Well my prediction in my pound for pound ranking has become a reality. Neither Khabib nor Tony Ferguson likely wanted an interim belt but it will have to do since "The Notorious" is on his "fatherhood break". It is hard to make a prediction on this fight but I can see it going 2 way. Either Tony Ferguson will use his superior striking and keep away from and potentially knockout Nurmagomedov, or Khabib will be successful with his wrestling and potentially submit "El Cucuy". Either route I believe makes for a great fight for fans.
After an interim lightweight champion is crowned, the welterweight strap will be up for grabs. Tyron Woodley nearly lost his belt to Stephen Thompson in their last bout but he insists that this will be his chance to make a statement over the "Wonderboy". Let it be noted though that Tyron did not want the rematch and was looking for a "money" fight with the likes of Conor McGregor, GSP, or Nick Diaz. I see this fight ending a bit more decisively than the last bout. With 5 rounds against the unorthodox Thompson under his belt I feel Tyron Woodley will be far more aggressive this time around and find a way to finish "Wonderboy" the same way he has so many other great fighters.
Also already named to the UFC 209 card is the exciting heavyweight matchup between Mark Hunt and Alistair Overeem. While this fight is likely to end in knockout a prediction for me is not difficult. Aside from his loss to Stipe Miocic Overeem has been quite dominant as of late and I feel he get the ball rolling towards yet another UFC title shot with a knockout win over Mark Hunt. That being said though, Overeem must be careful because one slip up could send him falling both to the canvas and down the heavyweight rankings.
Monday, January 16, 2017
Saturday, January 7, 2017
UFC Pound for Pound Rankings; My Take
The UFC rankings are a very unique system. Unlike other systems such as college football or college basketball, the UFC and it's ranking system is internal. Of course many have argued and could argue that the UFC has used this to create hype for fighters they feel the fans will accept more willingly, such as Conor McGregor's quick run up the featherweight rankings. With this in mind the UFC does a good job with the rankings a great majority of the time, but it is important to look at what outside sources think. With all that being said here is my personal UFC pound for pound rankings.
#1 Demetrious Johnson
As long time fan #1 the UFC is now fully behind their flyweight champion. "Mighty Mouse" has cleaned out the UFC flyweight division and after his recent performance over Tim Elliot it would appear he has also cleaned out the world flyweight divison. Not much can be said negatively about the champion, as he combines phenomenal wrestling, with world class striking, and great jiu jitsu it appears as though Johnson will be king of the UFC and the flyweight division for years to come.
#2 Conor McGregor
The brash Irishman has taken the UFC by storm ever since his knockout of Marcus Brimage. Ever since "The Notorious" has used his great striking and huge mouth to increase not only his pay but his love from the UFC fans and hate from fellow UFC fighters. Aside from his loss to Nate Diaz, Conor is otherwise unblemished in the UFC beating many top level fighters and long time featherweight king and likely future UFC hall of famer Jose Aldo. Conor McGregor was also the first fighter to simultaneously hold two belts, however his inactivity at featherweight and a business decision forced the UFC to take this title from "The Notorious". Nonetheless, it cannot be denied that Conor McGregor cleaned out the featherweight division and destroyed the former lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez. It will be interesting to see what is next for Conor aside from fatherhood, he of course could stay at lightweight and fight Khabib Nurmagomedov or Tony Ferguson, or he could challenge Tyron Woodley for the welterweight title. Who knows what Conor wants to do but it is likely that whatever it is, we will know shortly after their is another McGrergor in the world.
#3 Cody Garbrandt
After much debate I have decided to give the #3 slot to "No Love". Much like Conor McGregor, Cody Garbrandt has also taken the UFC by storm after knocking out Marcus Brimage. At 25 years old Cody is poised to continue his reign atop the bantamweight division for quite some time. The biggest worry for "No Love" was his cardio, but after going 5 rounds with long time bantamweight king Dominick Cruz this worry is gone. Great power, phenomenal footwork and movement, and good wrestling are just a few of the things we have seen Cody showcase in his short time in the UFC.
