The UFC 79 card was definitely exciting, but what exactly does it mean for the UFC and its fighters? Ben Zeidler examines the subject.
Liddell is back!
Chuck Liddell is back in full force, utterly dominating Wanderlei Silva for three straight rounds. Sure, he didn't knock The Axe Murderer out cold, but the performance was solid enough to declare The Iceman officially on the rebound from his Rampage loss earlier this year.
St. Pierre takes the crown
Georges St. Pierre beat Hughes with the very move he was beaten by more than two years ago. In doing this, he established himself as the clear top Welterweight and looks to be steamrolling towards avenging the Serra loss.
Sokoudjou NOT the real deal, Machida is though...
The aura surrounding Sokoudjou's two quick knockouts earlier this year was dispelled as Machida showed the extent of his ability in a dominant submission victory. Sokoudjou goes back to the drawing board, Machida goes to the top 4 of the division.
Sylvia-Nogueira for interim belt
It's been long rumored, but it's now confirmed that Tim Sylvia will get a shot as his old belt, but he'll have to go through top 3 HW Nogueira first. This will be the second of three interim titles which will be awarded between December and March.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
UFC 79 Analysis
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
UFC 79, M-1 Videos
Thanks to our Senior Writer, Jordan Arnold, we've got some excellent videos here. Look for UFC 79 videos as well as Fedor's win, after the jump.
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Hong Man Choi
Nate Mohr vs. Manny Gamburyan
Georges St. Pierre vs. Matt Hughes
Lyoto Machida vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Masakatu Funaki
Saturday, December 29, 2007
UFC 79 Results
Check back here tonight for live results of UFC 79. Look after the jump for results.
Matt Hughes vs. Georges St. Pierre III (Welterweight title)
-Georges St. Pierre wins by Submission (Arm Bar) in Round 2 (4:54)
Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva
-Chuck Liddell wins by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Soi Palalei vs. Eddie Sanchez
-Eddie Sanchez wins by TKO (Strikes) in Round 3 (3:24)
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou vs. Lyoto Machida
-Lyoto Machida wins by Submission (Arm Triangle) in Round 2 (4:20)
Rich Clementi vs. Melvin Guillard
-Clementi wins via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in Round 2 (4:40)
Dean Lister vs. Jordan Radev
-Dean Lister wins via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
James Irvin vs. Luis Cane
-James Irvin wins via DQ (Illegal Knee)
Roan Carneiro vs. Tony DeSouza
-Roan Carneiro wins by TKO (Strikes) in Round 2 (3:30)
Manny Gamburyan vs. Nate Mohr
-Manny Gamburyan wins by Submission (Heel Hook) in Round 1 (1:31)
Doug Evans vs. Mark Bocek
-Mark Bocek wins via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Friday, December 28, 2007
Classic Fights Close Door On 2007
UFC 79 offers up a buffet of mega fights. Georges St. Pierre and Matt Hughes look to set the bar for MMA trilogies with an interim title clash. Wanderlei Silva and Chuck Liddell seek the knockout that can cement their legacy as the greatest 205-pounder in MMA history. Young talents Rameau Thierry Sokodjou and Lyoto Machida battle to validate their mystique en route to title contention. Saturday night aims to bring New Year’s fireworks two days early.
By Danny Acosta
The third installment of the trilogy between Georges St. Pierre and Matt Hughes includes storylines that transcend the sport. Hughes is the established champion, secure in his hall of fame status, mulling retirement but still sharpening his competitive edge. He takes on the paragon for the future—an unstoppable entity that has both succumb and overcome the pressures of elite competition.
Despite Matt Hughes’ hopes, St. Pierre stepping in on short notice is not an issue. The Greg Jackson-trained fighter stays active between matches and was training Rashad Evans for a November clash. Shortly after, he jumped at the opportunity to regain his top spot in the 170lb division when Matt Serra stepped down due to injury.
