Most threatened UFC Title?

Locomotion

With the UFC Champs all looking very dominant in their last performances and the last undisputed title change being 11 events ago when Machida finished Evans in May 2009, I was just wondering who's title everyone thinks is the most under threat?

Let's look at the candidates:

1) BJ Penn - squashed Kenflo and Diego, Shinya Aoki will seemingly refuse to sign with the UFC making that match as unlikely as Fedor v. Brock. Frankie Edgar may be a better wrestler but will more than likely come up short against Penn's BJJ and boxing.

2) GSP - hasn't finished but has dominated all 5 rounds against both Alves and Fitch who are still ranked No.2 and No.3 at WW, made Penn look like an amateur in their superfight. Hasn't lost a round since Josh Koscheck in the summer 2007 (a fight GSP still won by Unanimous Decision). Dan Hardy may pose a threat in his boxing skills and strong takedown defence but usually GSP is well known for disproving fighter's who are supposed to have 'strong takedown defence'.

3) Anderson Silva - Big fight coming up against fast handed Vitor Belfort. Presumably everyone will consider Silva the better muay thai fighter but would anyone consider Belfort the better boxer? And could this be played to his advantage? Nate Marquardt slowly waiting on the sidelines and has shown a heap of improvement since their last fight. Albeit, their last fight was a lopsided first round squash in favour of Silva. How likely is UFC to get Jake Shields? Would his wrestling pose a problem for Silva?

4) Lyoto Machida - looked untouchable, literally (as Evans' only landed shot was a body kick that didn't seem to have much force behind it) before his controversial decision win against Shogun. Would Machida still be considered the favourite in their May rematch? Does Rogerio Nogueira, Jon Jones or Rampage pose any notable threats for the champ? Would Evans have improved enough to come back from the mugging that was their first match in May 09?

5) Brock Lesnar - coming back from a life threatening disease. Apparently lost 40 lbs since then but prob won't fight until the summer so has a lot of time to put the weight back on. Will the lay off have a large negative side effect on him? Will Frank Mir's additional size gain pose a problem for Lesnar's ground and mutilate style? Will Shane Carwin be able to stop Lesnar's wrestling? Presumably Fedor signing is still a long long way away so does anyone else in the UFC pose a threat to this belt? Maybe Big Nog's submission skills? Maybe Dos Santos's striking?

Mikeyt086

1) BJ Penn - I dont think any of the potential candidates can threaten him at the moment. I thought Diego would scare him but BJ put on a clinic.

2) GSP - Again, i dont see much threat. I expect Dan Hardy to be well beaten and Koscheck if he is next in line isnt as good technically although he is improving.

3) Anderson Silva - I expect The Spider to beat Belfot and Marquardt comfortabley, again not much threat.

4) Lyoto Machida - This is an interesting one. Before the shogun fight i would have said "No ****ing way." But i am of the opinion that Shogun came out on top in that fight, so my opinion of Machida has waivered, as a result he will probably annihilate his next opponent, but i think there is a question mark over him now.

5) Brock Lesnar - I expect Brock to beat Carwin, but i was really impressed by New Mir against Kongo. Lesnar v Mir III is really excting. It all depends on how Brock reacts to his illness. I hope he makes a full recovery to fighting fitness.

There you go. I think: No, No, No, Probably Not, It depends.

mark.leonard

My hope for this year is someone takes out Machida. It looks very possible that shogun could do it, but genuinely I don't care who it is, as long as we don't have to watch him in another marquee match again I will be happy. Life is too short to be watching him backing around the ring.

Sid_Justice

I think we can all agree that there is nobody in the UFC right now who poses a very strong and singular threat to either Bj Penn or GSP at their preferred weight classes.

I would have said the same thing for Anderson, only that I think Vitor has a very good chance of causing an upset, but outside of Marquadt (who I think will lose again in a rematch) there doesn't seem to be a genuine contender.

Machida on the other hand, and in my humble opinion, is most likely to be ousted within the coming year. I personally think Rampage and Shogun are genuine threats and I'd favour them to beat him (I would have given Shogun the win last time around).

On Brock, I think he is still a very much unknown quantity. I've no idea if he'll beat Carwin, Noqueira or a Frank Mir with a properly implement game plan.

I think BJ's most dangerous opponents are outside the UFC. Aoki, Hansen, the other dream and strikeforce top guys all, in my opinion, have a much better chance than Edgar et al.. I can't wait to see Nick Diaz's return to WW, perhaps he will offer a legit challange to GSP? Jake Shields I think is also a top guy at 170/185 and can challenge either.

Mouassi I think could beat Anderson at 205, I'd love to see that fight. Vitor specifically ducked out of fighting him to come to the UFC. FEdor of course will take brock's belt off him within 5 mins.

rovert

Sid_Justice wrote: »

On Brock, I think he is still a very much unknown quantity. I've no idea if he'll beat Carwin, Noqueira or a Frank Mir with a properly implement game plan.

You do know that Brock can beat Mir with a properly implemented game plan.

Brock and Lyoto are both my picks depending on how much illness has depleted Brock and whether Lyoto can fill in the holes exposed in his game.

Sid_Justice

rovert wrote: »

You do know that Brock can beat Mir with a properly implemented game plan.

