Tag: Josh Thomson

There is an art to matchmaking in combat sports.

While some fights come together with natural ease, most bouts come about through a hectic process of evaluation. Several aspects need to be graded on each side of the table before committing to the matchup.

Whether or not a fight makes sense in the divisional scheme, timing and making sure both fighters stand to gain similar rewards are the most pressing issues that come to mind. Then, of course, there is the most important aspect of a potential fight: Will both competitors be willing to mix it up and put on a show?

The unfortunate part of the process comes when all of these criteria are met, but the fight fails to deliver. That said, the UFC showcases far more exciting tilts than flat fights these days, which goes to show just how good the matchmakers, Joe Silva and Sean Shelby, are at their jobs.

And because Silva and Shelby are in the midst of mega runs in their particular lanes (Silva makes bouts for fighters 155 pounds and up, Shelby handles featherweight and below in addition to taking care of both of the female divisions), this month’s installment of “Fantasy Matchmaker” came with a bit of extra effort attached.

Typically speaking, there are always a few easy-to-read pairings that simply make sense, just as there are normally a few fighters on the rise who have the possibility of catching big opportunities in their respective divisions.

That said, the matchmaking landscape this month was a bit more difficult to survey. The primary culprits responsible for the static on our monthly gaze into the crystal ball are the stacked lineups for the UFC’s upcoming pay-per-view cards in March, April and May.

Where the organization has dabbled with packing fight cards with talent from top to bottom in the past, the chaotic demands of the UFC’s current schedule have made that a difficult and risky play.

There is a PPV card every month, and in most cases, at least two of the remaining three Saturday nights will have events on one of the Fox channels.

While the docket for April is full with an event slated for every weekend of the month, the UFC went on the lighter side for its agendas in March and May. The reason being each of those month’s PPV events were jam-packed with high-profile names and title fights. 

Granted, this weekend’s card in Dallas doesn’t stack up to the murderer’s row of awesomeness on deck for the UFC’s annual Memorial Day weekend offering at UFC 187, but UFC 185 isn’t slacking in the heat department by any means.

Keyboard Kimura’s E. Spencer Kyte recently suggested the UFC may be revamping its PPV model to put heavy focus on quality rather than quantity, and he very well may be on to something.

Therefore, with mega cards on tap in the PPV realm, and additional offerings with the likes of UFC on Fox 15 and Fight Night 66 on deck as well, the majority of the major players up and down the UFC roster are already matched up, or waiting for fights to play out to see what the future holds for them.

Nevertheless, this column is diligent about bringing the goods, or as former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans is known to say, give our readers that “mind wine” to soak up and get the wheels turning.

Let’s take a look at “UFC Fantasy Matchmaker: March 2015 Edition.”

 

Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir

There are always a fair amount of hypothetical elements that go into creating fantasy matchups, but a trilogy bout between Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir will force the “what if” machine into overdrive.

For one, the former WWE champion, turned UFC champion, turned WWE superstar is still under contract with Vince McMahon, and there is no guarantee The Beast Incarnate will ever return to the realm of unscripted face punching.

The heavyweight mountain’s name has been thrown around quite a bit as of late by UFC President Dana White, and Lesnar even managed to show up at UFC 184 to take in some fights while out in Los Angeles.

Yet, while there is no official word as to whether or not Lesnar will return to compete inside the Octagon, that doesn’t detour the UFC’s passionate fanbase from wanting to see him chucking leather and bull rushing his opposition when the cage door closes.

Simply put: Fans loved to watch Lesnar do his thing, and a lot of those same fans have been holding out hope that the Minnesota native will get the itch to scrap at least one more time.

Should the former heavyweight title holder return to the UFC, there is not a more perfect fight for Lesnar to take other than the one Frank Mir is prepared to give him.

The two-time former heavyweight champion recently broke a nasty four-fight losing skid when he knocked out Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva at Fight Night 61 in Brazil.

In the lead-up to the fight, Mir’s relevance in the heavyweight fold came under fire, as listless performances in his previous four outings left many doubting whether or not the Las Vegas native still had what it takes to be successful at the highest level of MMA.

A sharp left hook to an American Top Team product’s jaw sent Silva crashing to the canvas, where Mir unleashed a series of elbows that forced the referee to jump in and stop the fight.

In doing so, the Nevada native not only picked up his first victory since 2011, but he immediately thrust himself back into a position of relevance in the heavyweight fold.

Immediately following his victory over Silva in Brazil, Mir set about calling for the chance to welcome Lesnar back to the UFC, just as he’d initially welcomed the former standout collegiate wrestler to the promotion at UFC 81 back in 2008.

Mir would get the victory via submission in their first go, but Lesnar thoroughly drubbed him in their rematch at UFC 100.

With the series tied at one apiece, a trilogy fight between Lesnar and Mir would certainly make the most sense of any option available, but then again, that option may never actually materialize any time in the near future. 

 

Brandon Thatch vs. Jordan Mein

When fighters are competing at the highest level of the sport, setbacks are going to happen.

No matter how much talent a competitor possesses, there are so many factors at play in a mixed martial arts bout that any number of things can lead to a fighter taking a trip to the loss column.

