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UFC Light Heavyweights: Ranking Each Former Champ’s Chances of Another Title Run

UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage will feature the light heavyweight championship bout between two of the division’s best fighters ever.We can argue until we’re blue in the face about where they rank exactly, but the bottom line is that these two …

UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage will feature the light heavyweight championship bout between two of the division’s best fighters ever.

We can argue until we’re blue in the face about where they rank exactly, but the bottom line is that these two champions are extremely dangerous and should put on a great fight for the fans.

Jackson himself is a former UFC light heavyweight champion and many believe he is still at the top of his game. He has been in the right place at the right time to get the first shot at Jones’ championship after an injury put off Rashad Evans’ opportunity, but it is his own hard work and ability to “sell” himself to fans that has really given him this chance at Jones.

But is Rampage the man to beat Jones?

There are plenty of up-and-comers in the stacked light heavyweight division, but it may be one of the former champions who actually has the best chance of beating the current champion. There are a handful of former champions who currently sit within or right near the top-10 in the division, but their chances of becoming champion dwindles down each day as they get older.

So which former champion does have the best chance of winning the UFC light heavyweight championship in the future? Read on as we count down each of the 10 former champions and assess their chances of holding the title again.

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Shogun Rua vs Tito Ortiz on New Year’s Eve?

Fresh off his drubbing of Forrest Griffin at UFC 134, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua is looking to take out another former champion in “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy,” Tito Ortiz. Eduardo Alonso, Rua’s manager, recently spoke with Tatame about the possibility of…

Fresh off his drubbing of Forrest Griffin at UFC 134, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua is looking to take out another former champion in “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy,” Tito Ortiz.

Eduardo Alonso, Rua’s manager, recently spoke with Tatame about the possibility of the Brazilian competing on the December 31 card, which could take place in Abu Dhabi.

“I’ve been hearing some rumors, but until now, there’s nothing concrete about UFC. If it depends only on my plannings, he’d fight on December 31, it’d be great,” Alonso said. “I’d really like him to fight Tito Ortiz since he’s been an icon of the sport and will soon retire.”

Most fans are probably scratching their heads at the mere idea of this bout.

While Rua is a top-three light heavyweight in motion to earn another UFC title shot, Ortiz is coming off a one-sided TKO loss to Rashad Evans.

Despite an inspiring submission victory over Ryan Bader at UFC 132, Ortiz is 1-5-1 in his last seven bouts.

“[Shogun] didn’t have the chance to fight (Randy) Couture, something Lyoto had the luck and credits to do, but I’d like to see this fight,” Alonso said.

“It came from Tito himself, who challenged him, but we’re realistic. I know it’s not much likely, so it’s only left for us to wait. Everybody knows Shogun doesn’t pick his opponents, so we’re open to discussion. To me, the date (December 31) is more important than the opponent.”

Years ago, Ortiz versus Rua was pitted as an MMA dream match, and stylistically, the bout still carries a certain level of intrigue.

According to UFC President Dana White, Rua is now one fight away from another shot at the UFC title, but would a win over a declining Ortiz be enough to grant him that shot?

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Kenny Florian and the 7 Current Fighters Who’d Be Great Full-Time Commentators

Fans were treated to a bit of a change to the broadcasting team for last weekend’s UFC 134.The usual duo was mixed up a bit with Mike Goldberg teamed up with guest commentator Kenny Florian. Joe Rogan was away shooting the new season of Fear Facto…

Fans were treated to a bit of a change to the broadcasting team for last weekend’s UFC 134.

The usual duo was mixed up a bit with Mike Goldberg teamed up with guest commentator Kenny Florian. Joe Rogan was away shooting the new season of Fear Factor.

This was not the first time for Florian to trade in the trunks for a suit as he has filled in for Rogan on quite a few occasions.

Many fighters have become color commentators for different organizations and found success behind the mic. Their presence analyzing each fight is an integral part of the sports growth as fighters can dissect the many facets of MMA better than outside observers.

Here are seven fighters who would make for great, full-time commentators when their fighting days are done.

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MMA Photo Tribute: 16 Obscene Gestures

(Tito Ortiz tells The Voice where to stick it.)

I’ve seen all kinds of crazy stuff go down at my local dive bar, and yet I’ve never had a beautiful woman proposition me by giving me the finger. (Oh, but what a magical world that would be.) In honor of Wild Turkey‘s “Give ’em the Bird” campaign — which is definitely intended for people who live dangerously — we decided to round up the greatest obscene gestures in MMA history. Enjoy these unquestionably rude photos, which continue after the jump, and shoot us some links in the comments section if we’ve left out any good ones.

(Felice Herrig puts it all out there.)

(Cuddly New York Jets coach Rex Ryan shares his opinion on Strikeforce matchmaking.)

