We are all aware of the class hierarchy involved in the game of mixed martial arts. There are the best of the best, like Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, Cain Velasquez and Jose Aldo, among other UFC champions. Next, you have the true title contender…
We are all aware of the class hierarchy involved in the game of mixed martial arts. There are the best of the best, like Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, Cain Velasquez and Jose Aldo, among other UFC champions.
Next, you have the true title contenders that are also among the very elite fighters in the world, fighters like Junior Dos Santos, Mauricio Rua, Gray Maynard and Rashad Evans. These men are gamers who are expected to contend for the title or be in and near the top three in their respective weight classes.
After those two classes, you have an unbelievable number of fighters who want to be considered for the title, who have been or are working towards that next class. Experienced veterans hanging on by a thread and young up and coming lions ready to make that jump are all in this mix and jockeying for that chance to get to that next level.
Out of this class comes the dark horse for the title—the man who may not be a sure thing to get there but who gets there anyway through hard work, determination and timing.
Here are my top three dark horses for the title in each weight class of mixed martial arts.
Will a monumental superfight between Anderson Silva and Jon Jones ever happen? With the amount of mixed martial arts and UFC events being offered up to fans lately, it is only natural for one’s mind to wander and dream about the fights we may never hav…
Will a monumental superfight between Anderson Silva and Jon Jones ever happen?
With the amount of mixed martial arts and UFC events being offered up to fans lately, it is only natural for one’s mind to wander and dream about the fights we may never have. Fans have been spoiled to the fact that if two fighters are in the same division and want to see them rumble the UFC will do everything to make it happen.
If all the divisional fights seem to become reality, we are left to look to crossover fights and superfights to dream and speculate on matches we would love to see but may never happen.
Middleweight champion Anderson Silva moving up to 205 pounds and challenging champion Jon Jones is a superfight in waiting, and here are eight reasons why I think that fight will eventually happen.
Canadian and world-renowned mixed martial arts trainer Shawn Tompkins died in his sleep on Sunday according to this report by MMAJunkie.com. The report has also been confirmed by several sources close to the MMA icon. Tompkins was the original head tra…
Canadian and world-renowned mixed martial arts trainer Shawn Tompkins died in his sleep on Sunday according to this report by MMAJunkie.com. The report has also been confirmed by several sources close to the MMA icon.
Tompkins was the original head trainer at Adrenaline Training and Fitness Center in London, Ontario were he taught and guided the careers of UFC veterans Sam Stout and Mark Hominick, as well as young up-and-comer Chris Horodecki.
Tompkins then emerged on the national MMA scene as an assistant coach in the now defunct IFL (International Fight League) under Bas Rutten. Tompkins later took over as head coach from Rutten as he stepped down to do commentary.
Tompkins then migrated to Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas where he was a coach before he split with that gym and joining the Tapout Training Facility. He had moved to Las Vegas with his wife Emilie, but was home in Canada helping Horodecki train for his next fight on Sept 10.
Tompkins was 37 years old and a father figure to many of the fighters he guided and trained.
I was at a UFC function yesterday, golfing all day with Tompkins’ prized pupil and UFC fighter Mark Hominick. He golfed and spoke to fans and golfers all day and then was sitting across from me at dinner. He was gracious and cordial and no one knew anything about his coach and mentor.
As the evening rolled on, you could tell something was going on as he had to keep getting up to talk on his cell phone. Everyone at the event was set to watch the UFC Live fights with him when he suddenly had to leave the event. It is at that time, around 9 p.m. ET that we began to hear the news.
In a shocking twist, and absolute testament to Tompkins and the way he taught his fighters, I heard the news this morning that Hominick knew from early afternoon that his coach and mentor had passed, yet he didn’t tell a soul and he completed his appearance.
That is unbelievable to me and a true show of Tompkins’ fighters’ toughness that we all must admire and respect.
R.I.P. Shawn Tompkins.
Dwight Wakabayashi is a Feature Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA (also a correspondent for MMACanada.net).
There will be a much clearer picture at the top of the lightweight divison after Jim Miller and Ben Henderson settle some things on Sunday night n UFC Live on Versus 5.
These two exciting fighters are set to lock it up for the number one contender spot…
There will be a much clearer picture at the top of the lightweight divison after Jim Miller and Ben Henderson settle some things on Sunday night n UFC Live on Versus 5.
These two exciting fighters are set to lock it up for the number one contender spot in the division, and both have taken quite different paths to get here. Miller has scratched and clawed his way up almost exclusively in the UFC promotion, while Henderson made a smooth climb up in another promotion to helicopter in to the UFC with a solid name for himself.
