Is the MW division weak or is Anderson Silva just that good?

Sisti

I am curious what everyone thinks about this (please no geek arguing and getting worked up here). Do you think that the MW division has been historically weaker overall compared to the other divisions?

There's a few reasons why I think the division logically is weaker. First, people were always scared of Silva so a lot of the top guys decided to go into a different division to have a better shot at a belt. Second, Machida is an unbelievable talent and purposely is staying at LHW, which makes the MW division much weaker than it would have been. And last, just by chance, there has to be one division that has less talent than others.

On the flip side, does Silva just have such insane skill that he made the division look like crap? Think about it...if Silva wasn't there, someone like Franklin would have looked like a beast and would have been fending off guys like Vitor, Okami, and Chael in some great matchups. It could have looked like an amazing division. Look how great Vitor looked after he demolished Franklin. Silva brought him down to size like he did many great athletes. So which one do you think it is?

spartacus_

top 10 middleweights who changed their division, going for WW or LHW, prove the division is great, just not enough for Anderson Silva

Sisti

I personally think Vitor and Weidman are insane talents and would love to see that fight. Between them and Okami there are a lot of legit fighters there

_TUF1_

spartacus_ said:

top 10 middleweights who changed their division, going for WW or LHW, prove the division is great, just not enough for Anderson Silva

not only that but winning. Maia and Marquardt at WW, and Hendo. /thread

BruteDion

It's insane stacked I think...its only behind LW and tied with WW....the top 15 of MW stacks up even if not better then WW

Silva skill is just that good...he moves up a class and beat a former champ just removed at the time...has any current champ(at the time) in the ufc ever do that?...no

Also its top fighters are all close to eachother cept the top 2 in Vitor and Silva...its not like LHW where the top 5 are so much better then the rest where no one can get a win against them....MW is very talented but also very well rounded in just how good everone is against eachother

RodrigoRua

Its actually a combo of both: Anderson is extremely talented PLUS MW division kinda lacks lil bit on real challengers ... as matter fact, Anderson will have to fight a guy who barely beat anyone (Weidman).

Just dont get it why Anderson isnt fighting Luke ... champ vs champ ..

Little_Kang

he is just that good

spartacus_

RodrigoRua said:

Its actually a combo of both: Anderson is extremely talented PLUS MW division kinda lacks lil bit on real challengers ... as matter fact, Anderson will have to fight a guy who barely beat anyone (Weidman).

Just dont get it why Anderson isnt fighting Luke ... champ vs champ ..

saffiedine is a champ and he's ranked #8 lol

Sisti

RodrigoRua said:

Its actually a combo of both: Anderson is extremely talented PLUS MW division kinda lacks lil bit on real challengers

honestly, i agree with this a little bit. weidman didn't beat anyone that worthy to get a clear-cut shot at the champ. i still believe LHW is much more stacked because of Machida/Tex/Gus all looking unbeatable. i think MW only has one guy who is extremely tough to beat as a contender and that's Vitor. after him, guys like bisping, belcher, okami are all great but not the same level as someone like Machida or Gus. just my opinion

Sisti

on a side note, i'd love to see silva start consistently defending his MW belt. the MW division is fun to follow and i would like to see the belt defended 3X a year. a lot of fights i still want to see including silva vs. lombard/rockhold/weidman/belcher. i don't really care if it's one-sided fights, i just like seeing title defenses happen often

chons

He is that good. IMO, LW > MW > WW, then a tie between LHW and HW as far as stacked divisions go. LHW is really only recently stacked with a few of the new signings. I just don't see the big deal that people make out of JBJ beating Rashad, Rampage, or Shogun. Machida and Belfort are really his only wins that mean anything to me.

Sisti

chons said:

He is that good. IMO, LW > MW > WW, then a tie between LHW and HW as far as stacked divisions go. LHW is really only recently stacked with a few of the new signings. I just don't see the big deal that people make out of JBJ beating Rashad, Rampage, or Shogun. Machida and Belfort are really his only wins that mean anything to me.

LHW looked way different before JBJ showed up. Machida was unbeatable at one point, Shogun looked like a beast after he beat Machida, Rashad and Rampage looked extremely good at one point

chons

Sisti said:

chons said:

He is that good. IMO, LW > MW > WW, then a tie between LHW and HW as far as stacked divisions go. LHW is really only recently stacked with a few of the new signings. I just don't see the big deal that people make out of JBJ beating Rashad, Rampage, or Shogun. Machida and Belfort are really his only wins that mean anything to me.

LHW looked way different before JBJ showed up. Machida was unbeatable at one point, Shogun looked like a beast after he beat Machida, Rashad and Rampage looked extremely good at one point

Again, IMO, you are talking about washed up fighters. Rampage and Rashad haven't been "extremely good", in years and I expected JBJ to perform much better against them than he did. Shogun... he's kind of a scrub now isn't he? I already said that his win against Machida impressed me so... So, we've got people that JBJ beat performing like scrubs, meanwhile former MWs are tearing up other divisions.

