on Sep 11, 2009 8:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, but now they can do it in Japan.
by nottheface on Sep 11, 2009 9:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Meh, if barnett does roids i dont want him to fight fedor that will just be an excuse to why he won if he actually did win (doubtful)
by Riley_96 on Sep 12, 2009 2:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Never has so much
been written about someone who has fought exactly three times in about three years. I’m starting to get the feeling Fedor is actually a carefully fabricated lie, like the state of Idaho (long known to be an inside joke among cartographers perpetrated on the American public).
by rzor on Sep 11, 2009 12:53 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Actually six times, but I don’t want to get in the way of a good one-liner about Idaho.
by nottheface on Sep 11, 2009 1:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
As opposed
to a fighter with a 4-1 record who’s only been fighting for two?
by bleve_ on Sep 11, 2009 2:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
A search on BE archives
shows “Brock” has been used in 6,048 comments. The same search for “Fedor” shows 12,865 comments. So, my original statement holds true – never has so much been written.
BTW, my comment was meant to be lighthearted and not intended to compare or defend Brock’s career arc versus Fedor (I’ve now added to that total, dammit).
by rzor on Sep 11, 2009 2:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wait...
There are 30 HWs in the world that are better than Roy Nelson? Sorry FightMatrix but NO.
"It would appear that the strain was more than he could bear".- Doc Holliday
by MyFistYourFace on Sep 11, 2009 1:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Well, it’s a perception. He lost two straight, but… he probably should have been given the win over Monson.
Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Sep 11, 2009 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
And should have been given plenty of time to keep wrenching Arvlosky’s arm.
Spinning out solid gold, like Rumpelstiltskin.
by Heenan on Sep 11, 2009 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I didn’t even know there were 30 HW in the sport.
by nottheface on Sep 11, 2009 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
lunar pounds. scale reads higher if you weigh them on the moon
by GregS123 on Sep 11, 2009 3:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Everytime I hear the phrases “linear champion” and “to be the man you have to beat the man”, I throw up in my mouth a lttle bit. Linear champion is superficial. It is completely meaningless. It has no bearing on anything tangible. It is an antique, and has a certain WAMMA-esque quality to it.
by Invictus on Sep 11, 2009 1:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The Rock/Paper/Scissors analogy should beat any "Linear Champion" argument.
by orcus on Sep 11, 2009 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Exactly. Somebody went back to show that the linear champions for the divisions other than HW are all guys you would never expect.
As soon as Fedor is no longer seen as the best in the world, his linear title will mean nothing. Thats why the enormous amount of talent going into the UFC right now matters. When the top UFC guys are fighting top talent, and Fedor is fighting whatever Strikeforce can scrounge up, Fedor’s title will mean nothing.
It’ll take a couple years for Strikeforce to run down to the dregs, but it will happen if Fedor stays there.
by Michaelthebox on Sep 11, 2009 1:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
couple years he has a 3 fight deal and only 3 hw’s to fight. Rogers/werdum/overeem
"Frank Mir had a horseshoe up his ass. I told him a year ago. I pulled it out of him and I beat him over the head with it." Brock Lesnar
by pitbull187 on Sep 11, 2009 3:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
“Dana White Talks Up the UFC Heavies But Fedor Emelianenko Looms”
Couldn’t this article have been written about three times a week for the last three years or so?
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Sep 11, 2009 3:57 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs
no
up until the arrival of Lesnar the division was pretty weak.
Even the acquisition of PRIDE didn’t help much since Cro Cop and Herring were both busts and Big Nog has been up and down.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
by Kid Nate on Sep 11, 2009 4:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is all attributable to those guys and no credit to the UFC heavyweights at all? If they had ran roughshod through the division, it would prove the superiority of Pride, but if they sucked like they did, they were busts? If one guy sucked, it’s an aberration, if all of them sucked, it’s a trend.
by cyph on Sep 11, 2009 5:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You can’t really say Nog sucked. He dominated Herring (besides one awesome head kick) and beat Sylvia (the man who was champ for the UFC during most of the rivalry) to capture the interim title. I think he was everything advertised.