These will be a very close fight to predict, but here is my head to toe breakdown.
There is little more compelling than the instigation, build-up to a frenzy and then climactic conclusion to an ugly, bitter feud. You want politics? How about Andrew Jackson vs. John Adams and murder and adultery accusations back and forth in the presi…
There is little more compelling than the instigation, build-up to a frenzy and then climactic conclusion to an ugly, bitter feud.
You want politics? How about Andrew Jackson vs. John Adams and murder and adultery accusations back and forth in the presidential election of 1828.
Mainstream sports will give you something like Shaq vs. Kobe, two teammates whose talents and egos could not get along in the sandbox for very long after going to the limits together.
Pop culture will give you Batman vs The Joker, and I’m still terrified of Heath Ledger’s portrayal in The Dark Knight. How about the Hatfields vs the McCoys?
Now that Dominick Cruz has defeated the only man he has ever lost to, Urijah Faber, once again defending his bantamweight title, a tough question now looms.
Who or what is next for Cruz at the bantamweight division? Cruz finds himself at the top having…
Now that Dominick Cruz has defeated the only man he has ever lost to, Urijah Faber, once again defending his bantamweight title, a tough question now looms.
Who or what is next for Cruz at the bantamweight division? Cruz finds himself at the top having mowed down practically all of the legitimate challengers in the division in the past two years.
A quick glance at the 135-pound division shows that Cruz has faced and already beaten the next 4-of-5 ranked fighters in the pecking order, and it may be a tough task to find a fighter worthy of Cruz.
Here are my five picks for the next possible opponent for The Dominator.
1. Demetrius “Mighty Mouse” Johnson (9-1)
Johnson is the highest ranked bantamweight that Cruz has yet to fight, and he is coming off a solid but razor thin victory over Miguel Torres. He has nine victories in ten fights, with his only loss coming last year to Brad Pickett.
Mighty Mouse would have a large size and reach disadvantage against Cruz, but that has never stopped his heart and wrestling game before.
Johnson may be the fight with the most interest right now, simply because he has not faced Cruz yet.
2. Brian Bowles (10-1)
Brian Bowles earned himself a victory over Takeya Mizugaki last night and kept himself right in the mix at the top of the bantamweight division.
It was not the dominant finish that Bowles may have wanted to set up a rematch with Cruz, but it was a win, nonetheless. Bowles has some unfinished business with Cruz, as he lost the belt to him in his first title defence in March 2010 due to a doctors stoppage.
Bowles broke his hand early in the fight with Cruz and was unable to continue past the second round. This fight makes sense for both fighters at this point and would also generate some fan interest.
3. Joseph Benevidez (9-2)
To me, Joseph Benevidez is still the second best bantamweight in the world and poses the biggest challenge to Dominick Cruz at 135 pounds. The problem here is that Benevidez has already fought Cruz twice in the past two years, losing both times via hard fought decision.
The first one was a three-round unanimous decision and the second one was for the title, and Benevidez lost a five-round split decision.
It would be another solid, close fight if these two were to clash again, but how much fan interest would it have at this point? And how many shots at Cruz should Joseph get? It exposes the division a bit as not being very deep with talent.
4. Scott Jorgensen (9-3)
Scott Jorgensen is another fighter who is always at the top of the heap at 135, and he has also faced Cruz before. He lost a five-round unanimous decision to Cruz in December of last year when both were fighting in the WEC.
Wins over Mizugaki, Antonio Baneulos and Brad Pickett earned him his first shot at Cruz, and he put up enough of a fight that another shot at the title is not out of the question.
5. Miguel Torres (39-4)
A loss to Demetrius Johnson in your last outing does not usually qualify you for a shot at the title, but such is the situation in the new UFC bantamweight division. Torres is an experienced, popular and unorthodox fighter who poses problems for anyone in the stand up and submissions game of mixed martial arts.
Johnson exposed Torres to a weakness in wrestling and take down defense, but Torres could have easily won that decision and thus would have been in line for a shot at Cruz if he had.
Again, I think Miguel needs a two-fight win streak and a revenge win against either Benevidez or Bowles to earn him the shot he wants, but he is in the mix with all others.
Dwight Wakabayashi is a Feature Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA (also a correspondent for MMACanada.net).
Canadian and world-renowned mixed martial arts trainer Shawn Tompkins died in his sleep on Sunday according to this report by