Seasons Beatings 2010
2010 was a year of ups and downs in the world of MMA. The last UFC event of the year featured Georges St. Pierre vs. Josh Koscheck in a heated rematch. Koscheck, a known antagonist, tried to get in GSP’s crawl throughout their stint as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter. Although his constant verbal abuse did little to provoke the UFC Welterweight Champion, it was much more successful than his plan of attack inside the Octagon. GSP dominated all five rounds leaving Koscheck with a broken orbital bone, which resulted in surgery. Koscheck did the unthinkable pleading for forgiveness from the biased Montreal crowd following the defeat. What? Yes…pleaded for forgiveness. So all of the hype was fake? Would he have acted the same had he won? I digress… Here is what stood out in each division in 2010:
Heavyweight- Alistair Overeem is simply the best heavyweight on the planet. Sure throw in your steroid accusations or whatever you want at “The Reem” but the fact is Alistair is an elite striker, a tremendous athlete and the most physically imposing figure in all of MMA. He proved that beyond a shadow of a doubt after winning the prestigious K-1 World Grand Prix in Japan. Alistair also has walked through any and all competition inside the cage. Although Cain Velasquez would be an interesting match-up, Overeem would devour Cain like a pound of horse meat (Overeem admits his fondness of equestrian treats). Hopefully the current best, Overeem will face the all-time best, Fedor in 2011. 2010 saw the return of Brock Lesnar who was backed by the full force of the UFC marketing machine. The fact is Brock is not even close to a well rounded fighter as he was exposed by both Shane Carwin and Cain Velasquez. Lesnar’s stock has dropped faster than a Carson Palmer pass returned for a pick six. Is Cain worth the hype? We may soon see as he will face Junior Dos Santos in 2011, which should be a tremendous fight.
Light Heavyweight- 2010 did little to unscramble the jumbled division. Shogun Rua won his rematch with Lyoto Machida but hasn’t fought since due to an injury. Machida then faced Rampage Jackson in what turned out to be an incredibly boring fight in which Jackson got the W via a very close decision. In Strikeforce, King Mo Lawal appeared to be the next big thing after he defeated the heavy favorite Gegard Mousasi. However, “His Highness” lost his first title defense to the very talented Rafael Cavalcante. There is one fighter who continues to raise eyebrows- the phenom known as Jon “Bones” Jones. Yes it‘s true he hasn’t faced the best of the best, but his raw talent is undeniable. 2011 will likely be the year of Bones.
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Middleweight- 2010 was the same old story, with a slight twist in the script. Anderson “The Spider” Silva continued to show why he is one of the greatest fighters to ever grace the cage. Although many Silva haters found refuge from the trash talking Chael Sonnen (who later was found guilty of using performance enhancing drugs), the fact remains Silva got the win. He survived a brutal beating then pulled victory from the jaws of defeat. In all honesty, there is currently nothing left in the middleweight division for Silva. He will walk through Vitor Belfort at UFC 126 (Super Bowl weekend). Hopefully all fans will get their wish and see a super fight between Silva and GSP. Most MMA fans are now aware of Hector Lombard. Well, it’s time to take notice. The defending Bellator Champion is 27-2-1 having not lost since November of 2006. The former Judo player has turned into a Mike Tyson-esque knockout artist.
Welterweight- GSP is the best athlete in all of MMA and the most well rounded fighter as well. He can defeat elite wrestlers at their own game and stand up with anyone. Nothing is left in the welterweight division for GSP. Would he be willing to fight Silva at 180? Nick Diaz is the 2 nd best welterweight in the world. His game continues to evolve. The question with Diaz is, can he remain focused? Bellator also had an interesting character in Ben “Funky” Askren. The unorthodox wrestler won the 170 tournament then controlled former champion Lyman Good.
Lightweight- The division saw a passing of the torch in 2010. The legendary BJ Penn proved to be a mere mortal as Frankie Edgar had all the answers. Edgar outclassed Penn in all facets defeating him twice in 2010. Edgar is a very quick fighter with top notch wrestling, however, all that will be tested to its fullest on New Years Day when he faces the rugged and tough Gray Maynard, who is responsible for the only blemish on Frankie’s record. To all of the bootlicking UFC fans out there; the best fighters don’t always reside in the UFC. The lightweight division is more proof of that. The greatest 155 pound fighter on the planet is Eddie Alvarez, plain and simple. Hopefully 2011 will feature a bout between Alvarez, the current Bellator Lightweight Champion, and current Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez.
Lower Weight Classes- With the merger of the WEC into the UFC, the lighter weight classes will have greater opportunities and far more exposure. Although it is sad to see the WEC move on, in the end the move will benefit the fighters. WEC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo is one of the best pound for pound fighters on the planet. Aldo, 18-1, has been dominant throughout his career. Hopefully the sensational striker will move up to 155 and compete for the UFC Lightweight Title. Joe Warren turned a lot of heads in the Bellator tournament by surviving tremendous beatings and pulling out victories. Warren, a tremendous Greco-Roman wrestler, defeated Patricio Freire and Joe Soto to capture the title. WEC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz continues to baffle his opposition. He will be a fan favorite in the UFC.
Seasons Beatings MMA Fans and to all a good fight.
By Scott Dryden
ProFighting-fans.com Editor-in-Chief