“Rush” dethroned the Illinois native with ease last November. It was a different fighter than Hughes had seen in their 2004 bout. The French Canadian nullified takedowns and punished him every step of the way. Rangy and fluid strikes ended the Miletich champion’s night early after St. Pierre followed up with ground and pound to a technical knockout.
Hughes cannot enter this fight with his, “I’ll find a way to win” attitude that hindered his second performance. There is no doubt he is one of the most resourceful fighters in history. However, his opponent’s ability to dictate where the fight takes place will not allow for openings. Hughes must make them.
With his ties cut from the MIletich camp for the first time, Hughes needs to remember what MFS imparted to him—confidence and strict game plans. Recalling that he submitted St. Pierre, Hughes has to inch forward, cutting off angles and bullying St. Pierre against the cage. Putting the twenty-six-year-old on his back and grinding out a decision is the former champion’s best bet. Pushing St. Pierre into the latter rounds and neutralizing his offense can dent confidence—the deciding factor of this fight.
If Hughes pulls out a victory, he reasserts his legend against the man who questioned it the loudest. If he loses, St. Pierre rises into his spot as the most dominant welterweight in the world, but still has the long road of reign ahead of him—including a clash with Matt Serra.
In the co-main event, former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell loads up his counter-punching power against former Pride middleweight champion Wanderlei Silva. The fight is five years in the making, stemming from their extensive time as unflappable champions.
For Liddell, the lights of stardom shined too bright for him to see in the Octagon, leading to two devastating losses. For Silva, back-to-back knockout defeats have sent him to rest his battle-worn body while building his murderous rage. Although the fight has lost its king versus king significance, the implications are heavy—the winner may be recognized as the greatest 205-pounder in MMA history.
The “Iceman” cannot rely solely on his fists as he did against Keith Jardine because Silva will throw everything in his arsenal with malice. Kicks are the most integral part of the San Luis Obispo fighter’s game plan. They can punish Silva and keep him at a distance, causing confusion for the former Chute Boxer as suffered against Mirko Crocop. More importantly, they set up Liddell’s looping power punches. The blitzkrieg that is Silva plays right into Liddell’s counterpunching style. Mixing strikes increases the Brazilian’s chances of making a grave mistake—Liddell’s trademark, punctuated with the heavy right hand.
However, like Liddell, the “Axe Murderer” has excellent recovery time. America’s newest import must close the distance and push the pace. Emphasizing traditional boxing in preparation for this fight counters Liddell’s Kempo style well. It will allow the nearly forty-fight veteran to close the distance where he can launch his hatchet-like knees. Silva cannot come forward wildly, but he must be relentless because Liddell will not stick around in the clinch.
Despite the strategies involved in the two different yet dangerous styles, make no mistake—this is a fight that rests on the answer to one question: “Who gets to whose chin first?” (Dave Camarillo). There is no title on the line when Liddell battles Silva. But for the “Axe Murderer” and the “Iceman,” there is still a trophy—the other’s head.
In another light heavyweight bout with serious career implications, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou challenges Lyoto Machida. “Judo Thierry” debuts in the UFC still clouded in questions—just as Machida did in his stateside journey—about his cardio, heart, and chin…to name a few.
Sokoudjou has drawn criticism, ironically, because his showings have been so strong, knocking out Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Ricardo Arona. His aggressive and heavy style is what Machida has made a living toppling. The karate stylist is defensive but destructive in his own right. He has been looking to finish fights since joining the UFC. This can cause problems for Sokoudjou, who lacks experience and typically fights his fight. Coming forward and staying cautious is the undefeated fighter’s route to victory.
“The African Assassin” has a distinct size advantage. After testing the stand-up waters, taking the fight to the cage and employing his judo to set up ground and pound is his best bet to finish the Japanese-Brazilian. Stifled against the fence, Machida cannot be elusive.
The winner propels himself into title contention, a loss is only a minor setback in a young, promising career.