In some cases, there is a difference in skill where a particular fighter wasn’t quite ready for the caliber of competition they stepped in to face, just as there are nights where the best version of said fighter simply didn’t show up when it mattered the most.

That said, obstacles and detours come with the territory when slinging leather inside the cage, but it’s how fighters bounce back from adversity that shows what they are truly made of.

Despite being two of the most talented up-and-comers in the deep ranks of the welterweight division, Brandon Thatch and Jordan Mein each suffered some growing pains in their most recent outings.

The 25-year-old Canadian striker had built a bit of momentum coming into his latest bout against Thiago Alves at UFC 183. Young Gun had notched back-to-back victories inside the Octagon, with his most recent win coming in devastating fashion over seasoned veteran Mike Pyle at Fight Night 49 back in August.

The Alberta, Canada, native made short work out of Quicksand, and Mein appeared to be coming into his own under the bright lights.

That notion was on its way to be further validated against Alves, as Mein got off to a strong start against the American Top Team representative as he took the opening round on the judges’ scorecards.

Yet, the Brazilian powerhouse would turn the tides of the fight with a brutal body kick that crumpled Mein to the canvas, where he secured the victory with a flurry of punches to his wounded opponent. 

While the loss to Alves will serve to slow his roll through the welterweight ranks, Mein‘s natural talent and fighting style are not easily dismissed. Every time he steps into the Octagon, Mein is looking to put on a show, and his “take out my opponent or go out on my shield” mentality sets the stage for what would be an action-packed shootout with Thatch.

Since his arrival to the UFC in 2013, Rukus has wasted zero time establishing himself as a versatile fighter when the cage door closes. The Denver native violently steamrolled his first two opponents on the sport’s biggest stage, and he did so in brutal and violent fashion.

The momentum built off of victories over Justin Edwards and veteran Paulo Thiago pushed Thatch up the crowded 170-pound ranks and set the tempo for the surging welterweight’s career to move into the express lane.

Nevertheless, the 29-year-old Colorado-based striker would suffer his first loss in more than six years via a rear-naked choke from Benson Henderson at Fight Night 60.

And while the talent level of the welterweight division doesn’t leave many room for errors in regard to wins and losses, the loss to Smooth could be salvaged with a strong performance in his next fight.

Both Thatch and Mein possess a natural love for the scrap, and a showdown between the two heavy-hitters would be one fight fans could get behind. When the highly competitive nature of the welterweight division is also taken into consideration, a bout that would determine who went up and which fighter was pushed to the back of the line between Thatch and Mein would also be fitting.

 

Josh Thomson vs. Tony Ferguson

The UFC’s lightweight division is as stacked as they come under the promotional banner.

In addition to a heated title race that is constantly shifting in regard to advantage, the 155-pound weight class is also home to a cast of up-and-coming talent that is looking to break through into the elite tier of the UFC’s “shark tank” division.

While the top 10 rankings in the lightweight fold are coveted positions to occupy, the battle to reach an elevated status in the lightweight division has produced some of the best action to go down inside the Octagon over recent years.

One fighter who has been on a mission to show and prove as of late is Tony Ferguson. Since winning Season 13 of The Ultimate Fighter, El Cucuy has become a force of nature in the lightweight ranks.

The 31-year-old Californian has won all but one of his eight showings inside the Octagon since his time on the reality-based fighting program, and he is currently enjoying one of the hottest winning streaks in the 155-pound collective.

Ferguson has found success in five consecutive showings, with all but one of those wins coming by way of finish. Furthermore, in addition to impressive performances where he’s putting the opposition away, Ferguson has done so against an increasingly more competitive cast of characters with each and every step.

His most recent victory came in impressive fashion against savvy veteran Gleison Tibau at UFC 184 back in February, and his win in Los Angeles certainly set the former TUF winner up for bigger things.

He will need a high-profile opponent in his next outing to keep climbing at a rapid pace, and a bout with Josh Thomson would fit that criteria.

The former Strikeforce lightweight champion has been regarded as one of the best 155-pound fighters in the world for the better part of the past decade. Throughout his career, The Punk has faced a collection of top talent inside the cage, and he has logged some of the most memorable fights to ever take place in the weight class.

The San Jose native made his long-awaited return to the Octagon in 2013 and stamped a triumphant comeback by drubbing former title challenger Nate Diaz via stoppage in the second round.

Thomson’s next two fights would end in controversy, as the AKA staple came out on the business end of back-to-back split-decision losses in bouts with Benson Henderson and Bobby Green, respectively.

While Thomson’s record may reflect a current two-fight skid, that’s not a proper indicator to his current status in the lightweight division.

His bouts with Henderson and Green could have easily gone in his favor, which would have him on a three-fight winning streak and drawing closer to title contention, but back-to-back losses have him hovering on the back end of the divisional top 10.

With Ferguson trying to break into the next level and Thomson determined to regain his traction, a bout between the two scrappy lightweights would be a solid fit in the bigger picture of the lightweight division.

Ferguson has never faced anyone with the experience and skill Thomson possesses, and a matchup between the two would be a great test to see if the surging lightweight is ready for the elite level of competition at 155.

On the flip side, a bout with Ferguson would be a great opportunity for Thomson to prove he still has what it takes to turn back a hungry young fighter and make some ground of his own.

 

Duane Finley is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

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