Author: Matt Warden

5 Most Underachieving Fighters Currently in the UFC

Any fighter in the sport of mixed martial arts knows that losing is part of the job. No man can be perfect every night out and it’s the best who realize this.
Every year in the UFC, fighters come along that look unstoppable, or at least good enough to …

Any fighter in the sport of mixed martial arts knows that losing is part of the job. No man can be perfect every night out and it’s the best who realize this.

Every year in the UFC, fighters come along that look unstoppable, or at least good enough to earn the infamous, “next big thing” label. 

Brock Lesnar is a primary example. Lesnar brought his fame from the WWE arena and earned a shot in the UFC after just one professional fight. Although he finished with a 5-3 career record before diverticulitis took his MMA career, he won the UFC Heavyweight title in just his fourth professional fight and defended it two more times for an unprecedented, yet underachieving career.

While it is hard to peg just a few guys who fit the description in the UFC, performances in big UFC fights separates a few fighters from the pack. 

The five fighters on this list entered the UFC with high expectations and may have even notched big victories with the promotion, but key losses have plagued their shot at truly elite status.

Here are the 5 most underachieving fighters in the UFC today. 

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10 Best Finishes in UFC History

Every fight fan loves to see a finish. And every fight fan has their favorite finish of all time.
In the 20 years since UFC 1, there have been a number of spectacular finishes in the Octagon by way of both submission and knockout. While choosing the be…

Every fight fan loves to see a finish. And every fight fan has their favorite finish of all time.

In the 20 years since UFC 1, there have been a number of spectacular finishes in the Octagon by way of both submission and knockout. While choosing the best is very subjective, there isn’t much debating the handful of greatest ever. 

To be considered one of the best finishes of all time, the finish needs to either be brutal, unprecedented or just simply history-making. Having all three characteristics doesn’t hurt. 

Before saying too much about what great finishes are, let’s look at the Top 10 finishes in UFC history. 

Let the debate begin. 

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25 Best Fighters Currently in the UFC

After Anderson Silva lost his title as the No. 1 fighter in the UFC, the debate became a lot more heated. And it still isn’t finished. 
Flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson made a case for his move up the pound-for-pound ladder when he defended h…

After Anderson Silva lost his title as the No. 1 fighter in the UFC, the debate became a lot more heated. And it still isn’t finished. 

Flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson made a case for his move up the pound-for-pound ladder when he defended his title against John Moraga last month. 

Jose Aldo proved once again why he’s ranked near the top of the heap when he laid waste to Chan Sung Jung last week after breaking his foot early in the fight. 

The following list is simply the best fighters in the world who are currently a part of the UFC. While Dominick Cruz would typically be considered, his nearly two-year absence and lack of clearance to fight leaves him off. 

The best fighters in the world, in my opinion, are the champions in each division followed by the rest. If you’re the champion, no matter what gender, you’re a top-10 fighter. 

So without a doubt, here are the top 25 fighters in the UFC. 

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10 Most Fitting Nicknames in the UFC

An organization that started as an open-weight tournament in 1993, the UFC has grown into one of the most well-known brands in the world.
While fighters under the UFC banner are only as successful as their performance indicates, the most exciting and p…

An organization that started as an open-weight tournament in 1993, the UFC has grown into one of the most well-known brands in the world.

While fighters under the UFC banner are only as successful as their performance indicates, the most exciting and popular fighters are synonymous with solid nicknames. 

Rampage Jackson and Shogun Rua for instance are two fighters who have become acknowledged by their nicknames alone. Records are more important, but brands are everything today. 

A good nickname should reflect a fighter’s natural abilities and accomplishments, but can also represent a physical appearance. Some nicknames are catchy but don’t always fit the people who carry them. 

Here is a list of the 10 most fitting nicknames in the UFC. 

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Potential Dark Horse Title-Eliminators for Every UFC Weight Class

Heading into the last third of 2013 there are still plenty of blockbuster fights on tap, including six scheduled UFC title bouts. A glimpse into each division, however, reveals only a few true No. 1 contenders.
UFC champions are becoming more consisten…

Heading into the last third of 2013 there are still plenty of blockbuster fights on tap, including six scheduled UFC title bouts. A glimpse into each division, however, reveals only a few true No. 1 contenders.

UFC champions are becoming more consistent and adept these days and titles aren’t changing hands with regularity as they have in previous years. For this reason divisions are being cleaned out more easily.

Perhaps the only two weight classes with true No. 1 contenders are the lightweight and bantamweight divisions.

T.J. Grant, whose injury forced him out of his lightweight title matchup with Ben Henderson, will likely still be next in line upon his return. Dominick Cruz has not fought since October of 2011 because of a knee injury but will likely get his shot at interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao when he returns. 

There are clearly worthy contenders in every division but not many fighters are separating themselves from the pack. Not to mention contenders that won’t fight their champion teammates. 

With all that said, here are some dark horse title-elimination fights that could produce No. 1 contenders in each division. 

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Vitor Belfort: Fights That Make Sense for Him to Take

Vitor Belfort stated in an article by Nate Wilcox of Bloody Elbow Monday that he wants no middleweight bouts unless it is for the title. Tuesday saw him call out Chael Sonnen, who wants the No. 1 middleweight contender spot to be on the line if he…

Vitor Belfort stated in an article by Nate Wilcox of Bloody Elbow Monday that he wants no middleweight bouts unless it is for the title. Tuesday saw him call out Chael Sonnen, who wants the No. 1 middleweight contender spot to be on the line if he accepts. 

If Wednesday passed and it still made no sense to fans out there, Belfort‘s wife, Joana Prado, shared her thoughts to qualify his demands. 

It doesn’t make sense that Vitor, who is No. 1 in the rankings, should fight against No. 2, No. 6 or No. 10 in his weight class. His next fight in the middleweight class will be against the winner of Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva. If the UFC wishes him to fight in any class above middleweight, we are at their disposal. It can be anyone, Tim Kennedy, even Roy Nelson, but it has to be at 205 pounds or heavyweight—he’ll even fight as a heavyweight. Vitor wants to fight, but in his weight class, only if for the belt.

Belfort is the No. 2 contender in the middleweight division, according to ESPN.com, and his knockout finishes of Luke Rockhold and Michael Bisping have earned him the distinction. If he wants to bide his time until his efforts are rewarded, then he has the right to do so.

But while he’s just waiting around there are a few fights that would make sense for him and would certainly be interesting to watch.

Sonnen is in his sights today, but here are some guys he should keep in mind when he’s reflecting tomorrow.

 

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