(Tito Ortiz tells The Voice where to stick it.)

I’ve seen all kinds of crazy stuff go down at my local dive bar, and yet I’ve never had a beautiful woman proposition me by giving me the finger. (Oh, but what a magical world that would be.) In honor of Wild Turkey‘s “Give ‘em the Bird” campaign — which is definitely intended for people who live dangerously — we decided to round up the greatest obscene gestures in MMA history. Enjoy these unquestionably rude photos, which continue after the jump, and shoot us some links in the comments section if we’ve left out any good ones.

(Felice Herrig puts it all out there.)

(Cuddly New York Jets coach Rex Ryan shares his opinion on Strikeforce matchmaking.)

(Shinya Aoki pays his respects after snapping Mizuto Hirota’s arm…)

(…then gives Hirota a closer look, just in case he missed it.)

(And here he is thrusting his junk at a ring girl. Class act, this Aoki.)

(Speaking of crotches, Rashad Evans grabs his while fighting Forrest Griffin at UFC 92.)

(Tongue between the fingers — the sure sign of a good time.)

(Obviously we could have devoted an entire gallery to Nick Diaz and the Stockton Heybuddy, but these four classics should be enough.)

(Nick’s brother Nate one-ups him by pulling it off mid-fight against Kurt Pellegrino.)

(Brittney Palmer: A woman who appreciates a good bourbon.)

(“The Shocker” is just one of the many techniques you’ll learn in Kit Cope’s yet-to-be-released instructional video.)

(Real mature, Jenna.)

Taking a Page Out of Tito Ortiz’s Playbook, Matt Brown Steps Up to Face John Hathaway at UFC 138

If nothing else, Matt Brown may have bought himself some more time in the UFC today.

The struggling welterweight who recently rebounded from three straight losses with a hard-fought win over John Howard at UFC Live: Kongo vs. Barry in June has stepped up to replace injured Pascal Krauss against British prospect John Hathaway (12-1) at UFC 138 in November. In spite of the fact that a loss will drop Brown (12-10) to 1-4 in his past five outings, it’s likely that UFC president Dana White may spare him from the chopping block should that happen much like he did Tito Ortiz who lost to Rashad Evans earlier this month at UFC 133 after he replaced an injured Phil Davis.

If nothing else, Matt Brown may have bought himself some more time in the UFC today.

News of the bout was first reported by MMAJunkie.

Typically, the UFC has made it a policy to cut fighters after compiling three losses in a row, although there have been exceptions to the rule depending on the situation *cough* Joe Stevenson *cough* Dan Hardy *cough*, but besides being a decent fighter, Brown hasn’t really done anything exceptional to warrant the job protection he’s been afforded. Am I right, Gerald Harris?

“The Immortal” will have to pull out all the stops to beat Hathaway, who got his first and only taste of defeat at the hands of veteran Mike Pyle by decision last October at UFC 120 after upsetting Diego Sanchez at UFC 114 that May.

Tito Ortiz vs. Rich Franklin: Finally, Someone the Bad Boy Can Bully

Tito Ortiz was never one to cherry-pick opponents, but if ever a high-probability win will be handed to him on a silver platter, he won’t complain.After all, the Huntington Beach Bad Boy torched gloves with Chuck Liddell, Rashad Evans, Lyoto Machida, F…

Tito Ortiz was never one to cherry-pick opponents, but if ever a high-probability win will be handed to him on a silver platter, he won’t complain.

After all, the Huntington Beach Bad Boy torched gloves with Chuck Liddell, Rashad Evans, Lyoto Machida, Forrest Griffin, Matt Hamill, Ryan Bader and Evans again—one formidable foe after the other.

Going 1-5-1 in his last seven trips into the Octagon, the aging veteran needs a break and another win before he retires. Another senior fighter will serve that purpose in Rich “Ace” Franklin.

Ortiz fans who have been missing his signature ground-and-pound of old must not miss this fight, if it happens.

The former UFC light-heavyweight champion will do to the former middleweight king what the Thunder couldn’t do to The Spider. That is, exploit the hefty advantage and drag and bang the other all over the Octagon.

With 15 KO wins compared to the Bad Boy’s eight, Griffin certainly has a puncher’s chance against the bigger Ortiz. However, even Walel Watson got that against Cain Velasquez, albeit with far lesser chances.

The Master’s degree-holder is “faster” and will run rings around the college drop-out to avoid the takedowns? Well, he can run, but he can’t…

It’s true that The Mask won over Chuck Liddell and Matt Hamill, who in turn both beat The People’s Champ. Ho-hum, Franklin the former math teacher must know that this so-called “MMA math” is a misnomer and it doesn’t count.

This fight is still pure speculation, regardless of Dana White‘s apparent interest in it.

Maybe, after all, I would never be proven…right.

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