#4 Jose Aldo
I strongly debated my 3 through 5 slots for a long while but I decided to look at them on a "what have you done for me lately" basis. While Aldo hasn't fought a great amount in the last 2 years, his 2nd win over Frankie Edgar certainly is a big one. Before his 13 second loss to "The Notorious" Conor McGregor Aldo was on a tear and had not lost since 2005 so that has a strong pull on his spot in the ratings. I personally am very excited for his upcoming match-up with interim champion Max Holloway. A win in that contest could in theory put Aldo in the conversation for the lightweight title and a shot to redeem his only UFC loss.
#5 Daniel Cormier
Daniel has managed to dominate the UFC's light heavyweight division. That is of course aside Jon Jones. That being said though DC's only title wins have came against Gustaffson and Johnson and while they are respectable fighters, they are far from fights you make a legacy on. If "DC" can continue his run though he is in a position to go down as a truly great champion.
#6 Joanna Jedrzejczyk
Aside from "Mighty Mouse" no one has dominated a division the way Joanna has. Joanna has absolutely ran through the straw weight division. Joanna is a world class striker and has passed every test she has seen in the cage with great clinch work and quality jiu jitsu. It will be interesting to see how long Joanna can continue her rain, as all of the straw weight women of the world are chasing her down.
#7 Stipe Miocic
The Cleveland born heavyweight is on top of the world right now. Ever since his loss to Junior Dos Santos Miocic has been on an absolute tear that has given him UFC gold. At this moment Miocic has no next fight planned, but Junior Dos Santos has been calling for a rematch so if he wins his next fight over Stefan Struve we could be looking at a rematch.
#8 Amanda Nunes
"The Lioness" just knocked out a legend and many people are still sleeping on her. Amanda is potentially a fight or two away from being a top 5 pound for pound fighter in the UFC but the question is "who is next?". Well in my UFC 207 review I have stated that she should be free to fight for the new featherweight title, but as this is not likely few names come to mind other than Raquel Pennington. "Rocky" has been dominant as of late even beating former champion Miesha Tate, so this should set her up for a title shot with "The Lioness"
#9 Tyron Woodley
Don't blink. When it comes to Tyron Woodley that is the #1 thing for fans to remember. This man posses great wrestling to go along with his super heavyweight hands!
#10 Dominick Cruz
The king has been dethroned. That being said though "The Dominator" is still one of the greatest fighters of all time and deserves to stay ranked. Cruz is best known for his striking and one of a kind movement that kept him on top for many years, along with quality wrestling. Dominick will almost certainly look at another run at his belt but whether or not he gets it does not change the fact he is one of the greats.
#11 Max Holloway
While my 11 and 12 spots are somewhat equal I went with Holloway simply because he posses the interim belt. It is hard to stop momentum and it will be interesting to see who can come away undisputed when he fights Jose Aldo
#12 Khabib Nurmagomedov
Khabib has managed to dominate the light weight division but despite this fact he is still belt-less. While he has expressed his feelings toward the UFC he partially has his injuries to blame. It is likely that Khabib will get his shot at the belt soon or at least an interim one potentially against Tony Ferguson. Regardless who he fights though Khabib will look to use his top level submission skills along with his phenomenal wrestling to control the fight.
#13 TJ Dillashaw
The former champion wants his belt back and he made that clear post fight at UFC 207. TJ Dillashaw will now be forced to take on a former teammate in Cody Garbrandt to earn his title back. TJ is a dominant wrestler with outstanding footwork and movement in his striking.
#14 Michael Bisping
"The Count" might actually be a vampire with his long career. With his first UFC appearance coming in 2006 Bisping is one of the most experienced men in the UFC. Michael is best known for his striking which he used to knockout former champion Luke Rockhold and to take a decision win over the legend Anderson Silva.
