UFC Media
Sept 24, 2007 16:42:43 GMT -5
Post by DUCE on Sept 24, 2007 16:42:43 GMT -5
UFC's 205 from UFC is;
1 Rampage
2 Griffin
3 Shogun
4 Wand
5 Chuck
6 Tito
At least as far as this is concerned.
from
www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=news.detail&gid=8033
With the 205-lb world turned upside down over the past year, it’s time to take a survey of the UFC light heavyweight landscape.
DIVISION KINGPIN
Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson (28-6): Lots of fighters win championships. Great fighters defend them. Rampage’s stunning first-round knockout win over Liddell at UFC 71 earned him the championship he long coveted. But it was his five-round war with Dan Henderson at UFC 75 that legitimized the affable Rampage as a truly great fighter. The sport’s first undisputed champion is a highly skilled boxer with jaw-dropping physical strength and vastly underrated wrestling and ground skills. Questions still exist about his ability to defend knee strikes though, as he suffered two knockout losses to Wanderlei Silva and a technical knockout loss to Shogun from knees. But those losses occurred more than two years ago. Rampage is 16-3 since 2002, including his current six-fight winning streak. If he has rectified that perceived hole in his game, there is no telling how long the 29-year-old champion will reign supreme.
A MAN NAMED FORREST
Forrest Griffin (15-4): Griffin embodies everything that makes MMA the greatest sport in the world. He fights for the love of competition, not just for the ever-increasing purses. He ducks absolutely nobody, constantly asking to fight the very best in the world. He is a humble, at times vulnerable, superstar with a constant smile and a steady flow of self-deprecating quips. And, most importantly, he leaves a piece of his soul in the Octagon each and every time that he fights. Griffin is the UFC’s version of Arturo Gatti – a throwback fighter with a massive heart and a penchant for engaging in thrilling slugfests. Yet, he is quickly proving that unlike Gatti, he is not an A-list gatekeeper but a true elite fighter in his own right. Griffin’s big upset win over Shogun at UFC 76 should be enough to justify a title shot in his next fight. Nobody can make a more persuasive argument as the number one contender in my opinion.
ELITE OR EXPOSED?
Shogun Rua (16-3): Talk about stumbles. Virtually everyone labeled Chute Boxe’s young superstar the next in line to hold UFC gold. While that may still hold true, he ran into a freight train named Forrest in his UFC debut. The absence of Shogun’s jumping, spinning and explosive strikes, as well as his soft physique and sluggish demeanor, will leave fight cognoscenti questioning whether he took Forrest lightly. Or was this just another vivid example of the fact that the UFC remains (and always has been) the Mecca of MMA? Regardless, one loss does not diminish any fighter, particularly one who has all the tools to be an ultra dominant champion. Expect the 25-year-old Brazilian to return in his next outing with his trademark explosive, unorthodox style and firmly reestablish himself among the UFC elite. Griffin and Keith Jardine did just that at UFC 76.
Wanderlei Silva (31-7-1): There was a time, not so long ago, that Wanderlei Silva was the most feared man inthe sport across all divisions. The “Axe Murderer” ruled PRIDE’s 205-lb division for five full years and 21 fights with but a controversial single loss to a guy who outweighed him by more than 50 lbs (Mark Hunt). His reign included wins over all-time great Kazushi Sakuraba (three times, to be precise) and two knockout wins over Rampage Jackson. Silva is the epitome of an all-action Muay Thai fighter with bone shattering power in his fists and knees who only knows how to fight one way – coming forward with reckless abandon and the throttle wide open. Did I mention that he also holds a black belt in jiu-jitsu? Silva returns to the Octagon after a nearly eight-year absence on the heels of back-to-back knockout losses to Cro Cop and Henderson. Has he been in one too many wars, or at 31 is he still in the prime of his amazing career? The division’s elite surely hope it is the former, because if it is the latter, then there very well could be a new sheriff in town.