Heavyweight Eddie Sanchez stands across from Soa Palalei in the swing bout of the night. Palelei, training out of Team Quest, enters the bout with a more diverse arsenal than the game, but narrow-minded Sanchez. The Samoan exploits stubborness to a technical knockout victory.
In a lightweight bout to open the night, New Orleans pride is on the line when Melvin Guillard comes after Rich Clementi in a bad blood battle. Guillard’s athleticism can dictate where the fight occurs, which does not bode well for “No Love.” However, the “Young Assassin” lacks the mental component to his game. This can land him in some trouble—especially on the ground—against a well-rounded veteran like Clementi. Guillard’s high-profile loss and embarrassing cocaine scandal likely brings him out the gate furious. If Clementi can drag the fight on, his chances of snagging a victory increase dramatically.
As UFC 79 comes to a close, four of the sports biggest stars in Georges St. Pierre, Matt Hughes, Wanderlei Silva, and Chuck Liddell will have their careers drastically altered. Concluding the year brings different resolutions for the four: win the title or just survive?
Thursday, November 15, 2007
UFC Signs Sokoudjou
Gerbasi's article:2007 has seen the UFC's Light Heavyweight division become the most talent-rich weight class in the world. At UFC 79, which will take place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on December 29th, fight fans will get a glimpse of the newest addition to the 205-pound ranks as “The African Assassin”, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, makes his UFC debut against unbeaten sharpshooter Lyoto Machida.
“Sokoudjou is an explosive athlete with heavy hands and great judo who is coming off huge back-to-back knockout wins over two top ten guys in Ricardo Arona and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira,” said UFC President Dana White. “Bringing him in just makes the stacked 205-pound division even stronger, and there are endless great matchups for him here in the UFC.”
A highly regarded judoka who won the 2001 US Open, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (4-1) moved to the United States from his native Cameroon in 2001, and by 2004, he had turned his attention to mixed martial arts. He made his MMA debut in 2006, and by 2007 he was brought in to fight in the PRIDE organization. It was there that Sokoudjou truly made his mark as he knocked out world-class light heavyweights Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Ricardo Arona in consecutive bouts, with neither fight making it out of the second minute. A member of the renowned Team Quest in California, the 23-year old Sokoudjou comes to the Octagon with great potential and even greater expectations.
Unbeaten in 11 pro fights, Brazil’s Lyoto Machida is one of the most accurate and technical strikers in the game today. Owner of wins over BJ Penn, Rich Franklin, and Stephan Bonnar, Machida entered the UFC Octagon for the first time in February of 2007 and he has since scored wins over Sam Hoger and David Heath. In September, Machida fought the most impressive fight of his UFC career when he soundly outpointed PRIDE vet Kazuhiro Nakamura. On December 29th, he will be pushed to the limit by the hard-hitting Sokoudjou.
“I’m looking very forward to this fight,” said Machida. “I know Sokoudjou doesn’t have a lot of fights, but the fights he’s had are big, and he has beaten some very big names in this sport. I think this is going to be a great fight, and I am looking forward to winning this fight, and to moving on and fighting for the UFC title.”
“Machida needs to fight a guy who will come right after him, keep the pressure on him, and set the pace, instead of Machida setting the pace,” said White. “Sokoudjou’s that type of guy.”
