FightLines: UFC Middleweights
by Mike Fagan on Jul 28, 2010 7:00 PM EDT
in MMA News
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BELCHER > COTE > GROVE > ROSHOLT > LEBEN > AKIYAMA > BELCHER
MARQURDT > MAIA > SONNEN > MARQUARDT
There are 74 non-Anderson Silva nodes on this graph. (To be fair, I removed a bunch of two man islands for clarity). Anderson Silva lacks a path to a mere thirteen men. He can make that nine on August 7th.
Apparently Vitor Belfort is still in line for the next title shot. Am I the only one thinking there are better options for Silva?
Between fighting Georges St-Pierre (and I'll have more on the UFC's failure to put this fight on next week) and moving up to 205, a fight with Vitor Belfort just doesn't do it for me.
The rest of the division is pretty muddled, especially with the Maia/Sonnen/Marquardt love triangle. Those three might be the best example of rock/paper/scissors in MMA.
In addition to the roshambo trio, you have guys like Wanderlei Silva, Michael Bisping, and a rejuvenated Chris Leben within reach of the title mix. Assuming Anderson gets by Chael and the expected Vitor, I'm not sure who or how this division will provide (as) its next challenger.
A look at the relevant upcoming middleweight fights after the break.
Mark Munoz vs. Yushin Okami @ UFC on Versus 2 - Okami had a ton of problems with the pressure that Chael Sonnen put on him at UFC 104. Was Sonnen's go-forward wrestling the problem or was it just a bad fight for Okami coming off of a torn knee ligament? Mark Munoz, on the other hand, had a lot of trouble with Kendall Grove before mounting a comeback and finishing off the Hawai'ian in round two. Okami is a similarly tall middleweight with much better standup. Good style clash and good matchmaking.
Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen @ UFC 117 - What can I say about this fight that Chael Sonnen has already said in his own borderline-racist way? Fans and media alike have maligned Silva for his performance against Demian Maia at UFC 112. Chael Sonnen should push Anderson toward the fight people want to see, but will his pressure wrestling be enough to defeat Silva on its own?
Nate Marquardt vs. Rousimar Palhares @ UFC 118 - Joe Silva puts together a fight between two of the dirtiest players in the game. Marquardt punches dudes after the bell and spikes them on their heads while Palhares just tries to rip your leg off.
Demian Maia vs. Alan Belcher @ UFC Fight Night 22 - Another great fight from Joe Silva. If Belcher can keep this standing, he has a great avenue toward winning a decision. Unfortunately, I think Maia's ability to bring the fight to the floor is going to be prominent here, and Belcher's going to have to be very mindful that the Brazilian doesn't do us all a favor and remove his Johnny Cash tattoo from his body.
Michael Bisping vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama @ UFC 120 - It's unfortunate that this will get heat being the main event of a numbered show because this is a good fight at 185. Akiyama might have to find his sexy at 170 after this because I see Bisping peppering him from the outside for three rounds.
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Belcher’s going to have to be very mindful that the Brazilian doesn’t do us all a favor and remove his Johnny Cash tattoo from his body
Great line! Hahahah. I agree about the undeserved heat given to Bisping vs Aki as well as your expected result. I think Sexy could do well at 185 if he got a better gas tank, although the better gas tank could very well put him at a weight where he should be at 170.
I love the fightlines, always an interesting perspective on a division. If Anderson beats Chael I don’t know who I’d want him to fight next.
ALL OF YOU LISTEN TO MEE, DON'T DISTURB HERE, I WILL CALL POLICE CATCH YOU, DON'T COME TO MY BANGOLOW HOUSE, UNDERSTAND, O.K. I HATE ALL OF YOU.
When did Marquardt punch someone after the bell?
My attention, you has it.
Also, I thought that he didn’t spike Leites on his head? Need moar gif.
Get rid of the ramp!
I don't have the .gif but he spiked Thales
and hit him with a horrible illegal knee. Honestly, that knee probably should have ended the fight. IIRC, the late punches were when he fought Almeida.
I don’t like calling Nate dirty… but he can lose his head, to say the least.
ALL OF YOU LISTEN TO MEE, DON'T DISTURB HERE, I WILL CALL POLICE CATCH YOU, DON'T COME TO MY BANGOLOW HOUSE, UNDERSTAND, O.K. I HATE ALL OF YOU.
by Chris Barton on Jul 28, 2010 7:19 PM EDT up reply actions
Dirty?
What about the steroids? Is that dirty enough?
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But he did redeem hi
It would be my honor to be your new stepfather.
by Pha Q on Jul 28, 2010 9:46 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
But he did redeem himself with the Miaia fight
It would be my honor to be your new stepfather.
by Pha Q on Jul 28, 2010 9:47 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
It was Almeida in Pancrase I believe.
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by Mike Fagan on Jul 28, 2010 7:25 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Ahh yes, you mean the time when Renzo came in and kicked him in the head after Nate got subbed.
