Make no mistake about it: Mark Munoz earned his case at a bout with Anderson Silva with his win over Chris Leben at UFC 138.
His “Donkey Kong” ground-and-pound helped him secure the victory in a bout that could have easily been tied at one round apiece before the third round, and the damage he did to Leben made some wonder what would happen if he actually did that to Silva.
Even Mike Roberts, Munoz’s manager, agreed that Munoz made his case toward a shot at the champion, but is he quite there yet?
Many would agree that he is not quite there yet, but he is getting there.
Even detractors of the champion’s arch-rival Chael Sonnen would argue that Sonnen is next in line for a shot at the champ until someone beats him for that distinction.
Except for a bout with the winner of Michael Bisping vs. Jason Miller, however, anyone aside from Sonnen is a step down for Munoz, who is on his way up in the ranks whether anyone can see it yet or not.
In that instance, why not line Sonnen and Munoz up in the event that Sonnen doesn’t get Silva next?
Every plan always needs a backup, and it’s difficult to say whether the UFC brass is planning to let Sonnen get his wish after what Munoz did to Leben, who seemed on his way to the top of the mountain before the damage Munoz did to his eye.
The title picture will not get any less cloudier once a winner in the Bisping-Miller fight emerges, and if Sonnen is not getting Silva next (and it doesn’t seem like that deal is close to getting signed for UFC 143 just yet), then it may take one more fight for him to again cement his stance as the man to challenge the champion next.
Dana White definitely would be wise to make Silva-Sonnen II happen, but if it’s not in the cards to happen now, Sonnen can always use one more “title defense” before he sets himself up for the real deal once again.
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