Chuck Liddell (20-5): Over the past 40 months, Liddell has been the Mike Tyson of MMA. Not the unpredictable menace that folks watched with car-accident curiosity. Rather, he was the guy we called “Kid Dynamite” who tore through heavyweight boxers behind two-fisted knockout power like nobody before or since. Liddell has the perfect blend of lights-out power in both hands and the best takedown/scrambling ability in the game. Those skills led him to UFC gold, mainstream superstardom and multimillions in the bank. Liddell seemed unbeatable as early as a year ago, but no fighter beats Father Time. Two months shy of his 38th birthday, Liddell and his longtime trainer and friend, John Hackleman, need to ask themselves whether his two recent losses are just part of the sport or if the Iceman is on the downside of a brilliant career. The loss to Rampage can certainly be chalked up to the former. But he didn’t look like the Iceman of old against Jardine, who had more success against Liddell than he did against Stephan Bonnar and Rashad Evans. Liddell is in the midst of his first two-fight losing streak. Nevertheless, he suffered two technical knockout losses in a Three-fight span back in 2003. He rebounded with seven straight knockout wins to become the face of the sport.
Tito Ortiz (16-5-1): Once the poster boy of MMA, Ortiz is desperate for a dominant win over a credible opponent. The affable, entertaining former champion is a box office hit, but that won’t continue if he keeps stringing up less than stellar performances. Think otherwise? Aside from a washed up Ken Shamrock, the “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” hasn’t stopped an opponent since 2001. Again, Shamrock aside, he hasn’t scored a decisive win since he defeated current middleweight combatant Patrick Cote back in 2004. Many believe that he lost his 2006 bout with Forrest Griffin. And some, including this writer, believe that he was absolutely robbed of victory against Rashad Evans in his last bout after referee “Big” John McCarthy took a point away from him for holding onto the fence, despite the fact that Evans finished the takedown. Those might be harsh criticisms of Ortiz, but even he would agree that he is in need of a dominant win. Ortiz will someday go down as one of the greatest light heavyweight champions in history, as he still holds the record for consecutive 205-lb title defenses. Expect a more aggressive Ortiz to show up in his next bout, particularly if he is staring across the Octagon at Evans, as he is in search of a statement win that will propel him to yet another title opportunity in 2008.
1 Rampage
2 Griffin
3 Shogun
4 Wand
5 Chuck
6 Tito
At least as far as this is concerned.
from
www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=news.detail&gid=8033
With the 205-lb world turned upside down over the past year, it’s time to take a survey of the UFC light heavyweight landscape.
DIVISION KINGPIN
Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson (28-6): Lots of fighters win championships. Great fighters defend them. Rampage’s stunning first-round knockout win over Liddell at UFC 71 earned him the championship he long coveted. But it was his five-round war with Dan Henderson at UFC 75 that legitimized the affable Rampage as a truly great fighter. The sport’s first undisputed champion is a highly skilled boxer with jaw-dropping physical strength and vastly underrated wrestling and ground skills. Questions still exist about his ability to defend knee strikes though, as he suffered two knockout losses to Wanderlei Silva and a technical knockout loss to Shogun from knees. But those losses occurred more than two years ago. Rampage is 16-3 since 2002, including his current six-fight winning streak. If he has rectified that perceived hole in his game, there is no telling how long the 29-year-old champion will reign supreme.
A MAN NAMED FORREST
Forrest Griffin (15-4): Griffin embodies everything that makes MMA the greatest sport in the world. He fights for the love of competition, not just for the ever-increasing purses. He ducks absolutely nobody, constantly asking to fight the very best in the world. He is a humble, at times vulnerable, superstar with a constant smile and a steady flow of self-deprecating quips. And, most importantly, he leaves a piece of his soul in the Octagon each and every time that he fights. Griffin is the UFC’s version of Arturo Gatti – a throwback fighter with a massive heart and a penchant for engaging in thrilling slugfests. Yet, he is quickly proving that unlike Gatti, he is not an A-list gatekeeper but a true elite fighter in his own right. Griffin’s big upset win over Shogun at UFC 76 should be enough to justify a title shot in his next fight. Nobody can make a more persuasive argument as the number one contender in my opinion.