Your beliefs become your reality.
by Hardy's in your face on Jul 28, 2010 10:01 PM EDT up reply actions
Yep
ALL OF YOU LISTEN TO MEE, DON'T DISTURB HERE, I WILL CALL POLICE CATCH YOU, DON'T COME TO MY BANGOLOW HOUSE, UNDERSTAND, O.K. I HATE ALL OF YOU.
by Chris Barton on Jul 28, 2010 10:43 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah... Renzo said he could tell from how intense the fight was that Nate would lash out.
Nate actually apologised on the spot. They joke about it now.
Here you go.
If you're not watching Treme, you're a bad person.
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett
by Scott C. Broussard on Jul 28, 2010 7:29 PM EDT up reply actions
It was Almeida in Pancrase I believe.
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by Mike Fagan on Jul 28, 2010 8:22 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
GSP vs. Silva
I still don’t understand why people want to push this fight…I guess nobody remembers that GSP said “yes, I’ll take it, but I’d have to take at least a year off to muscle up to 210 or so, and then we’ll be about the same size come fight time”…yes, Silva walks around 220lbs or so…you really want to put a 192lbs (that was GSP’s walking weight before the Hardy fight) guy against him? That’s f’ing ridiculous.
And no, I don’t want GSP taking a year off during his prime years…lose 3 fights of GSP at 100% for a maybe fight at who-knows-what-% after going up 20+ pounds? Idiocy.
And no, Silva already said he isn’t going down to 170…hell, he just said he doesn’t want to go up to 205 anymore either…so…stop pushing this fight, it’s idiocy.
Silva said he would be willing to go to 170
in a recent interview, didn’t he?
ALL OF YOU LISTEN TO MEE, DON'T DISTURB HERE, I WILL CALL POLICE CATCH YOU, DON'T COME TO MY BANGOLOW HOUSE, UNDERSTAND, O.K. I HATE ALL OF YOU.
by Chris Barton on Jul 28, 2010 7:20 PM EDT up reply actions
in a more recent one
he said anyone who wants to fight me has to meet me at 185
Forever indebted to CroCop's left leg for getting me into MMA
by Well Read Idiot on Jul 28, 2010 7:40 PM EDT up reply actions
I get that
but the other comments are recent enough that I don’t think it’s that “ridiculous” or “idiocy” to suggest Anderson would be willing to go to a different weight for a super fight. The dude clearly changes his mind about stuff.
ALL OF YOU LISTEN TO MEE, DON'T DISTURB HERE, I WILL CALL POLICE CATCH YOU, DON'T COME TO MY BANGOLOW HOUSE, UNDERSTAND, O.K. I HATE ALL OF YOU.
by Chris Barton on Jul 28, 2010 7:41 PM EDT up reply actions
fair point.
Forever indebted to CroCop's left leg for getting me into MMA
by Well Read Idiot on Jul 28, 2010 8:09 PM EDT up reply actions
If wanting a fight between the two best fighters in the world is idiocy...
I’ll proudly out myself as an idiot. People need to understand that Silva vs St. Pierre =/= St. Pierre vs Penn. St. Pierre has a clear avenue of victory and a realistic shot to pull it off unlike most of the fighters Anderson has fought during his middleweight reign. If the fight doesn’t happen soon it’ll go down as a wasted opportunity just like Liddell/W. Silva, Fedor/Couture, and Fedor/Lesnar.
I understand the weight discrepancy is a legitimate issue, but one that should be overcome. This is a true superfight and has a chance to be a signature moment in the short history of the sport.
by BilboMcFonzie on Jul 28, 2010 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions
I find it odd that people use the size excuse for GSP/Silva, but that was never a concern for holding off on Penn/GSP II.
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Well yeah!
Who cares if BJ gets be ate to the point of brain damage? :-)
Actually, I believe the difference is that nobody thought that he had any competition at lightweight so he might as well head to WW. (Nobody told Frankie.)
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STUPID IPAD KEYBOARD
That should say “beaten.”
Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ.
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Not yesterday
Yesterday at the phone conference for 117 he said:
“No, I haven’t gotten bored. I like my sport, my weight division and I’m prepared to stay in my weight division.” – A. Silva.
so….for today, at least, he isn’t going to any other weight.
As for 170…I pretty much doubt he’d be able to make 170 on short (less than 6 months) notice…and then GSP would have to fight him at 178 or whatever catchweight, because you can bet he won’t say no when Silva doesn’t make weight and Dana asks him to take the fight anyway.
Anyone else find it funny...
That Anderson is all about fighting in other weight divisions…..until Shogun KO’s Machida. Now he’s making everybody come to his weight lol.
Just an observation, could be a coincidence.
I noticed
That he wanted to fight in other divisions until Brock Lesnar learned BJJ.
I’m sure THAT’S it…..