Sunday, August 26, 2007
IRISH WHIP FIGHTING EXCLUSIVE: RAMEAU THIERRY SOKOUDJOU INTERVIEW
BZ: Having been the underdog for both you Nogueira and Arona fight, do you enjoy having the underdog role better and being able to shut up all your critics? BZ: How hard was the transition from the gi in Judo to the no-gi situation in MMA? Do you find a lot of your judo techniques ineffective now that the gi is not present? BZ: Do you prefer fighting in a cage or in the traditional ring? BZ: How did you originally meet Dan and was he the one who really sparked your interest in MMA? BZ: Have you gotten a chance to help your manager and fellow Team Quest fighter, Dan Henderson train for his upcoming bout with BZ: How do you think BZ: If the money was right and the opportunity arose, would you ever step up to the plate to fight Dan Henderson for the belt? BZ: Absolutely. (Laughs) BZ: Hell, I’d fight Dan Henderson if the money were right. BZ: Who in your opinion is the greatest of all time? BZ: Do you think Fedor is unbeatable? If not, what are his weaknesses? BZ: How do you rank yourself amongst the other fighters in your weight class? BZ: Yep. Tell me you’re better than all of them. BZ: So, you’re only 23 years of age, and you’ve obviously got a huge future in front of you. Are there any other specific goals or things you want to accomplish outside of your fighting career? BZ: Now, what is your take on this ongoing steroid issue amongst fighters? BZ: Are there any sponsors you’d like to thank? Or anything we can plug for you? BZ: Anything you’d like to say to your fans? BZ: Okay, I have to ask flat out. Are you signing with the UFC? BZ: Give me a call when you know where you’re headed. We’d love to be the ones to break the story. BZ: Sounds like a plan. Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me tonight. BZ: Talk to you later…
I caught up with The African Assassin late last week to discuss his contract situation, the EliteXC fall out, the prospect of fighting Dan Henderson, his thoughts on Fedor, and more! He's one of the least interviewed and most talked about stars in all of MMA and he had some extremely interesting things to say during the course of our half hour conversation. Sokoudjou opens up inside!
Ben Zeidler: Do you still have family in West Africa or have they all moved to the
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou: I actually still have family all around the world. I’ve got family in
BZ: With your two most recent knockouts putting you near the top of the Light Heavyweights, who is next in your crosshairs? Who do you have the most desire to fight?
RTS: At this point, I don’t really know. I’m not tied down to anyone or any organization. I wanted Shogun, but as of now, no one is lined up. I don’t have a job, man! (Laughs) It’s hard to call anyone out when you don’t have a job.
RTS: It really doesn’t matter to me, you know? Every time I take a fight, I’m going to beat the other guy whether I’m the underdog or not. No matter who he is, I just want to fight the best guys and have good fights.
BZ: You've certainly showed MMA critics and fans around the world that you can strike, but you’re also 2001 US Open Judo Champion; do you plan on utilizing your judo skills more often in your fights to come?
RTS: You know, it’s all about strategy. Nogueira and Arona are Jiu-Jitsu guys and I thought I’d have to do that. I thought I’d have to be with them on the ground and I trained for that. You don’t always know how the fight is going to go, but I do train for the strengths of other fighters.
RTS: (Laughs) Even as of today, I tried a judo throw and I got yelled at. I’m still making the transition and learning what I can do and what I can’t.
BZ: Are there specific skills (be it wrestling, jiu jitsu, boxing, etc.) that you plan on focusing more so than others?
RTS: It really depends on who I’m fighting. Whether it’s a boxer or a wrestler, I’ll train differently to get ready for a specific fighter. What the other guy can do changes my game plan, and what my training looks like.
BZ: In your words, what happened with the EliteXC deal?
RTS: There were too many changes on the contract. And I guess the details were never hammered out. Man, I’m not a lawyer and they hand me some 20 page contract for me and Parsons to look over, but that’s not my job. My job is to fight. We had a lawyer check it out; I don’t know exactly what happened but we chose not to sign. I just want to train and get ready instead of dealing with contracts.
BZ: Leader of your Team Quest camp, Ryan Parsons, stated that you are now waiting to sign with K-1, is still the case?
RTS: I’m unemployed…that’s all I can say right now. I wish I could tell you, man.
RTS: Wherever the money is, man! Cage or ring, I don’t care, baby! I guess, though, that the cage is easier for me because I can lean on it when I get tired. But when it comes down to it, no matter where I am, the guy across the ring from me is a fighter and so it doesn’t really matter.
RTS: I met him in November before his Nakamura fight. They were looking for a judo guy to help him train and they called me in and he beat me up bad. I was 240 and he was 183 and he still beat me up pretty bad. Then, they called me in again before
RTS: We started a couple weeks ago and he’s beating everyone in the room and working hard. He’ll be ready.
