SB Nation User Blog: Marine44

A Better Idea For The WEC Than Merging With The UFC

Marine44 — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:57:34 -0000

The first problem with the UFC is that they continue to look for new talent. Now why is this a problem easy they keep giving quality fighters to Strikeforce and Dream. I love the idea of merging the WEC with the UFC because god knows the fighters of the WEC need more money and attention than they are getting. With that said I enjoyed the WEC so much more when it had a welterweight, middle weight, and light heavyweight division. So my solution for the WEC is quite simple merge in the Featherweights and the Bantamweights that are deserving and make the WEC the UFCs B-team.

The UFC just cut Tamdan McCrory and Thales Leites two fighters I would tune in to watch if they were to pop up on a Strikeforce card. What the UFC needs to do is re establish the old weight divisions in the WEC and in stead of cutting fighters send them to the WEC.

Now Say for example a fighter like Leites was moved to the WEC and won a fight or two he would the get a WEC title shot. If he was to win the title and then go on to defend it 3 times successfully then he would be brought back into the UFC and the title would be vacated. Then the top to contenders would fight for the title and that would be how the WEC could hep serve the UFC.

With this idea it would not just bring two more weight divisions into the UFC it would also bring two new champions and 5 or 6 guys who could help headline events. Plus it would give guys like Mike Brown, Urijah Faber, Brian Bowles, and Miguel Torres the needed attention that they deserve.

To be clear on the Idea of the WEC champion being brought back into the UFC is just for the ones that need to prove that they deserve to be brought back. The WEC can bring in young and inexperienced fighters with just a couple of fights under there belts and let them mature in the WEC and then pull them up when the UFC feels fit. This will keep rival promotions from grabbing up all the young fighters or the fighters released from the UFC.

Poll

Should the UFC merge the WEC lighter divisions and keep the WEC as the UFCs B-team.

Yes

66 votes

No

25 votes

91 votes | Poll has closed

Strikeforce - Nick Diaz Vs.Top 5 Middleweight Free Agents

Marine44 — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:47:08 -0000

Ok Strikeforce is starting to get exciting especially for the price, but now there is a problem and that is Cung Lee. I glad his movie Carrier is going well, but it is time for strike force to create a Middleweight Interim title. Just one problem the2 best middle weight contenders ( Scott Smith and Robbie Lawler) just got beat by welterweights. So the obvious solution would be for the two to fight each other.... Not going to happen Nick Diaz and Jake Shields are training partners and best friends and that fight will never happen. One fighter needs to go up to middle weight (I pick Diaz) and the other needs to stay at welterweight. If that were to happen then who would Diaz fight? Scott Smith, Benji Radach, Terry Martin, Robbie Lawler, and Frank Shamrock all coming off losses and with the winner of Evangelista Santos ( the husband of Cristinane "Cyborg" Santos) Vs. Joey Villasenior not quite a challenge I think Strikeforce needs to pick up a #1 contender off the free agent market to challenge Shields or Diaz (I think Diaz is more well rounded and could do better in the middleweight division than shields).

Disclosure : I don't know if these fighters are under contract with smaller promotions. (no particular order)

1. Travis Lutter - Yes I know he is coming off two losses but those were to Anderson Silva and Rich Franklin. In both of those fights fatigue played a factor and he also had both fighters in serious trouble.

2. Jason McDonald- Also coming off two losses but a great well rounder fighter with wins over Ed Herman and Chris Leban. Jason could make a huge impact in Strikeforce.

3.Jesse Taylor- Yes the drunken TUF reject, but he is on a 5 fight win streak and holds the KOC Middleweight title.

4.Paulo Fiho- The ex WEC middleweight champion is scheduled to fight for dream, but with Affliction , Dream, and Strikeforce having such good relations maybe that fight could happen.

5.Vitor Belfort- Is on a 4 fight win streak and is scheduled to fight at Affliction: Trilogy, but maybe after that Strike force could sign him or borrow him.

Poll

Who should Strikeforce Sign next in the middlewieght Division?

Travis Lutter

13 votes

Jason McDonald

39 votes

Jesse Tayor

7 votes

Paulo Fiho

16 votes

Vitor Belfort

79 votes

154 votes | Poll has closed

UFC 95 - Dos Santos & Struve VS. Hardy & Markham

Marine44 — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 14:53:27 -0000

I just don't get this Dan Hardy Vs. Rory Markham is not a good CO main event at least not at this stage. I mean If you are going to do a CO main event with 2 fighters with little UFC experience than please pull up the under card fight of Junior Dos Santos Vs. Stefan Struve. This fight has a much bigger impact on the UFC than Dan Hardy Vs. Rory Markham who ever wins is still a ways away from a title shot in a very jam packed welter weight division. On the other hand you have Junior Dos Santos who pulled off a huge upset against (in my opinion) the #1 contender in the UFC heavy weight division in Fabricio Werdum. Stefan Struve who I know is not a well known fighter but he has an MMA record of 20-2 (according to the UFC 16-2 by other sites) and is a great submission fighter. Stefan Struve is rumored to be between 6-foot-8 and 6-foot-11and has over 16 wins by submission. A win by either fighter should put them in the top 10 UFC heavy weights and a win or two away from a title shot. In any case the hardy Markham fight should hardly be on the main card let alone the CO main event.

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Tito Ortiz Vs. Rashad Evans (The Start of VaselineGate?)

Marine44 — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 23:57:49 -0000

This was the fight that got me hooked on MMA and I have watched every fight since. I even went back and watch old UFC fights to get caught up. One thing that stuck out in my mind besides the hype and the fight itself was the post fight trash talk. At the UFC press confrence Rashad told Tito to take off his sunglasses so he could see how badly his face was busted up and Tito responded "what was up with all of the extra vaseline you had on". Rashad quickly denide it and changed the subject. I had always thought Tito was just being a sore looser but maybe this was the start of vaselinegate.

Note : Rashad Is trained by Greg Jackson who is the same trainer as GSP.

Note: You can view the video at ufc.com - type 73 under search - Scroll about halfway down the page and it is under Related Media