No disrespect intended, but I could care less if there is a title fight, eating up PPV time.
Pulver is the champ. Since he bounced, Zuffa has forgotten the division. I don't blame them. There isn't an exciting star in the UFC's 155 lb. division right now.
Sudo- Awesome fighter, but hasn't beaten a top 10 in the new millenium. He lost to Ludwig and is not likely to stick with the UFC.
Ludwig-Seems to be more interested in fighting K-1 right now and who can blame him? He has the best record in this grouping against top competition, beating Sudo (the 3rd round standup was instrumental in the win IMO) and Pulver. As an MMA fan, I don't see him being a Miletich or Hughes style dominant champ as long as his ground game has holes. Hasn't fought MMA in a year.
Franca-Awesome personality for the MMA game. Well-rounded and very likeable, but is coming off of 2 consecutive losses (I thought he won both BTW) and 3 of his 4 fights have gone to the decision. Not exactly a strong finishing percentage in the short term.
Edwards-is on a roll in the UFC, but 4 of his last 5 fights have gone to decision, again not the strong finish percentage you would want in a marketable champion.
Thompson-Lastly, probably my favorite of the list and 2 of his last 3 fights have gone to the judges. Excluding a majority decision over Franca, his best win is Strebendt. While a good fighter, Strebendt is not top 10.
moron--the reason it's so hard to distinguish a real champ is because most fighters in the division are so exciting/talented--all the more reason for a title fight so they all have something to shoot for
"Edwards-is on a roll in the UFC, but 4 of his last 5 fights have gone to decision, again not the strong finish percentage you would want in a marketable champion."
You see this is the problem. Have you watched those fights? Except for France they were barn-burners... Edwards is a finishing machine BUT faced the best in the division.
If people want to chuck b and c rated fighters at the best every so often so be it, but when you're fighting the best you just can't expect finishes everytime..
jimmyhatt is correct
oh, and before Joseph Cunliffe shows up and has a nervous breakdown--it's spelled THOMSON :)
They dropped Uno too soon (or Uno wasn't convinced to stay). He just tied the guy who beat Edwards...
Hatt, nice, my bad. Thomson
lol at Serra not being on the list of 155 contenders.
LOL. Dude, he is a good guy, he has lost 2 of the last 3. And the win was over a 145 lb that he decisioned
that 145 was is "worst opponent"...as in, Serra never fights shitty dudes, he takes on whoever, so he deserves credit for that
Kelly, Shonie and some cat named Melisi? Serra is really great to watch and cool in person, but just not in the others' class as of now.
Whether he lost to BJ or not is debateable. Many people thought Matt won that fight. Most people think BJ is the best lb for lb. His other loss was to Din who I think effectively countered his way to a victory.
Both of those victories were by people who literally ran from Matt the entire fight. Hell Liborio apologized to Matt in person for instructing Din to avoid going to the ground with him at all costs.
He beat Yves Edwards and signed to fight Sudo who didn't want to fight Matt. After several replacements fell through Curren was the only one who stepped up. That isn't Matt's fault.
Kelly did beat Ludwig
GC, close decisions could have really shaken the division from how it looks right now.
a)woulda coulda shoulda, results are results no matter how WE think they should have gone
b)they are still decisions, which means that nobody is making themselves appear superior to the other contenders.
HATT, that was many years ago and would not beat him now, not even close IMO
BSF is correct. I like Yves, cool guy. I was live for Franca and Johnson. I think Franca won in the UFC, and the crowd was cheering for Johnson by the end of the fight. My favorite line from Johnson (3D here) that night was a bloody Johnson after the fight: "I told him that you gotta come stronguh than that bruthuh in the 1st round"
I was there for Yves/ Johnson too, coulda sworn people were booing Johnson for backing away and Yves not actively going after him by the end of the fight
Not where I was standing. I was near the Team Quest booth and first aid. People were loving Johnson showing his back to Edwards and enjoying himself
JM- now you are contradicting yourself. Hermes has lost his last 2 fights. One of them to a fighter Matt beat. But you still include him in your top fighters. Why is that? Because in your opinion he should have won.
LOL at your "criteria" for picking contenders.
I have no problem with Hermes because I think he should have won those fights also. But Matt beat BJ who is/was the best fighter in the 155lb division. And you give him no credit.
bobsappfan- many people feel the same way I do. BJ ran from matt. If Matt chose to fight the way BJ did, they would have stood in their corners and looked at eachother.
Matt hit BJ plenty. He pressed the entire fight. BJ moved backwards the entire fight and did nothing to engage Matt. He countered and ran.
LOL. GC, maybe a little less trauma to the head until you can grasp what I am saying. Serra had his chance REPEATEDLY in the UFC and kept coming up a little short. If they had not spoon fed him Dullanty and Brown (who he couldn't finish) what would his record look like?
Look, I like Serra, this thread is not about dissing any particular fighter. Serra is just not a 10 155'er. That is all. Maybe a win over Shaolin or Crane would be a good start to get him back with the big boys.