BZ: Will you be in
RTS: I'll probably be in his corner if he wants me there. It would be a great honor.
RTS: Come on now! Obviously, Dan will win the fight quite easily.
RTS: Well, would you pay to see Dan knock me out?
RTS: (Laughs) He beats me up enough in practice and I don’t need to be embarrassed on TV.
RTS: Shit…that would suck, man.
RTS: It takes a lot to step into the cage and give everything up so I’d have to say everyone. Everyone who trains to fight. So many guys put everything into training and never get their first fight.
RTS: No one is unbeatable, it takes the right guy with the right strategy. When Cro Cop fought him, he was able to show us that Fedor isn't perfect and I think that if the right striker came along, he would be able to beat him. He’s human so someone will come up with a game plan and someone will beat him.
RTS: I’m just another fighter. (Laughs) You’d like it if I said I was the best, wouldn’t you.
RTS: (Laughs) No way, man. You know how to figure that out? Get us all in a tournament and have a point system based on type of win and strength of win. The numbers will tell you who is the best. To me, it doesn’t make sense because I come from a judo background and other guys do not. We all have our own strengths. There’s a difference between being in the Olympics and different MMA organizations. It is all too different to have rankings. Rankings don’t mean anything to me, I’m just a fighter.
RTS: I’d like to get a degree. All of my brothers have two masters and I want to go back to school. Maybe I’ll become a doctor.
RTS: Cheating has always been a part of the game. Lots of people say if you don’t cheat, you aren’t trying hard enough. Some people just make the wrong decisions and I’m not familiar with those kinds of things. I think it’s bad for the sport because those guys who are doing it…what will happen next, you know? Everyone will do it and it will get out of control.
RTS: Yeah, go check out africanassassin.com
RTS: I hope to have two fights by the end of the year. I just want to entertain people and have a good fight, that’s it.
RTS: I wish I could tell you tonight, man. I wish I could tell you tomorrow, but as of today Ryan Parson is still working on it.
RTS: All right man, send me a text or write to me on myspace with your email and I will keep you updated and let you know as soon as I find out where I’m going.
RTS: No problem, man.
RTS: Okay, sounds good.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou Pulls Out of EliteXC Deal
More and more free agents are emerging in the MMA market while top name promotions make their attempts to obtain the best ones. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou has now been added to that roster.
Sokoudjou was originally thought to be signing with EliteXC during the Shamrock vs. Baroni event that went down last month.
According to Elite XC president, Gary Shaw, the deal was near completion until a more appealing deal was offered to Sokoudjou, a deal Shaw was "not willing to match."
Shaw did not specify which promotion "stole" Sokoudjou away but, reports are stating that it was K-1.
Denis Kang is another example of a top middleweight, who has recently become a free agent as well.
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou is a Judo practitioner and champion and currently trains with Team Quest. Sokoudjou's most notable wins were his most recent two fights at PRIDE, where he knocked out Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in 23 seconds and knocked out Ricardo Arona in under two minutes at PRIDE 33 and 34, respectively.
As of now, the rumors have it looking like Sokoudjou will be signing with K-1 HERO's. I will keep you posted.
The Lianger
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Ranking The PRIDE FC Light Heavyweights
Prior to Zuffa's buyout of PRIDE and its stars, one could easily suggest that PRIDE held the most stacked Light heavyweight division of all-time. Between veterans Wanderlei Silva, Ricardo Arona, and Dan Henderson along with newcomers Quinton Jackson and Mauricio Rua (pictured), you'd be hard pressed to find a more stellar group of fighters. Yes, they're all superstars in their own right, but who is the best?
In order to rank the Light heavyweights, I chose the top guys (in my opinion) and looked at their "quality wins," meaning a win against any other member of the group. With apologies to Alistair Overeem and Ninja Rua, I went through the quality wins of the following fighters (in no order): Wanderlei Silva, Dan Henderson, Ricardo Arona, Quinton Jackson, Mauricio Rua, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, and Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou. After examining their quality wins, I was able to eliminate two from contention and rank the top 5.