#15 Tony Ferguson
"El Cucuy" has now won 9 straight bouts in the UFC and is poised to get a title shot. Thanks to Conor McGregor though, Ferguson is in a similar bout with Khabib and it is likely that a bout between the two is imminent. Tony Ferguson is a very solid all around mixed martial artist who has shown fight stopping ability with both his striking and his submission skills, but as was seen in his last fight with Rafael Dos Anjos "El Cucuy" is not afraid to go the distance either.
Be on the lookout for future ranking articles and potential changes in my rankings! Feel free to share your opinions in the comments section.
#1 Demetrious Johnson
As long time fan #1 the UFC is now fully behind their flyweight champion. "Mighty Mouse" has cleaned out the UFC flyweight division and after his recent performance over Tim Elliot it would appear he has also cleaned out the world flyweight divison. Not much can be said negatively about the champion, as he combines phenomenal wrestling, with world class striking, and great jiu jitsu it appears as though Johnson will be king of the UFC and the flyweight division for years to come.
#2 Conor McGregor
The brash Irishman has taken the UFC by storm ever since his knockout of Marcus Brimage. Ever since "The Notorious" has used his great striking and huge mouth to increase not only his pay but his love from the UFC fans and hate from fellow UFC fighters. Aside from his loss to Nate Diaz, Conor is otherwise unblemished in the UFC beating many top level fighters and long time featherweight king and likely future UFC hall of famer Jose Aldo. Conor McGregor was also the first fighter to simultaneously hold two belts, however his inactivity at featherweight and a business decision forced the UFC to take this title from "The Notorious". Nonetheless, it cannot be denied that Conor McGregor cleaned out the featherweight division and destroyed the former lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez. It will be interesting to see what is next for Conor aside from fatherhood, he of course could stay at lightweight and fight Khabib Nurmagomedov or Tony Ferguson, or he could challenge Tyron Woodley for the welterweight title. Who knows what Conor wants to do but it is likely that whatever it is, we will know shortly after their is another McGrergor in the world.
#3 Cody Garbrandt
After much debate I have decided to give the #3 slot to "No Love". Much like Conor McGregor, Cody Garbrandt has also taken the UFC by storm after knocking out Marcus Brimage. At 25 years old Cody is poised to continue his reign atop the bantamweight division for quite some time. The biggest worry for "No Love" was his cardio, but after going 5 rounds with long time bantamweight king Dominick Cruz this worry is gone. Great power, phenomenal footwork and movement, and good wrestling are just a few of the things we have seen Cody showcase in his short time in the UFC.
#4 Jose Aldo
I strongly debated my 3 through 5 slots for a long while but I decided to look at them on a "what have you done for me lately" basis. While Aldo hasn't fought a great amount in the last 2 years, his 2nd win over Frankie Edgar certainly is a big one. Before his 13 second loss to "The Notorious" Conor McGregor Aldo was on a tear and had not lost since 2005 so that has a strong pull on his spot in the ratings. I personally am very excited for his upcoming match-up with interim champion Max Holloway. A win in that contest could in theory put Aldo in the conversation for the lightweight title and a shot to redeem his only UFC loss.
#5 Daniel Cormier
Daniel has managed to dominate the UFC's light heavyweight division. That is of course aside Jon Jones. That being said though DC's only title wins have came against Gustaffson and Johnson and while they are respectable fighters, they are far from fights you make a legacy on. If "DC" can continue his run though he is in a position to go down as a truly great champion.
#6 Joanna Jedrzejczyk
Aside from "Mighty Mouse" no one has dominated a division the way Joanna has. Joanna has absolutely ran through the straw weight division. Joanna is a world class striker and has passed every test she has seen in the cage with great clinch work and quality jiu jitsu. It will be interesting to see how long Joanna can continue her rain, as all of the straw weight women of the world are chasing her down.
#7 Stipe Miocic
The Cleveland born heavyweight is on top of the world right now. Ever since his loss to Junior Dos Santos Miocic has been on an absolute tear that has given him UFC gold. At this moment Miocic has no next fight planned, but Junior Dos Santos has been calling for a rematch so if he wins his next fight over Stefan Struve we could be looking at a rematch.