ELITE OR EXPOSED?
Shogun Rua (16-3): Talk about stumbles. Virtually everyone labeled Chute Boxe’s young superstar the next in line to hold UFC gold. While that may still hold true, he ran into a freight train named Forrest in his UFC debut. The absence of Shogun’s jumping, spinning and explosive strikes, as well as his soft physique and sluggish demeanor, will leave fight cognoscenti questioning whether he took Forrest lightly. Or was this just another vivid example of the fact that the UFC remains (and always has been) the Mecca of MMA? Regardless, one loss does not diminish any fighter, particularly one who has all the tools to be an ultra dominant champion. Expect the 25-year-old Brazilian to return in his next outing with his trademark explosive, unorthodox style and firmly reestablish himself among the UFC elite. Griffin and Keith Jardine did just that at UFC 76.
Wanderlei Silva (31-7-1): There was a time, not so long ago, that Wanderlei Silva was the most feared man inthe sport across all divisions. The “Axe Murderer” ruled PRIDE’s 205-lb division for five full years and 21 fights with but a controversial single loss to a guy who outweighed him by more than 50 lbs (Mark Hunt). His reign included wins over all-time great Kazushi Sakuraba (three times, to be precise) and two knockout wins over Rampage Jackson. Silva is the epitome of an all-action Muay Thai fighter with bone shattering power in his fists and knees who only knows how to fight one way – coming forward with reckless abandon and the throttle wide open. Did I mention that he also holds a black belt in jiu-jitsu? Silva returns to the Octagon after a nearly eight-year absence on the heels of back-to-back knockout losses to Cro Cop and Henderson. Has he been in one too many wars, or at 31 is he still in the prime of his amazing career? The division’s elite surely hope it is the former, because if it is the latter, then there very well could be a new sheriff in town.
Chuck Liddell (20-5): Over the past 40 months, Liddell has been the Mike Tyson of MMA. Not the unpredictable menace that folks watched with car-accident curiosity. Rather, he was the guy we called “Kid Dynamite” who tore through heavyweight boxers behind two-fisted knockout power like nobody before or since. Liddell has the perfect blend of lights-out power in both hands and the best takedown/scrambling ability in the game. Those skills led him to UFC gold, mainstream superstardom and multimillions in the bank. Liddell seemed unbeatable as early as a year ago, but no fighter beats Father Time. Two months shy of his 38th birthday, Liddell and his longtime trainer and friend, John Hackleman, need to ask themselves whether his two recent losses are just part of the sport or if the Iceman is on the downside of a brilliant career. The loss to Rampage can certainly be chalked up to the former. But he didn’t look like the Iceman of old against Jardine, who had more success against Liddell than he did against Stephan Bonnar and Rashad Evans. Liddell is in the midst of his first two-fight losing streak. Nevertheless, he suffered two technical knockout losses in a Three-fight span back in 2003. He rebounded with seven straight knockout wins to become the face of the sport.
Tito Ortiz (16-5-1): Once the poster boy of MMA, Ortiz is desperate for a dominant win over a credible opponent. The affable, entertaining former champion is a box office hit, but that won’t continue if he keeps stringing up less than stellar performances. Think otherwise? Aside from a washed up Ken Shamrock, the “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” hasn’t stopped an opponent since 2001. Again, Shamrock aside, he hasn’t scored a decisive win since he defeated current middleweight combatant Patrick Cote back in 2004. Many believe that he lost his 2006 bout with Forrest Griffin. And some, including this writer, believe that he was absolutely robbed of victory against Rashad Evans in his last bout after referee “Big” John McCarthy took a point away from him for holding onto the fence, despite the fact that Evans finished the takedown. Those might be harsh criticisms of Ortiz, but even he would agree that he is in need of a dominant win. Ortiz will someday go down as one of the greatest light heavyweight champions in history, as he still holds the record for consecutive 205-lb title defenses. Expect a more aggressive Ortiz to show up in his next bout, particularly if he is staring across the Octagon at Evans, as he is in search of a statement win that will propel him to yet another title opportunity in 2008.