Not enough information: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou. Little Nog had as many contests as some of the other fighters (3 contests against quality opponents), but only beat Dan Henderson while dropping contests to Mauricio Rua (who hasn't) and a recent one to wonder kid Sokoudjou. I felt that not only was there not enough information to make a determination on Little Nog, but if I had to make a decision, his 1-2 record wouldn't be enough to crack the Top 5. Sokoudjou, in his own right, is extremely impressive, but is only 5 contests into his MMA career. Granted, two of these are against Little Nog and Arona, but that isn't enough for me to place the "African Assassin" among the Top 5. Perhaps if he had beat Wandy and Hendo, that would be a different story, but he hasn't...not yet, at least.
5: Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Despite all the hoopla surrounding his dual wins against Chuck Liddell and infamous powerbomb of Arona, Rampage has done little else for himself. Since the Liddell wins don't count as quality victories (one came outside the auspices of PRIDE in addition to Liddell not being among the quality fighters), Rampage has just one quality win to show for himself (Arona) to go along with his loss to Shogun Rua and two losses to Wanderlei Silva. This 1-4 record was just decent enough to put him above Sokoudjou and into the Top 5.
4: Dan "Hollywood" Henderson. He does wield and impresive victory over Wanderlei Silva, but similar to Jackson, Henderson has little else to his name. His most recent win is the only one of its kind against a quality opponent while he holds a loss to Wanderlei, Little Nog, and Arona. His record stands at 1-3, with his only win coming against an opponent he's also lost to. Good, but not Shogun good.
3: Ricardo "Brazilian Tiger" Arona. At first, I thought that this spot was a little high for Arona. He, like everyone else, holds a loss to Wanderlei Silva and Mauricio Rua along with downright beatings from Rampage and Sokoudjou. However, he's the only man to ever beat BOTH Wanderlei Silva and Dan Henderson. And for that, I believe he deserves a top spot. His record comes in at 2-4, good enough to pull him in ahead of Henderson.
2: Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva. Originally, this spot was Wandy's. Then it was Shogun's. And now, it goes back to Wanderlei Silva. I looked at Shogun and Silva's quality wins and found that they've both beat Arona and Rampage (twice for Wanderlei). The discrepancy came when looking at who else they had beat, and of course, who they have lost to. Other than the matches listed previously, Silva's only other quality win came against Henderson while Shogun's came against Little Nogueira. In 2005, Little Nog beat Henderson. Point for Shogun. Now, to the losses. Silva has lost to two quality opponents (Arona and Henderson) while Shogun has lost to...oh, right. No one. Point to Shogun. Wanderlei is damn impressive, but considering his recent losing streak and less than perfect 4-2 record, he falls in at number two.
1: Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. How can you argue wth three quality wins (Arona, Rampage, Little Nog) and no losses against quality opponents? It's not likely that Shogun would fight Wanderlei as they are both Chute Boxe students, but a bout with Henderson following UFC 75 isn't out of the question at all. If Shogun managed to win that match up, he would solidify himself at the top of every 205 lb. ranking in the world. And oh yeah, he's just 25 years old.
Post below with your thoughts on my rankings!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Top 10 Fighters the UFC Need to Sign...NOW!
With the recent influx of PRIDE fighters into the UFC, there have definitely been some exciting fights and even more set to come in the future. However, there are still some fighters out there that White have yet to bring over to solidify the UFC as the top MMA organization, as far as talent goes. Here is my list of ten fighters not in the UFC, that includes WEC, I think White should definitely be going after for UFC's roster.
Fedor Emelianenko
Come on, the UFC need to grab Fedor already while he's still young. I have no interest in getting Fedor to the UFC five years down the line and watch young talent beat on him. The Fedor UFC deal has been so back and forth, I don't care what UFC president Dana White has to pay him, just pay the man what he wants and get him over here! I want it, the fans want it, the big man upstairs even wants it for his sake.
