Go Gomi Go!!!

Post some diaries fools, if we like 'em we'll front page 'em. Kid Nate

Yes, the Fireball Kid is ready to fight again, but whom he fights isn't really the key. It's where he fights. As we ALL know Mr. Takanori Gomi has gained a reputation much unmatched by most mixed martial artists today. He is a victim of much love and hate in the Mixed Martial Arts community. Love from those who consider him the greatest lightweight in MMA history, and one of the most entertaining fighters in MMA at the moment but There's Also Hate from those who consider that he's been given too many things like PRIDE's decision to limit their Lightweight division at 160 pounds so that he wouldn't have trouble making weight and his "protection" by PRIDE with not forcing him into mandatory title bouts. As controversial as he is, him along with other PRIDE free agents seem to have a magnifying glass on them with regards to people wanting to see their every move hoping to see if they land in K-1's embryonic Hero's circuit or the equally embryonic UFC Lightweight Division. But why so much scrutiny if he doesn't sign with the UFC? I've overheard people say that if Gomi doesn't come to the UFC than he would somehow be making a sort of stupid move and would therefore be avoiding "real" competition. Is that really the case? And the obvious answer is NO!!!! Here's why...

Yes, the Fireball Kid is ready to fight again, but whom he fights isn't really the key. It's where he fights. As we ALL know Mr. Takanori Gomi has gained a reputation much unmatched by most mixed martial artists today. He is a victim of much love and hate in the Mixed Martial Arts community. Love from those who consider him the greatest lightweight in MMA history, and one of the most entertaining fighters in MMA at the moment but There's Also Hate from those who consider that he's been given too many things like PRIDE's decision to limit their Lightweight division at 160 pounds so that he wouldn't have trouble making weight and his "protection" by PRIDE with not forcing him into mandatory title bouts. As controversial as he is, him along with other PRIDE free agents seem to have a magnifying glass on them with regards to people wanting to see their every move hoping to see if they land in K-1's embryonic Hero's circuit or the equally embryonic UFC Lightweight Division. But why so much scrutiny if he doesn't sign with the UFC? I've overheard people say that if Gomi doesn't come to the UFC than he would somehow be making a sort of stupid move and would therefore be avoiding "real" competition. Is that really the case? And the obvious answer is NO!!!! Here's why...

As many people may not now, there is a Blossoming organization in Japan called Hero's, specifically K-1 Hero's. With the backing of the K-1 Giant, Sadahura Tanigawa (K-1 President) decided in 2004 to expand K-1 to incorporate Mixed Martial Arts independently from their Kickboxing circuit. They debuted in 2004 with K-1 Romanex, which shortly after become K-1 Hero's. In a span of only 3 years, Hero's has been able to secure some of the world's best talent under their Umbrella. Some fighters may be relative enigmas to some people like Hideo Tokoro, Katsuhiko Nagata, Andre Amade, and Kazyuki Miyata, all of which I might add are incredibly talented fighters including a ZST Superstar, a next Generation Chute Boxer, and a Former Olympic wrestler respectively, but on the other hand they boast something that the UFC's Lightweight Division doesn't have too much of, Proven, elite fighters, like Gesias "JZ" Calvancanti, a top 10 155 lbs. lightweight, Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto, former Shooto Featherweight Champion and a top 10 155 lbs. lightweight, and Vitor "Shaolin" Ribiero, Cage Rage Lightweight World Champion and another top 10 155 lbs.

SO WHY DO PEOPLE STILL THINK THAT GOMI WOULD STILL BE DUCKING THE OPPOSITION?, which I might add at the moment includes a selection of potentially great fighters, I repeat POTENTIALLY great like Roger Huerta, (who does seem poised to make huge waves but only until the UFC actually gives him a decent fight) Frank Edgar (who is getting tested and WILL prove to be a force to be reckoned with but not at the moment), Tyson Griffin (who does have big wins but only to B level fighters, Urijah Faber not included, nobody who's a real contender), Joe Stevenson (who will make the push to solidify himself as a contender and in my opinion is one of the main contenders for the UFC belt), Thiago Tavares (who is proving himself to be large with 2 wins over Naoyuki Kotani and Jason Black, but who in my opinion are not really the cream of the crop). The point is that the List goes on and it's filled with Possible Contenders for UFC not proven talent who in my opinion haven't built up their level to fight someone of Gomi's caliber. I do not hate specifically on the UFC though, in Hero's the 1 Fight that I'm 100% sure would be an epic, Gomi Vs. Andre Amade should not happen because Amade hasn't built himself to challenge a fighter the caliber of Takanori Gomi.

Also, I think we have to look at it from his point of view also. Would you take OPTION 1, which is stay in your home country, fight in front of educated fans, fight elite competition and get paid and I mean truly get paid, not the dismal 2 and 2 salary that Leonard Garcia makes who fights in the UFC's Lighweight Division gets? Or would you take OPTION B which is to come to the United States, not get any recognition, and most likely have to tolerate those stupid and unnecessary USA USA Chants. I think its clear and beneficially that if placed in those same shoes, we would also likely stay in Japan. So I'll repeat what I was trying to really get at. Gomi should stay in Japan because its beneficially to him 10 fold and us as fans because we get to see the best actually fight each other on a regular basis. SIDE NOTE: LEONARD GARCIA VS. ANYBODY IN THE UFC IS A GREAT MATCH BECAUSE LEONARD IS A GREAT FIGHTER AND DESERVES MORE THAN 2 AND 2 THAT THE UFC IS CURRENTLY PAYING HIM.