Jon Fitch and Demian Maia took home victories at UFC 153, and later agreed to meet in an important welterweight showdown at UFC 156.Maia defeated Rick Story in a quick submission victory, while Fitch derailed Erick Silva’s bid to become the next b…
Jon Fitch and Demian Maia took home victories at UFC 153, and later agreed to meet in an important welterweight showdown at UFC 156.
Maia defeated Rick Story in a quick submission victory, while Fitch derailed Erick Silva’s bid to become the next big thing in the division with a decision win.
A win for either man could put them in the mix at 170 pounds in 2013.
While Fitch picked up his first win since his quick KO loss to Johny Hendricks, Maia is 2-0 in the welterweight division with two impressive victories. Defeating a guy like Fitch would potentially move Maia in position for a title shot.
Here is how the fight between the two talented welterweights breaks down.
Matt Hughes is one of the fighters that Zuffa LLC built the UFC upon. He was a dominant champion in one of the deepest divisions of the company.His wrestling and ground-and-pound was a thrill to watch over the years, and few had an answer for it.Throug…
Matt Hughes is one of the fighters that ZuffaLLC built the UFC upon. He was a dominant champion in one of the deepest divisions of the company.
His wrestling and ground-and-pound was a thrill to watch over the years, and few had an answer for it.
Through his illustrious career he has amassed an astonishing 45-9 record, including 18 under the UFC banner. Hughes is one of the sport’s greats.
These are the UFC Hall of Famer’s 10 best fights inside the Octagon.
Demetrious Johnson will defend his UFC Flyweight Championship for the first time live and free on FOX. He will tussle with John Dodson on January 26th at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.Dodson is 3-0 in the UFC with his last two victories coming…
Dodson is 3-0 in the UFC with his last two victories coming at featherweight. He is The Ultimate Fighter season 14 bantamweight champion. He will become the eighth TUF winner to challenge for a UFC championship.
Johnson won the UFC championship via a split decision victory over Joseph Benavidez at UFC 152 to become the first ever champion of the division.
Mighty Mouse and The Magician will lock horns in January, and this is how they stack up to one another.
Georges St-Pierre vs. Anderson Silva is the fight the fans want to see, but it is not the fight that should take place. GSP vs. Johny Hendricks is the fight to make. Hold up. Sit down and relax. Yes, you. Let me explain. Yes, the superfight between GSP…
Georges St-Pierre vs. Anderson Silva is the fight the fans want to see, but it is not the fight that should take place. GSP vs. Johny Hendricks is the fight to make.
Hold up. Sit down and relax. Yes, you. Let me explain.
Yes, the superfight between GSP and Silva would draw significant interest and have a chance to be the highest grossing event in UFC history. However, the fight would hold up two divisions for close to a year.
Silva has not fought more than twice a year since 2008, and GSP since 2007. That would put welterweight and middleweight title defenses in late 2013. Is it worth putting two divisions on the shelf for a year? No.
Also, there is a reason they created weight classes. Silva is too big for GSP. Famed boxing trainer Freddie Roach has worked with both men and he agrees. Not only does he agree, but in an interview with Fight Hub TV, he confesses that GSP told him that he is not comfortable going up in weight.
If that is the case and Silva knocks GSP out, that could have a long-term effect on his career. We have seen it time and again—when a fighter gets knocked out, he has a hard time taking the same shots he once did before. That would be unfortunate and unnecessary for the welterweight champion. Especially with hard-hitting challengers waiting in the wings.
So, let’s switch to why Hendricks is the man for the job.
Five straight wins, including three straight over top-ten, and possibly top-five, fighters. He was the first man to knock Jon Fitch out, and he obliterated Martin Kampmann in the same fashion at UFC 154.
He has the power to end GSP‘s reign with one shot.
Hendricks will also be the best wrestler GSP has ever faced inside the Octagon, as he was a two-time NCAA national champion. He could put GSP‘s wrestling to the test for the first time.
The matchup is intriguing. Hendricks is the No. 1 contender in the division without question. That is the fight we should be focusing on. Not a fight between a welterweight and a middleweight.
