Contenders at MW

Sisti

Vitor - Coming off a great stoppage vs. a very high-level contender and since '09 has 4 first round finishes vs. top opponents and only losses were to p4p numbers 1 and 2

Weidman - Undefeated, lots of momentum...perfect stylistic matchup against Silva

Rockhold - Besides an early loss in his career, pretty much undefeated. Won the SF MW title and successfuly defended it twice

I think realistically these are the top 3 contenders. Any of them would make a competitive matchup with Silva, but not sure if there's much fan interest in any

My guess is that they will try to make a superfight...probably perfect timing for GSP/Silva after GSP annhilates Diaz

bluesy

It's so up in the air, at the moment.

Dana was talking like GSP needed to make 2-3 more title defenses before taking on Anderson, and that's right after he GUARANTEED the superfight was gonna happen pending a win over Condit. And Georges was talking like he wanted Silva to be his retirement fight and he would only take it at 170.

Sisti

bluesy said:

It's so up in the air, at the moment.

Dana was talking like GSP needed to make 2-3 more title defenses before taking on Anderson, and that's right after he GUARANTEED the superfight was gonna happen pending a win over Condit. And Georges was talking like he wanted Silva to be his retirement fight and he would only take it at 170.

The fact that Silva just signed a 10-fight contract makes me think they probably want him to get a few more impressive wins on his resume. I have a feeling Rockhold is going to get the next shot based on 1. Soares said they would like to fight him next and 2. would be a good angle of merging the SF/UFC belts if they did this fight and the Melendez/Bendo fight

PunchBag

i count lombard in that mix mainly because if he faced weidman theres a good chance he would win.
unlikely weidman could take lombard down and keep him there, so a standup fight with lombard and weidmans standup is only so so.


Im almost certain rockhold will get the shot.

spartacus_

so will everyone make their own "thoughts on middleweight" thread?

jamesreed90

Sisti said:

Vitor - Coming off a great stoppage vs. a very high-level contender and since '09 has 4 first round finishes vs. top opponents and only losses were to p4p numbers 1 and 2


My guess is that they will try to make a superfight...probably perfect timing for GSP/Silva after GSP annhilates Diaz

Sexyama and Johnson aren't top opponents rich was a shock to me and Bisping was a great finish but to say Johnson and sexy were top opponents you are kidding yourself

Also doesn't vitor want the lhw title not mw?

Sisti

jamesreed90 said:

Sisti said:

Vitor - Coming off a great stoppage vs. a very high-level contender and since '09 has 4 first round finishes vs. top opponents and only losses were to p4p numbers 1 and 2


My guess is that they will try to make a superfight...probably perfect timing for GSP/Silva after GSP annhilates Diaz

Sexyama and Johnson aren't top opponents rich was a shock to me and Bisping was a great finish but to say Johnson and sexy were top opponents you are kidding yourself

Also doesn't vitor want the lhw title not mw?

i think vitor was saying that because he thought that would be the most immediate chance of a shot because everyone knows Chael shouldn't be in there

horrorfan663

I see the next MW title fight being Rockhold

but top really the only reason Weidman is no 1 is because every other top 5 UFC guy just got beaten recently and Strikeforce guys need to prove themselves.


Weidman
Rockhold (needs to prove himself in the UFC)
Okami / Lombard (whoever wins)
Belfort
Souza (needs to win his UFC debut)
Bisping
Phillipou
Stann
Boetsche
Belcher

jamesreed90

I'd like to see rockhold vs weidman for a title shot and vitor vs Souza. Then winner of Okami/Lombard fight winner of Souza/belfort

Sisti

someone made a good point before...it's not always the number 1 contender who fights for the belt

for example, fitch was the number one contender for 3 years or so at WW, but he got the shot once and 5 other people got the shot. this is because you could only get the shot once every couple of years

i believe the top 2 middleweight contenders are still Vitor and Chael, but neither of them are getting the shot soon because Silva already disposed of them. I still believe they take out anyone in the division not named Silva

Little_Kang

horrorfan663 said:

I see the next MW title fight being Rockhold

but top really the only reason Weidman is no 1 is because every other top 5 UFC guy just got beaten recently and Strikeforce guys need to prove themselves.


Weidman
Rockhold (needs to prove himself in the UFC)
Okami / Lombard (whoever wins)
Belfort
Souza (needs to win his UFC debut)
Bisping
Phillipou
Stann
Boetsche
Belcher

looks right

zaksame

Oh there will be a LOT of fan interest if they think Silva could lose.That is what a lot of people are looking for,Silva to lose.
Absolutely ANY fighter with TD's can defeat Silva,that is not saying much about the current champs ability.The only thing a fighter needs is ANYTHING more than what Sonnen brings because Chael ONLY has TD's.
I guess it is tough to ask wrestlers for anything more,they have dedicated their lives to wrestling.Joining MMA changes nothing,they still resort to wrestling and pumping weights and taking roids.

I agree Rockhold looks real good however what you did versus others means little,we have to look at his raw talent and that perhaps is only average across the board but he is a tough guy that is game.

The only way a wrestler loses to Silva is via stupidity and that can come in several forms.Partially it can come from being in the spotlight fighting the number 1 UFC guy,makes you nervous and perhaps too much adrenaline.

jamesreed90

Sisti said:

someone made a good point before...it's not always the number 1 contender who fights for the belt

for example, fitch was the number one contender for 3 years or so at WW, but he got the shot once and 5 other people got the shot. this is because you could only get the shot once every couple of years

i believe the top 2 middleweight contenders are still Vitor and Chael, but neither of them are getting the shot soon because Silva already disposed of them. I still believe they take out anyone in the division not named Silva

I agree about number 1 contenders not getting shots and after te fight with lisping I do believe vitor is a legit number 1 contender but I don't like people getting title shots so quickly (Cain chael Frankie faber) I think strings of wins over top contenders are needed but if that was the case silva would never have an opponent since they all get a fight away and lose

jduk

There are two fights I want to see, Phillipou and Lombard

chons

I think most contenders need to win at least two fights for a shot at the goat.

Have Rockhold fight Weidman, winner fights Lombard when he beats Okami. Winner of Lombard Fights Belfort. Winner of Belfort fight gets the goat.

Everybody else needs to start with Bisping on the way up the ladder.