UFC Welterweight Summary
The mountain that is the UFC Welterweight division is stacked with talent. At the pinnacle of the mountain is the incumbent champion in the 170 lb. Division, Georges St-Pierre. While GSP is not unbeatable, it is a daunting task, to say the least. Georges “Rush” St-Pierre has a seemingly bottomless gas tank and his wrestling skills are top-notch (as was demonstrated when he put on a clinic against NCAA champion wrestler Josh Koscheck). GSP also has a striking game that is among the best in the world. As I said before, St-Pierre is not unbeatable, but his skills and conditioning put him in an advantageous position every time he enters the Octagon.
Squaring off against GSP at UFC 111 will be “The Outlaw” Dan Hardy. Hardy is easily recognizable for his red Mohawk, but his brawling style in the cage has earned him many a fan as well. His rapid ascent through the UFC’s welterweight division has turned some heads but Hardy has beaten several top contenders in the division (Akihiro Gono, Mike Swick, and Marcus Davis to name a few) and he looks to take the biggest step forward in his MMA career when he faces GSP in New Jersey.
Looking to get the next crack at the welterweight belt is a crowd of hungry challengers. Paul Daley has made a surge lately, making his name known in an explosive way by knocking out both of his first two opponents out in the Octagon in a grand total of 4:55. The next hurdle for Daley is The Ultimate Fighter alum Josh Koscheck. Koscheck’s skills have improved vastly since his days on TUF, when he was almost exclusively a wrestler. Koscheck’s striking has come full circle and now he is a multifaceted fighter with world-class takedowns, solid submissions, and devastating knockout power (just ask Yoshiyuki Yoshida). Jon Fitch is yet another top contender in the division, once rattling off 8 straight UFC wins before losing to GSP for the belt. Since then, Fitch has clawed back to the top and will meet Thiago Alves in his next fight. The stocky Thiago Alves has not fought since UFC 100, where he put on quite a show in a losing battle against St-Pierre. The winner of the Fitch-Alves fight should catapult himself into contention for another match up with GSP.
One thing the Welterweight division is not lacking is former cast members of The Ultimate Fighter. To name a few, fighters like Koscheck, Mike Swick, submission expert Amir Sadollah, Matt Brown, and Ben Saunders got their start on the show, but in all reality, only Koscheck and Swick are very close to the top of the heap in the division. Other fighters to watch for in the future (despite not being on The Ultimate Fighter) are Rumble Johnson, Brazilian Special Forces member Paulo Thiago, and NCAA wrestling All-American Johny Hendricks.> Check out the UFC apparel & merchandise and TapouT clothing & hats online through ProFighting-fans.com!
While I have mentioned some of the current and possibly future stars of the welterweight division, it is worth mentioning some of those that have paved the way in the division and continue to fight. Phil Baroni is a fighter that has slugged his way to countless victories, both in the UFC and overseas. Matt “The Terra” Serra is a jiu-jitsu specialist that handed Georges St-Pierre his last defeat. Matt Hughes is a two-time UFC champion and even at the age of 36, Hughes still demonstrates devastating ground and pound, much to the dismay of those on the receiving end of his strikes. Hughes has battled a Who’s Who throughout his career and will add another to his resume when he takes on Renzo Gracie in April. While the three of these fighters are still pounding, choking, and slamming their way to victories in the UFC, it is safe to say that their best years are in the rearview mirror.
UFC 111 is a true crucible for the welterweight division, due to the fact that there will be 6 bouts contested at 170 lbs. The hierarchy in the division should become clearer after these men have it out in the cage. One thing is for certain is that the welterweight division is going to explosive and unpredictable for years to come.
By Curt Heinrich
ProFighting-fans.com MMA Staff Writer