Tag: Ryan Bader

Filed under: UFC, Strikeforce, Bellator

For all his pre-fight bluster, Chael Sonnen walked into the octagon as a major underdog against UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, with most expecting him to emerge chastened and quieted, however briefly. Yet for about 23 minutes, Sonnen did just what he said he would, dominating Silva as he seemingly coasted towards his moment of glory. It was not to be. In a comeback that will live on in MMA lore for years to come, Silva found a way to steal a win from Sonnen’s back pocket, trapping him with a fight-ending triangle/armbar submission.

Even in losing, though, Sonnen did something of immeasurable value to the UFC: he stayed a viable contender. Beyond the UFC’s long-reigning champion, a look at the 185-pound class worldwide shows a wide-open field. More specifically, most of the world’s top 10 middleweights are over 30 years old. While opportunities abound, though, few young 185-pound prospects have distinguished themselves.

Most weight classes have their exciting, young prodigies. Featherweight has Jose Aldo, welterweight has John Hathaway, and light-heavyweight has Jon Jones, among others. So where, we must ask, is the next great, young middleweight?