#8 Amanda Nunes
"The Lioness" just knocked out a legend and many people are still sleeping on her. Amanda is potentially a fight or two away from being a top 5 pound for pound fighter in the UFC but the question is "who is next?". Well in my UFC 207 review I have stated that she should be free to fight for the new featherweight title, but as this is not likely few names come to mind other than Raquel Pennington. "Rocky" has been dominant as of late even beating former champion Miesha Tate, so this should set her up for a title shot with "The Lioness"
#9 Tyron Woodley
Don't blink. When it comes to Tyron Woodley that is the #1 thing for fans to remember. This man posses great wrestling to go along with his super heavyweight hands!
#10 Dominick Cruz
The king has been dethroned. That being said though "The Dominator" is still one of the greatest fighters of all time and deserves to stay ranked. Cruz is best known for his striking and one of a kind movement that kept him on top for many years, along with quality wrestling. Dominick will almost certainly look at another run at his belt but whether or not he gets it does not change the fact he is one of the greats.
#11 Max Holloway
While my 11 and 12 spots are somewhat equal I went with Holloway simply because he posses the interim belt. It is hard to stop momentum and it will be interesting to see who can come away undisputed when he fights Jose Aldo
#12 Khabib Nurmagomedov
Khabib has managed to dominate the light weight division but despite this fact he is still belt-less. While he has expressed his feelings toward the UFC he partially has his injuries to blame. It is likely that Khabib will get his shot at the belt soon or at least an interim one potentially against Tony Ferguson. Regardless who he fights though Khabib will look to use his top level submission skills along with his phenomenal wrestling to control the fight.
#13 TJ Dillashaw
The former champion wants his belt back and he made that clear post fight at UFC 207. TJ Dillashaw will now be forced to take on a former teammate in Cody Garbrandt to earn his title back. TJ is a dominant wrestler with outstanding footwork and movement in his striking.
#14 Michael Bisping
"The Count" might actually be a vampire with his long career. With his first UFC appearance coming in 2006 Bisping is one of the most experienced men in the UFC. Michael is best known for his striking which he used to knockout former champion Luke Rockhold and to take a decision win over the legend Anderson Silva.
#15 Tony Ferguson
"El Cucuy" has now won 9 straight bouts in the UFC and is poised to get a title shot. Thanks to Conor McGregor though, Ferguson is in a similar bout with Khabib and it is likely that a bout between the two is imminent. Tony Ferguson is a very solid all around mixed martial artist who has shown fight stopping ability with both his striking and his submission skills, but as was seen in his last fight with Rafael Dos Anjos "El Cucuy" is not afraid to go the distance either.
Be on the lookout for future ranking articles and potential changes in my rankings! Feel free to share your opinions in the comments section.
Monday, January 2, 2017
UFC 207 Review
Neil Magny VS Johny Hendricks
First of all, let me start with covering the weigh in situation. This was the third consecutive fight that Hendricks has missed the welterweight limit. While what Hendricks has been doing is disrespectful, it is clear to see that Johny Hendricks has legitimate issues making welterweight and it is time for him to make the move to middleweight. This may be a good for "Bigg Rigg" though as it may help his knockout power even more.
Johny Hendricks managed to hold Neil Magny down for portions of the fight but Neil Magny managed to use his range along with submission attempts to scratch out a unanimous decision. While Hendricks was able to take Magny down it was clear that the judges favored Magny's submission attempts (which I did as well).
Next For Hendricks
Hendricks need to make the move to 185 as it is clear he can no longer make welterweight. With a move up to middleweight Hendricks would need an opponent and I would love to see him fight Uriah Hall. It would definitely be exciting to see such a great strikers match-up showcasing two very different styles.
Next for Magny
With another win Neil Magny has won 4 of his last 5 and is certainly in a good position for 2017. I personally would like to see Magny match-up with fellow UFC 207 winner Dong Hyun Kim. While neither man is ready for a title shot, this could be an interesting fight for fans that would set up one as a potential title contender by the end of 2017.