Sisti

chons said:

Sisti said:

chons said:

He is that good. IMO, LW > MW > WW, then a tie between LHW and HW as far as stacked divisions go. LHW is really only recently stacked with a few of the new signings. I just don't see the big deal that people make out of JBJ beating Rashad, Rampage, or Shogun. Machida and Belfort are really his only wins that mean anything to me.

LHW looked way different before JBJ showed up. Machida was unbeatable at one point, Shogun looked like a beast after he beat Machida, Rashad and Rampage looked extremely good at one point

Again, IMO, you are talking about washed up fighters. Rampage and Rashad haven't been "extremely good", in years and I expected JBJ to perform much better against them than he did. Shogun... he's kind of a scrub now isn't he? I already said that his win against Machida impressed me so... So, we've got people that JBJ beat performing like scrubs, meanwhile former MWs are tearing up other divisions.

Shogun looked pretty awesome once he beat Machida, who no one could even touch before Shogun

Rashad did decent vs. Jones, which says Rashad was a legit talent as well. Gus and Tex are looking extremely talented right now and running through everyone. LHW always looked stacked to me...there's also people like Phil Davis, Lil Nog, and Mousasi who has been flying under the radar for way too long

_TUF1_

Sisti said:

chons said:

Sisti said:

chons said:

He is that good. IMO, LW > MW > WW, then a tie between LHW and HW as far as stacked divisions go. LHW is really only recently stacked with a few of the new signings. I just don't see the big deal that people make out of JBJ beating Rashad, Rampage, or Shogun. Machida and Belfort are really his only wins that mean anything to me.

LHW looked way different before JBJ showed up. Machida was unbeatable at one point, Shogun looked like a beast after he beat Machida, Rashad and Rampage looked extremely good at one point

Again, IMO, you are talking about washed up fighters. Rampage and Rashad haven't been "extremely good", in years and I expected JBJ to perform much better against them than he did. Shogun... he's kind of a scrub now isn't he? I already said that his win against Machida impressed me so... So, we've got people that JBJ beat performing like scrubs, meanwhile former MWs are tearing up other divisions.

Shogun looked pretty awesome once he beat Machida, who no one could even touch before Shogun

Rashad did decent vs. Jones, which says Rashad was a legit talent as well. Gus and Tex are looking extremely talented right now and running through everyone. LHW always looked stacked to me...there's also people like Phil Davis, Lil Nog, and Mousasi who has been flying under the radar for way too long

rashad did decent against jones? :-O

Sisti

_TUF1_ said:

Sisti said:

chons said:

Sisti said:

chons said:

He is that good. IMO, LW > MW > WW, then a tie between LHW and HW as far as stacked divisions go. LHW is really only recently stacked with a few of the new signings. I just don't see the big deal that people make out of JBJ beating Rashad, Rampage, or Shogun. Machida and Belfort are really his only wins that mean anything to me.

LHW looked way different before JBJ showed up. Machida was unbeatable at one point, Shogun looked like a beast after he beat Machida, Rashad and Rampage looked extremely good at one point

Again, IMO, you are talking about washed up fighters. Rampage and Rashad haven't been "extremely good", in years and I expected JBJ to perform much better against them than he did. Shogun... he's kind of a scrub now isn't he? I already said that his win against Machida impressed me so... So, we've got people that JBJ beat performing like scrubs, meanwhile former MWs are tearing up other divisions.

Shogun looked pretty awesome once he beat Machida, who no one could even touch before Shogun

Rashad did decent vs. Jones, which says Rashad was a legit talent as well. Gus and Tex are looking extremely talented right now and running through everyone. LHW always looked stacked to me...there's also people like Phil Davis, Lil Nog, and Mousasi who has been flying under the radar for way too long

rashad did decent against jones? :-O

better than shogun lol

wedo619

Sisti said:

_TUF1_ said:

Sisti said:

chons said:

Sisti said:

chons said:

He is that good. IMO, LW > MW > WW, then a tie between LHW and HW as far as stacked divisions go. LHW is really only recently stacked with a few of the new signings. I just don't see the big deal that people make out of JBJ beating Rashad, Rampage, or Shogun. Machida and Belfort are really his only wins that mean anything to me.

LHW looked way different before JBJ showed up. Machida was unbeatable at one point, Shogun looked like a beast after he beat Machida, Rashad and Rampage looked extremely good at one point

Again, IMO, you are talking about washed up fighters. Rampage and Rashad haven't been "extremely good", in years and I expected JBJ to perform much better against them than he did. Shogun... he's kind of a scrub now isn't he? I already said that his win against Machida impressed me so... So, we've got people that JBJ beat performing like scrubs, meanwhile former MWs are tearing up other divisions.