The welterweight and middleweight divisions are as deep and exciting as they have ever been. Contenders are lined up and waiting as we speak. As champions of their respective divisions, GSP and Hendricks should not be seeking super non-title fights at this point.
Hendricks has done everything asked of him to become the No. 1 contender. Now it is time to give him the championship fight against the greatest welterweight ever. If the UFC still wants to hold a stadium show, I’m sure Silva and GSP defending their titles would sell very well.
It is not often the pound-for-pound best fighters on the planet are on the same card.
I admit I would love to watch GSP vs. Silva, but the risks outweigh the reward. Weight classes were put in place for a reason, and there is no reason to shelve two titles for a year for that fight. Hendricks should get the next fight against GSP.
Georges St-Pierre defended his UFC Welterweight Championship for a seventh consecutive time at UFC 154 with a unanimous decision victory over Carlos Condit. GSP, however, was not the only winner on Saturday night. The UFC also won. First and foremost, …
Georges St-Pierre defended his UFC Welterweight Championship for a seventh consecutive time at UFC 154 with a unanimous decision victory over Carlos Condit.
GSP, however, was not the only winner on Saturday night. The UFC also won.
First and foremost, let’s get the superfight out of the way.
The victory by GSP made the superfight a possibility. Sure, GSP can still turn the fight down, but Anderson Silva and the UFC are interested. Should that fight happen, it has the opportunity to be the biggest UFC event in company history.
That is a big win for the UFC. The fight would undoubtedly happen in a stadium. Quite possibly Texas Stadium. The superfight would be a spectacle. A high grossing spectacle.
Even if GSP turns down the fight, it was a win for the UFC.
At the UFC 152 post-fight press conference, Dana White reiterated that GSP was the UFC’s biggest PPV draw. He said, “The top five pay-per-view draws in this company are Georges St-Pierre, Anderson Silva, ChaelSonnen makes the list now, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.”
Keeping his name at the top of the marquee with the championship belt will continue to pay off for the company. Especially in a division that is deep on talent, but not on stars.
Carlos Condit is a spectacular fighter and one of the division’s best, but he is not a top draw. After his thrilling performance against GSP, it is likely he gained even more fans.
Johny Hendricks is another who benefits from GSP headlining the card. The quick KO made him an exciting challenger for GSP‘s crown.
When the casual fans gather around the water cooler to talk about UFC 154 on Monday morning, there will be plenty of talk about the guy with an amazing beard who won by KO in under a minute. The talk will continue about how maybe he is a threat to the champion.
When GSP headlines the next card, against Silva or Hendricks, the UFC can use the undercard to help try and build other fighters. GSP brings fans to the table and gives the UFC the opportunity to promote lesser known stars rather than stacking the event to make it more enticing.
GSP‘s drawing effect helps everyone. When the UFC puts together an undercard with mid-level fighters, the competitors are likely to get more money from sponsorships and have a better opportunity to gain fans. The more fans fighters get, the better it is for the UFC.
It gives Dana White and company a lot of wiggle room in their booking. Knowing GSP will bring in a sizable audience for any PPV is a great ace up the UFC’s sleeve.
A GSP fight is an event onto itself. There is no need to put together a card with three to four high-profile fights.
A promoter’s job is tough, but having a star such as GSP makes it a whole lot easier.
Johny Hendricks made his claim as the No. 1 contender to George St-Pierre’s belt with a quick knockout of Martin Kampmann at UFC 154.However, the question is, will he get the championship fight? GSP may end up taking on Anderson Silva in a superfight i…
Johny Hendricks made his claim as the No. 1 contender to George St-Pierre’s belt with a quick knockout of Martin Kampmann at UFC 154.
However, the question is, will he get the championship fight? GSP may end up taking on Anderson Silva in a superfight in 2013, and that would put Hendricks on the shelf for a long time should he wait.
When looking at potential fighters who could make a claim at being a top-10 opponent, Hendricks holds a victory over them or they are coming off a loss. It narrows the list of potential opponents down considerably.
These are five fighters Johny Hendricks could take on in his next bout inside the Octagon.
Georges St-Pierre vs.