PRIDE's run out of competition to throw at Fedor, I mean, he's taken out everyone with the exception of Barnett. I'm sorry but I don't want to see another Fedor vs. Zulu again, that's just me. White's managed to snatch the majority of PRIDE's talent with Cro Cop, Noguiera, Herring, Filho (WEC), and "Shogun" Rua. Think of all the great possible matchups in the UFC, Emelianenko-Nog 4, Emelianenko-CC 2, Emelianenko-Couture, or how about, Emelianenko-ANY UFC HEAVYWEIGHT THEY THROW AT HIM.
Denis Kang
Now I know Denis Kang isn't the most popular fighter amongst the casual UFC fan but he has every right to be. Denis Kang is a damn exciting fighter. There's just something about him that catches my attention. Kang holds 27 wins in his fight record, composed of 15 submissions and 8 (T)KOs, pretty serious business if you ask me. I don't really know Kang's status as far as joining
the UFC, he was spotted in UFC lightweight Din Thomas' corner at UFC 71 - Liddell vs. Jackson, but who knows if that means anything. Kang is known mostly for his incredible explosiveness and well-rounded style of fighting, almost like Georges St. Pierre. Kind of reminds me of him too. Kang would be a solid addition to the UFC's middleweight division and would definitely pose a threat to any in that class. Kang is just in your face at all times and keeps the pressure on his
opponents. I think a fight against Anderson Silva and/or Rich Franklin could easily be dubbed as a "fight of the year."
Takanori Gomi
"The Fireball Kid" would definitely be a historical addition to the UFC's lightweight roster. BJ Penn's decision to remain a lightweight and Sean Sherk's growing popularity, the UFC's lightweight division can only further grow from here. With Gomi in the mix, it could make fights a lot more interesting. Penn actually scored a victory over Gomi back in 2003, but that would definitely be a rematch I'd like to see again. Gomi also knocked out Jens Pulver in 2004 at PRIDE's Shockwave 2004, a rematch between them would've been nice, though Pulver has recently moved to the WEC. I digress, my point is, Gomi has some solid talent, holds a current record of 27-3 and is still a pretty young guy with a bright future ahead of him.
Fantasy UFC matchups I'd stick around to see would be a rematch with Penn, Gomi-Sherk, and/or Gomi-Huerta. Haven't really heard any rumors or commotion about White making attempts to grab Gomi, but you never know. Let's just hope rumors arise sometime soon!
Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto
"Kid" is an absolute ANIMAL in the ring. With 11 out of 15 wins ending in some way of knockout, he is DEFINITELY what drunk UFC want to see. "Kid" gained much popularity in Shooto for his aggressive, well-rounded and controversial persona. Yamamoto is considered to be a top lightweight fighter.
Yamamoto fights as a natural Featherweight @ 145 lbs. but has fought numerous lightweight fights @ 155 lbs., so I'm sure the transition wouldn't be too harsh on him.
I could most DEF. see "Kid" taking out Sean "The Muscle Shark," both possessing similar skills I see Kid taking the edge in the striking game and ultimately over Sherk. I think Yamamoto-Sherk would be an jaw-dropping fight through and through.
Wanderlei Silva
There is no need as to why the UFC should sign "The Axe Murderer." With a lethal combination of knees, punches, and kicks, there's so telling what Silva could bring to the UFC with elbows allowed. Wanderlei Silva would definitely be a nice addition to the light heavyweight division, although it would cause a bit of a conflict if Shogun ever was to hold the belt soon because Shogun stated in early interviews that he'd never fight Wanderlei Silva, though that may quickly change down the line.
With Silva in the picture, we could see a much needed rematch between him and Tito Ortiz, who LnP'd Silva for a decision in their first meeting. The fickleness of the Liddell-Silva fantasy matchup would have a stronger basis of happening and we could just see some bad ass action from Silva inside the Octagon.