Now Cro Cop? He was a bust.
by nottheface on Sep 11, 2009 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed, although he didn’t say Nog “sucked”. It’s hard to say Noguiera hasn’t lived up to expectations other than his unfortunate performance against Mir which may have gone differently if Nog had been healthy(er).
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Sep 11, 2009 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
that's true to a certain extent
but Gabriel Gonzaga hasn’t exactly shown himself to be a top 5 fighter either.
You’ve got to keep in mind that from 2000-2007 the PRIDE heavyweights strode atop the division like a colossus. Cro Cop coming into the UFC and losing to Gabe Gonzaga badly shocked the world. Gonzaga has since gone on to lose to all the top fighters he’s faced — Couture, Carwin. Gonzaga isn’t top 5 at this point, not even close.
Herring lost to Jake O’Brien a guy who is about to wash out of the UFC 205lb class.
Many thought that Big Nog looked not so great against Herring — I was impressed other than the head kick but many weren’t — and he didn’t look that great against Sylvia, although old fans knew that was a vintage Big Nog performance.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
by Kid Nate on Sep 11, 2009 6:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That never stopped Dana from talking them up did it?
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Sep 11, 2009 5:14 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
This would actually matter if I considered Fedor the number 1 HW in the world, to me taking off 3 years from facing top HW’s eliminates you from that top spot. Brock Lesnar is the number 1 HW in the world right now after unifying the belts because the UFC HW title is the only belt that matters.
Until Fedor decides he wants to face the best he’s irrelevant to the HW discussion, and i’m really tired the lenghts people will go to continue the Fedor-myth.
The UFC HW division is the best HW division ever in mma, the list of names is incredible you have a who’s who list of former champs and young prospects. Never have I enjoyed the match-ups between the HW’s like I am now even the lesser fights have my interest because they will lead to big match-ups later on.
Brock Lesnar
Frank Mir
Nog
CC
Dos Santos
Gonzaga
Kongo
Couture
Carwin
Velazquez
Herring
Nelson
Rothwell
Duffee
Hardonk
Buentello
Plus the UFC is always looking to add more names young and old, meaning that it’s become a priority now to have al the best HW who want to fight the best competition.
by Raker on Sep 11, 2009 5:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
i dunno man. fedor’s last 3 fights were scheduled against former UFC HW champions. obviously you know this, but we seem to look at it pretty differently.
by GregS123 on Sep 11, 2009 5:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The problem with your statement
is this
former UFC HW championsmeaning they where once good but now they aren’t. What I don’t understand about all those people that try to keep Fedor alive and convert everyone to thinking that he’s the absolute best is this. Fedor’s record is padded, I said it, PADDED. And before you jump on me for saying it, think about this. What would anyone say about Brock, or even Carwin if some of their fights where with people one to two weight classes below them. They would be chastised until the end of time, cries of worthless would be made and many I’m sure. Yes King Fedor has beaten past champions of the UFC, but so has Ray Mercer, does that make him the number three heavyweight? Raker is right. With the exception of a few, the UFC is at the top of the list with heavies. They have the most and the best, just because Fedor has faced the only four or five outside of the worlds biggest MMA org. does not make him the best in the world.
by proflex on Sep 11, 2009 5:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You do realize that Brock outweighed Randy by 40 lbs and Mir by 20 right?
And in light of you and raker’s musings, he’s still ranked #1 in the world.
by bleve_ on Sep 11, 2009 6:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
But...
they where still heavy weights, how does Fedor fighting Sexyama equal a fight that you can be proud of, that’s like a fifth grader beating up someone kindergarten, and the only reason he’s ranked #1 is because of his padded record and the fact that he hasn’t faced anyone lately worthwhile.
by proflex on Sep 11, 2009 9:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
But the current UFC HW champ got to that place by beating the previous HW champs i.e. former UFC HW champions.