TJ Dillashaw VS John Lineker
TJ Dillashaw is returning to form at UFC 207 after a loss to Dominick Cruz and a win against Raphael Assuncao at UFC 200. Using his movement and footwork, second only to Dominick Cruz, TJ Dillashaw dominated over John Lineker. The most impressive part of the fight for Lineker unfortunately was how well his face managed to hold up against Dillashaw's vicious attacks.
Next for Dillashaw
Given his post fight interview it is clear to see what TJ Dillashaw wants next and I believe the UFC should and will give it to him. Although a match-up with Urijah Faber would have been far more dramatic for the TJ vs Team Alpha Male story line, a fight with Garbrandt will finally give UFC fans what we have all waited for.
Next for Lineker
While his fight against TJ Dillashaw wasn't very impressive in my eyes the UFC decided to keep him at third in the bantamweight rankings. With the beef between Garbrandt and Lineker, it is obvious that the Brazilian will be in a rush to get this title match and the best way to do that is through Dominick Cruz. While he will face many of the same issues he did with Dillashaw, Lineker would hopefully use the experience to prepare more thoroughly for the former bantamweight king.
Dominick Cruz VS Cody Garbrandt
WOW. That is all many fight fans including myself had to say during and following Cody Garbrandt's domination of Dominick Cruz. Never in his career has Dominick Cruz looked out classed but just that happened on the night of UFC 207. While I have been watching Garbrandt since before his UFC run, and thought he could cause an issue for Dominick Cruz, I did not expect a win and definitely not a dominant performance. With countless knock downs, it is a wonder why "No Love" did not attempt to end the fight, but it ended all the same, with a new champion. Shortly after the final bell, these men that had so much animosity leading up to the fight, stopped and exchanged a hug and a smile which in my opinion was one of the greatest moments in UFC history. It is great to see both men have such great respect for each other despite not even wanting to touch gloves a half hour earlier.
Next for Garbrandt
Cody Garbrandt has brought the UFC bantamweight belt back to Team Alpha Male. The key word their being "back". Formerly held by former teammate TJ Dillashaw a battle is certainly in the near future. The drama has been building up for a moment like this and hopefully the UFC will not leave fans waiting to long.
Next for Cruz
With this being his first loss in almost a decade it is likely that Cruz will want to get back into the cage quickly. Cruz will also likely want to set himself up for another shot at his title and who better than number 3 ranked challenger John Lineker. This match-up favors Cruz given Lineker's lack of success against similar fighter TJ Dillashaw, but nonetheless could be an exciting fight for UFC fans.
Amanda Nunes VS Ronda Rousey
The hype was certainly there for the return of miss "Rowdy" Ronda Rousey unfortunately she was not. While I am sure that Ronda Rousey put in plenty of work ahead of UFC 207 the game has passed her by.
Next for Nunes
While the women's bantamweight division has things to offer "The Lioness" I feel it is time that she follows in the footsteps of Conor McGregor and becomes a 2 divison champion. With a soon to be crowned women's featherweight champion, I believe "The Lioness should have first dibs on whoever that woman is should she so choose. Otherwise it is likely that Valentina Shevchenko will get a shot to redeem her only UFC loss.
Next for Rousey
Short term, more acting appearances. Unfortunately the game that she created has passed Ronda by it would seem, so why not make some money with the image she has created. Long term Ronda Rousey still has one accolade to accomplish in the UFC and that is the first woman inducted into the UFC hall of fame.
What's Going On Here?
Welcome to "Through Hollywood's Shades". Here I will be giving my opinions on various events in the mixed martial arts world and reviews of fights I find interesting.
For those of you who do not know I am an amateur mixed martial artist and I have been training since 2012. After starting my career and training in Michigan for almost four years and several boxing, kickboxing, jiu jitsu, and MMA fights I have brought myself to Florida to train at the world renowned American Top Team.
I hope my blog may offer an intelligent view on the world of MMA that will differ from the common news sources.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)