Shogun looked pretty awesome once he beat Machida, who no one could even touch before Shogun

Rashad did decent vs. Jones, which says Rashad was a legit talent as well. Gus and Tex are looking extremely talented right now and running through everyone. LHW always looked stacked to me...there's also people like Phil Davis, Lil Nog, and Mousasi who has been flying under the radar for way too long

rashad did decent against jones? :-O

better than shogun lol

shogun Kod Machidabut Machida did better against Bones

georgelebrun

I think it is a bit weaker than the other ones, but then you got to consider that there are guys who are at 205 just to avoid Anderson

chons

georgelebrun said:

I think it is a bit weaker than the other ones, but then you got to consider that there are guys who are at 205 just to avoid Anderson

And there lies the key, you've got guys moving up and down because they can't hang with the goat.

chons

_TUF1_ said:

Sisti said:

chons said:

Sisti said:

chons said:

He is that good. IMO, LW > MW > WW, then a tie between LHW and HW as far as stacked divisions go. LHW is really only recently stacked with a few of the new signings. I just don't see the big deal that people make out of JBJ beating Rashad, Rampage, or Shogun. Machida and Belfort are really his only wins that mean anything to me.

LHW looked way different before JBJ showed up. Machida was unbeatable at one point, Shogun looked like a beast after he beat Machida, Rashad and Rampage looked extremely good at one point

Again, IMO, you are talking about washed up fighters. Rampage and Rashad haven't been "extremely good", in years and I expected JBJ to perform much better against them than he did. Shogun... he's kind of a scrub now isn't he? I already said that his win against Machida impressed me so... So, we've got people that JBJ beat performing like scrubs, meanwhile former MWs are tearing up other divisions.

Shogun looked pretty awesome once he beat Machida, who no one could even touch before Shogun

Rashad did decent vs. Jones, which says Rashad was a legit talent as well. Gus and Tex are looking extremely talented right now and running through everyone. LHW always looked stacked to me...there's also people like Phil Davis, Lil Nog, and Mousasi who has been flying under the radar for way too long

rashad did decent against jones? :-O

From my point of view, it's Jones performed **** against Rashad.

Sisti

wedo619 said:

Sisti said:

_TUF1_ said:

Sisti said:

chons said:

Sisti said:

chons said:

He is that good. IMO, LW > MW > WW, then a tie between LHW and HW as far as stacked divisions go. LHW is really only recently stacked with a few of the new signings. I just don't see the big deal that people make out of JBJ beating Rashad, Rampage, or Shogun. Machida and Belfort are really his only wins that mean anything to me.

LHW looked way different before JBJ showed up. Machida was unbeatable at one point, Shogun looked like a beast after he beat Machida, Rashad and Rampage looked extremely good at one point

Again, IMO, you are talking about washed up fighters. Rampage and Rashad haven't been "extremely good", in years and I expected JBJ to perform much better against them than he did. Shogun... he's kind of a scrub now isn't he? I already said that his win against Machida impressed me so... So, we've got people that JBJ beat performing like scrubs, meanwhile former MWs are tearing up other divisions.

Shogun looked pretty awesome once he beat Machida, who no one could even touch before Shogun

Rashad did decent vs. Jones, which says Rashad was a legit talent as well. Gus and Tex are looking extremely talented right now and running through everyone. LHW always looked stacked to me...there's also people like Phil Davis, Lil Nog, and Mousasi who has been flying under the radar for way too long

rashad did decent against jones? :-O

better than shogun lol

shogun Kod Machidabut Machida did better against Bones

styles def make fights. machida is the oddest style in all of martial arts so there's definitely some guys who match up better against him than others. machida's the perfect style to beat Jones because he keeps a good enough distance against Jones' awesome reach.

silva's worst matchup is a solid wrestler with ability to finish (basically jones)

waikru

The MW division has been strong for a while. Anderson makes the MW division look weak. The domination of Maia at WW and Belforts success at LHW should confirm this. The reason why he has nobody to fight in his own division right now is because everybody keeps getting beat by the guys Silva has already beat.

GN_FDU

Silva's just that good. Problem?

waikru

I think that the way people looked at the LHW division is a perfect example of a division looking weak due to its champion. Not too long ago this very forum used to tout that the LHW divison was the strongest division. Since Jones, LHW is now being viewed by many on the forum as one of the weakest.

ThePack19

chons said:

georgelebrun said:

I think it is a bit weaker than the other ones, but then you got to consider that there are guys who are at 205 just to avoid Anderson

And there lies the key, you've got guys moving up and down because they can't hang with the goat.

Uummm....no. You have JBJ at LHW. Either your gonna face Silva or JBJ, if they can get there. So either way they're screwed.

Yesterdays_Hero

Anderson dat gud. Remember how awesome LHW supposedly was before Jones came along?

bluesy

MW division is so good that when their fighters decide they wanna move up, they get an automatic shot at the LHW champ.

NyteRyder

Silva makes them look like chumps. He's just too good

NyteRyder

I remember when I first joined (2010), somebody had in their sig "Jon Jones will one day enslave the LHW Division.",

Aaaaaaaaaand now it's happening. And he will continue. 4 Defenses already, to be 5.

serb-1

are people actually still asking that question?

the_enigma

If middleweight was that weak, guys would move from lhw and ww into it, but no, all the middleweights move out of it... most of the time.