Listen, I agree that the UFC has the best of HW in the world – at this moment. Of course you can only make that claim now. In June of last year Affliction could probably claim they had the best HWs (They had 4 of the top 6, the UFC interim title holder was a man Fedor had beaten twice, and the current UFC HW champ, Randy Couture, was going to court to get out of his contract so he too could fight Fedor in Affliction.) http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2008/6/24/558067/bloody-elbow-meta-rankings
Before that PRIDE FC easily could claim they had the best HW division.
(7 0f the top 10 HW, including the top 4)
http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=2683&zoneid=3
Everyone seems to harp on Fedor for not fighting the best in the UFC, but the thing is the UFC has only had the best very recently.
by nottheface on Sep 11, 2009 7:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
But the current UFC HW champ got to that place by beating the previous HW champs i.e. former UFC HW champions.
Well they were current HW champs until they fought Brock. The Affliction HW division didn’t have a lot of depth, it was just pretty much 4 guys.
Keep firing Assholes!
Protect your caterpillar from Kimbo Slice.
by Ubernoober on Sep 11, 2009 7:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Exactly
yes the person you beat to get the title is the former champ, but at least he was the champ, not some schmuck who lost the belt three years ago, or two years ago. Pride in it’s hey day did have the best heavies on the planet, but they aren’t around anymore, and the UFC is. Yes the UFC just secured the best recently, the last two years or so, but for some reason, Fedor is more concerned with his “record” then fighting real heavies. I don’t care what people think about the matter, but the fact remains, if you want to be called the best, despite some flawed ranking systems, you have to face the top talent, other wise how do we know. That would be like saying the Steelers are the best in the world because they beat up on college teams.
by proflex on Sep 11, 2009 10:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
So were you complaining when Arlovski and Silva didn’t go fight in PRIDE back in 2005-2006? Or for that matter Chuck, Randy, and Tito because PRIDE also had 7 of the 10 best LHW , including a fighter that managed to kO Chuck when entered its tournament?
by nottheface on Sep 11, 2009 10:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That was a tko, corner stoppage from what i remember. He later knocked out chuck in the rematch. Yeah no one complained and maybe they should have, but the fact remains that the UFC has taken over pride and now has pretty much the best in every division locked down
by Riley_96 on Sep 12, 2009 2:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Tito had already beaten Wanderlei, so Dana White could (and did) say that he wasn’t worried about Pride’s 205ers because he already had the guy who beat their champ.
Sergio Non,
MMA writer, USA TODAY
http://mma.usatoday.com
by Sergio Non on Sep 12, 2009 5:11 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Just so you know
I wasn’t watching MMA at that point, but if Randy Chuck or Tito avoided the best company, Pride at the time, the way Fedor is doing with the UFC then yes, I would have complained, because none of them could have claimed to be the best. But here we are in the present, and the UFC is the top biz, and they have the best people, if Fedor wants to keep asking for ridiculous co-promotion, he’s doing, or at least his management is dodging the best people right now.
by proflex on Sep 12, 2009 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think for once
Dana is right without a question of a doubt and he did it without sound like a douche. The UFC’s heavyweight division is the best it’s ever been, finally this weight class is exciting to watch, there are more fights that are exciting to watch, not just the once in a blue moon Sylvia vs. Arlovski fight. Now we can have two or three good matche ups a year and still find a title fight or two. I would love to see guys like Sylvia(even though I can’t stand him) and Arlovski back in the UFC to see how they would stack up to serious talent instead of a few good guys and a ton of cans. Don’t get me wrong here, there are plenty of more exciting classes to watch, but finally the heavies are where they should have been years ago.
by proflex on Sep 11, 2009 5:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Fedor already beat 2 former UFC heavyweights, both of those fighters had something too get that title, you might as well just give the title to him then destroy the effort the UFC is putting in trying to put over Brock Lesner. It’s only a matter of time
"On the sixth day god created man,but on the fifth day man created god" - Todd White on The Book Of Lucifer:
The Enlightenment
by Krawchuck on Sep 20, 2009 8:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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