This thread is here so we can discuss who we think fighters should face next. In order to prevent this thread from being cluttered, I think we should focus solely on fighters who have just had a fight.
Frank Mir - Randy Couture
Frank has talked openly about potentially dropping to 205. I think it's important that he fight someone who is a capable heavyweight, but has also spent time at 205. Both are strong names and would make an interesting matchup.
Mirko Cro Cop - Big Nog
Mirko is winding down his career and he says that he wants to fight 2 more times next year to finish out his contract. He should limit himself to non-contenders and big name fights. There is no reason that he should waste his time with the Ben Rothwell's and Pat Barry's of the world. Big Nog needs a fight and this Pride rematch could be both nostalgic and a classic.
Ryan Bader - Forrest Griffin
Bader vs Jones is being called for but I think it's a bad idea. Either way, that fight would kill the momentum of a rising star. Bader vs Griffin could be interesting no matter where it ends up because neither man is opposed to standing and trading, and Forrest has an underrated ground game to combat Bader's wrestling.
Lil Nog - Jon Jones
Both men are fantastic strikers and ranked in the highly-competitive and very stacked light-heavyweight division. Lil Nog has just recently fallen out of the Top 10 and would be a huge feather in Jones' cap if he can defeat him.
Chris Lytle - Diego Sanchez
Lytle wants to fight opponents who will stand and bang in an attempt to put on incredible fights. Regardless of the outcome of his upcoming fight at UFC 121, I think Diego Sanchez is a fantastic option. I would have said Thiago Alves, but with a fight at UFC 124, that would likely keep Lytle on the shelf for 6 months. In the event that Carlos Condit beats Dan Hardy, Condit would become my first choice.
Matt Serra - Mike Swick
This match was rumored for earlier this year but fell through. Both guys are well known and well liked. Both Top 20 welterweights, Swick has a 9 inch reach advantage and could prove to be problematic for the shorter Serra.
Sean Sherk - Kenny Florian
Florian would have the opportunity to avenge a loss while facing off against a former champion. Sherk is on his comeback trail in hopes of getting to a title shot. A win over Florian would put him only one more win away from getting that shot. In the event that Gray Maynard wins the title this year, Sherk is one of few lightweights that Maynard couldn't outwrestle for 15 minutes.
Evan Dunham - Charles Oliveira
These two are both fantastic strikers with equally impressive jitz. Both men could be champions in the next 2 or 3 years.
Melvin Guillard - Nate Diaz
Diaz has expressed interest in coming back down to lightweight. Guillard has a good streak now that he is under Greg Jackson. I'm very interested to see if Melvin can continue to keep his composure and stick to the gameplan while Nate is mocking him at arms length.
Jeremy Stephens - Kurt Pellegrino
Kurt just got handled and Stephens is on his way back up. This should be a win for Kurt, but Stephens could be a surprising W here.
Matt Mitrione - Pat Barry
I think that Mitrione needs to fight a solid striker if he is going to evolve. He needs to be smart enough to pick his shots, and standing with a kickboxer the caliber of Barry should give him the loss he needs to learn from.
Joey Beltran - Mike Russow
A fight that is winnable for either man. Russow has a little bit of momentum and Beltran should be fighting for a job at this point.
C.B. Dollaway - Dan Miller
Both men are coming off of wins against non-contenders. Miller has a black belt in BJJ to combat Dollaway's wrestling.
Joe Doerksen - Mario Miranda
Submission guys facing off to see who keeps their job.
Last edited by PMBR; September 28th, 2010 at 1:51 PM.
I've never heard Mir talk about dropping to 205. He weighed 252 against Cro Cop FFS.
Mitrione won't fight Barry cuz they're training partners.
Diaz has already beaten Guillard and should be staying at 170 if he has half a brain.
Sanchez is fighting Paulo Thiago at UFC 121.
Sherk/Florian, Dollaway/Miller, Dunham/Oliveria are the only ones I'd really wanna see to be honest.. maybe Cro Cop / Nog. Stephens/Pellegrino isn't too bad.
I'd rather see Forrest/Lil Nog and Jones/Bader .. I think Swick would pick Serra apart like Lytle did.
Last edited by Dubya; September 28th, 2010 at 1:58 PM.
My suggestions for the winner, talked with dub about this with MSN over the weekend actually:
Mir - winner of Schaub/Gonzaga
Bader - Jon Jones
Lytle - Nate Diaz or winner of Condit/Hardy
Sherk - Jim Miller
Guillard - a few options, GOMI, Sam Stout although he may be a drop for Guillard right now, Pellegrino, someone like that.
Originally Posted by dubya
I've never heard Mir talk about dropping to 205. He weighed 252 against Cro Cop FFS.
He's been talking a lot about it, he said recently he would have to take the time off to do it properly so if he got hurt and had some time off then he'd return as a 205er. Can't see it happening though.
Diaz has already beaten Guillard and should be staying at 170 if he has half a brain.
Diaz beat Guillard before Melvin started training with Greg Jackson. I think it's a good matchup. I think it's dumb for Nate to drop back down, but that's apparently what he wants to do.
Sanchez is fighting Paulo Thiago at UFC 121.
Read what is in the spoiler tags fella. I said that Diego is a great option regardless of that outcome. Plus that fight is only a month away and they'd likely be ready to fight again around the same time.
I don't agree. I think unless Sanchez wins that fight with Thiago, its a bit of a step back for Lytle. That will be 3 losses in a row for Sanchez. Lytle has won 4 in a row.. they shouldn't be meeting like that. I'd be all for giving Lytle the winner of that fight, however. Whomever it may be.
I just don't wanna see Diaz go back to 155, to be honest. I think he's a brain-dead moron if he does.
Torn had the idea of doing Diaz/Lytle now and I liked that idea.
Last edited by Dubya; September 28th, 2010 at 2:09 PM.
I think you have to give Lytle a really good guy on a roll. I think I even suggested Fitch to dub, but that may be too much. But who else is Fitch gonna fight if he doesn't get the title shot?
Yeah, Sanchez has a name but right now he's lost 2 in a row and if he loses to Paulo Thiago.. that's 3 in a row.. and I think he will lose to Paulo Thiago.
Frank Mir vs. Roy Nelson
Randy Couture vs. Lil' Nog
Ryan Bader vs. Jon Jones
Forrest Griffin vs. Rich Franklin (return times are pretty close)
Chris Lytle vs. Nate Diaz, Jon Fitch, or Mike Swick.. or even the Hardy/Condit winner.
Go ahead and give Guillard the Gomi fight if he really wants it.
Give Mitrione that guy that beat Mark Hunt.
Also, Lytle won't fight Fitch. He said that he isn't interested in fighting contenders if it means fighting guys who aren't interested in putting on a good fight. I got the impression that he was directly talking about Jon Fitch.
I dunno, I thought Fitch put on a good fight with Alves. Fitch isn't lay and prey to me .. he really beats the shit outta people. I mean, he may not finish a lot .. but look at his face and then the other guys face .. he's definitely working.
Also, Lytle won't fight Fitch. He said that he isn't interested in fighting contenders if it means fighting guys who aren't interested in putting on a good fight. I got the impression that he was directly talking about Jon Fitch.
If the UFC want him to fight Jon Fitch, he'll fight Jon Fitch.