ALL OF YOU LISTEN TO MEE, DON'T DISTURB HERE, I WILL CALL POLICE CATCH YOU, DON'T COME TO MY BANGOLOW HOUSE, UNDERSTAND, O.K. I HATE ALL OF YOU.
by Chris Barton on Jul 28, 2010 7:42 PM EDT up reply actions
I still don't know how to read these things...
But the BEASTMAN getting mention anywhere is awesome.
Check out the rest of my stuff at FightLockdown.com
Maia/Marquardt/Sonnen is only the second best rock/paper/scissors in MMA. The first is Hughes/Trigg/Hallman.
"If I wanted to spend a half hour between two hairy legs I'd go to your mother's house." -Don Frye
by mburtoni on Jul 28, 2010 7:57 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 1 recs
But what makes Maia/Marquardt/Sonnen so nice...
Is that it’s Wrestler/Striker/BJJ. Not exactly, of course, but better than the rest.
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Hughes/Trigg/Hallman
This is such a nice combo because it happened TWICE to each fighter, and each fight was a definitive win. Hughes beats Trigg twice. Trigg destroys Hallman twice. Hallman easily subs Hughes twice.
That trio has to be unique in that respect.
by Jeremiah Johnson. on Jul 29, 2010 2:17 AM EDT up reply actions
I love the Vitor fight
Neither Anderson nor GSP want the fight, and since they’re in different weight classes there’s no reason to make them.
█♣█
A wise man told me don't argue with fools
Cause people from a distance can't tell who is who -- Jay-Z
I recently rewatched Vitor vs Reem 2 and had an eerie feeling that we would see back flopping if he fought Silva.
"...ride life straight to perfect laughter,
it's the only good fight there is."
by dancingChicken on Jul 29, 2010 10:50 AM EDT up reply actions
Marquardt isn't dirty
He pulled up on Maia after his one punch KO when he could have Rampaged him.
█♣█
A wise man told me don't argue with fools
Cause people from a distance can't tell who is who -- Jay-Z
by thetakeover on Jul 28, 2010 9:20 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
I was just about to say the same thing, funny there’s nothing about belcher spiking Cote on his head
Wasn’t a spike – Cote was rotating and landed on his forehead. Spiking is when the spire is perpendicular to the ground.
If you're not watching Treme, you're a bad person.
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett
by Scott C. Broussard on Jul 28, 2010 9:38 PM EDT up reply actions
I can’t copy the gif (blame my girls mac) but check it out here http://www.mmatko.com/alan-belcher-faceplants-patrick-cote-at-ufc-113-gif/
that move looks pretty familiar
Are you Canadian perhaps?
RIP Phil Harris. I'll miss you man
by II SMASH II on Jul 28, 2010 10:15 PM EDT up reply actions
It IS close
but it’s not the same
ALL OF YOU LISTEN TO MEE, DON'T DISTURB HERE, I WILL CALL POLICE CATCH YOU, DON'T COME TO MY BANGOLOW HOUSE, UNDERSTAND, O.K. I HATE ALL OF YOU.
by Chris Barton on Jul 28, 2010 10:44 PM EDT up reply actions
I would hardly call Nate Marquardt a cheater. I think we can agree the Thales Leites fight was stolen from him because of bad deductions.
He was suspended for steroid use.
That’s cheating.
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I’m a noob with these FightLines. Can anyone explain to me how these work and why they are so significant?
by ultima0chaotic on Jul 28, 2010 11:44 PM EDT reply actions
I can't explain either.... but
I think it would be great if someone came up with a method of showing divisional fighter dominance kinda like the way Google’s PageRank works:
This image should show you what I mean..
Vitor should have to earn the shot – he’s still 0-0 at 185 since coming back – but I will watch the SHIT out of that fight.
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by Derek Suboticki on Jul 29, 2010 1:34 AM EDT reply actions
Because of the loop created by
BELCHER > COTE > GROVE > ROSHOLT > LEBEN > AKIYAMA > BELCHER
Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ.
I blog at TangleBones - you should follow me on Twitter here.
If you like it, you should put a rec on it.
But why does:
BELCHER > COTE > GROVE > ROSHOLT > LEBEN
Affect:
LEBEN > AKIYAMA > BELCHER
When they are nowhere near each other on the lines and Akiyama would fit nicely between Rosholt and Leben. It would also put Akiyama nice and close to Bisping.
Reply fail truck more like it. :-)
Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ.
I blog at TangleBones - you should follow me on Twitter here.
If you like it, you should put a rec on it.
Because you can't rank somebody above somebody else on the chart when there's a loop.
All those wins get erased.
Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ.
I blog at TangleBones - you should follow me on Twitter here.
If you like it, you should put a rec on it.
because belcher has to be above cote, who has to be above cote, who has to be above grove, who has to be above rosholt, who has to be above leben
Are you talking about Akiyama’s actual placement on the graph and not with lines to/from each guy?
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