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
Sokoudjou has certainly proved his skills and made a name for himself with his recent knockouts of Lil' Nog and Ricardo Arona. He definitely possess the skills to play with the big boys and now that he's actually looking for another organization to head to, I think White needs to step it up a notch and make sure he gets first dibs on Sokoudjou. There was actually news about Sokoudjou looking into the UFC, but he ended up not liking some things with the contract and he recently turned down EliteXC.
Nonetheless, White needs to work out the kinks in the contract that Sokoudjou doesn't like and bring him to the UFC. Sokoudjou is extremely talented and is well versed on his feet and was also the 2001 Open Judo competition.
Ricardo Arona
Yeah, Arona hasn't done much recently other than pounding Alistair Overeem's face in at PRIDE's Final Conflict Absolute back in '06, but the man still has some talent left in his tank. Arona holds a win over Wanderlei Silva, Kazushi Sakuraba, Jeremy Horn, PRIDE champion Dan Henderson and others. Arona is best recognized for his strength and considered by many to the best light heavyweights in MMA.
Though Arona has been shunned by many MMA fans for not trying to finish fight and rather settling for decision wins, I still think he'd be pretty exciting in the UFC.
Mark Hunt
Oh dear God, Mark Hunt is a must have in the UFC in my opinion. Hunt, the 2001 K-1 World Grand Prix champion, has most probably the most solid chin in MMA today. Hunt has also won K-1's 2001 Oceania GP and K-1's 2000 Oceania GP. Holding wins over Mirko "Cro Cop," Wanderlei Silva, and putting up a damn good fight against MMA God Fedor Emelianenko, I think Mark Hunt would definitely be a top contender in UFC's heavyweight division.
Hunt not only has a granite chin, that was able to take a CLEAN kick to the head from Cro Cop, he has world class striking abilities.
Hunt has showed the world what he's capable of Mark Hunt in his epic battle with K-1 top kickboxer Ray Sefo, where the two Samoans had one of the greatest fights in history to date. Also, in another battle Hunt faced Fedor in PRIDE Shockwave 2006, where he controlled Emelianenko most of the fight and was even able to counter what looked to be a threatening armbar. Hunt would be a major threat to every current UFC heavyweight I could think of. I would love to see Hunt crush Tim Sylvia. But then again, I'd love to see anyone crush Tim Sylvia, thanks Couture!
Great possible matchups with Hunt would include: Hunt-Sylvia, Hunt-CC rematch, Hunt-Monson, Hunt-Arlovski, and Hunt-Nogueira.
Josh Barnett
Josh Barnett needs to come BACK to the UFC. Barnett was the youngest UFC heavyweight champion after he defeated current UFC HW champion Randy couture, in early 2002. Barnett holds wins over Rodrigo Nogueira, Semmy Schilt, Randy Couture, and Dan Severn. Barnett was also a runner-up in PRIDE's 2006 World OWGP, but ultimately lost to Mirko "Cro Cop."
Now that PRIDE is on a rapid decline, I think it's time for Barnett to hop back on the UFC bandwagon and give his try at becoming the UFC heavyweight champion for the second time.
Cung Le
Cung Le brings a unique style to any organization he fights in. A San Shou kickboxing world competitor, Le brings to MMA a new style of striking. Le has the wildest Kung-Fu esque kicks you couldn't even imagine. Combining crisp punching, spinning back kicks, backward axe kicks, Le has won all his 4 MMA fights by way of knockout. Le also holds a 3-0 record in K-1 competitions.
Although many critics wonder if Cung Le has what it takes on the ground, he has shown impressive takedowns in his San Shou matches. Le has yet to have to take any fight to the ground, quickly dominating most of his opponents on the feet in the first round.
Cung Le currently fights for Strikeforce but, I'm sure Dana White could easily mold his future to the UFC with the help of some green paper.
I'm sure all MMA fans wouldn't mind seeing Cung Le and current UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva square off in the Octagon!