Brock and Lyoto are both my picks depending on how much illness has depleted Brock and whether Lyoto can fill in the holes exposed in his game.

well what i meant was if Mir comes in with a good game and implements it will (i.e. not just hiding in half guard doing very little) he could submit Brock. Is that what you understood from what I said? Rereading what I said it was ambiguous.

cowzerp

Its definetly Andersons as things stand, Vitor can end the fight in seconds and can win on the ground also if that does not work Anderson is a good boxer so it will be interesting to see how he handles another good boxer, Machida has already lost (really) so we know he can be beaten and i hope justice is done in the rematch. which ever fight is 1st is the most threatened!

Jason McCabe

I think the hardest to beat at their respective weights are BJ and GSP


I too hope Machida gets a good beating by Shogun. I find him very boring. Would like to see him fight Mousasi too.

Brock is obviosly a question mark at the moment. If he recovers AND as he said he was not functioing on full steam he will be one hell of a savage.

I oddly enough like the big guy.

Raze_them_all

I really don't think BJ will lose his belt to anybody in the ufc at the minute, He's undefeated in hi own weightclass in 8 years or something now isn't he?

I think Lyoto will lose his first then possible brock

Lord Muck

Machida will hopefully loose the rematch against Shogun. It still rankles with me how Rua was robbed last time out.

GSP could be due an serra style upset against Hardy

I'd fancy Nog against Lesnar too

Anderson and BJ are pretty much untouchable in their classes. I expect Silva to move up permenant to LHW, on paper more challenges for him there.

Pride Fighter

I think Serra/Penn is a great match at 155 if Serra cuts down. That would be the hardest possible match for BJ at 155.

GSP is unbeatable at WW. A stint at MW is calling.

Anderson is unbeatable at MW. Vitor Belfort is overrated to the extreme, he could not beat Anderson Silva with Anderson having 1 hand tied behind his back.

I think Shogun can be beaten, I am saying Shogun as I do not recognise that fight as a Shogun loss. I think Shogun has a weakness against wrestlers, if Rampage was to wrestle Shogun he could beat him.

Brock can be beaten. I do not think Mir can, I think JDS/Carwin/Velasquez have slim chances but very slim. Brock will be the champ for a good while IMO.

unknown13

Its either Machida or Lesnar. Shogun has laid down the foundations of how to beat him and next in line for the winner is probably the winner of Rashad / Rampage and if Machida beats Shogun the second time and Rampage beats Rashad, Rampage will beat Machida.

Lesnar has the winner of Carwin / Mir or Cain / Nog and apart from Cain either of those three will give Lesnar a though fight and could take the belt from him.

Pride Fighter

Pride Fighter wrote: »

I think Serra/Penn is a great match at 155 if Serra cuts down. That would be the hardest possible match for BJ at 155..

Happened already and BJ won a unanimous decision. If you look at how both guys have evolved since then I don't see ay way at all that shows that the outcome would be any different to be honest.

Pride Fighter wrote: »

Anderson is unbeatable at MW. Vitor Belfort is overrated to the extreme, he could not beat Anderson Silva with Anderson having 1 hand tied behind his back..

I'm sorry but this is just crazy talk!! Whatever about the logistics of the statement (you obviously (hopefully) didn't mean it literally, but I have to ask, are you basing this on the performances from Vitor of 3-5 years ago, when he would hop from camp to camp and have a new one for each fight, or the performances since he went to Extreme Couture and settled dwn and sorted out his training?


Personally:

1) BJ Penn - I don't see anyone in the UFC beating him at 155.

2) GSP - May be under threat in a rematch with Koscheck but IMO has no threat whatsoever from Hardy.

3) Anderson Silva - Vitor is a huge threat for at least the 1st round or 2. Depends on how well Xtreme Couture prepares his cardio and mindset but on recent performances I would say that he will be a big threat to Anderson. Marquart v2.0 will also be a big threat.

4) Lyoto Machida - IMO has aready been beaten comprehensively.

5) Brock Lesnar - can be beaten but will he be? Biggest threat IMO is Nog and maybe dos Santos (if he has a ground game/TD defence but I doubt it)

Bodhidharma

They all look fairly solid to me. I dont expect title changes any time soon. If there is a change it will be Machida or Lesnar. In saying that I expect Machida to beat Shogun in a rematch. All the others in the division have no chance, i'm surprised people think Rampage would beat Evans AND Machida.

Brock's reign remains to be seen. But if he's back to his game he will be champ a good while yet.

BJ, GSP and Silva are untouchable.

ginoginelli

Deleted User wrote: »

Happened already and BJ won a unanimous decision. If you look at how both guys have evolved since then I don't see ay way at all that shows that the outcome would be any different to be honest.

Im sure pridefighter and most of us are aware that they both fought before. Thanks for reminding us though neil :rolleyes:.

That fight was extremely close. Some people thought Serra won it tbh. I think bj has evolved since then though, and would likely have his way with serra now. Still a fight i would like to see..

Anderson should handle vitor easily enough. Vitor has got a punchers chance, and thats about it tbh.

Pride Fighter

Deleted User wrote: »

Happened already and BJ won a unanimous decision. If you look at how both guys have evolved since then I don't see ay way at all that shows that the outcome would be any different to be honest.

I know that, I am just saying Serra would be his hardest possible match at LW as I think BJ would smash Aoki standing.

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm sorry but this is just crazy talk!! Whatever about the logistics of the statement (you obviously (hopefully) didn't mean it literally, but I have to ask, are you basing this on the performances from Vitor of 3-5 years ago, when he would hop from camp to camp and have a new one for each fight, or the performances since he went to Extreme Couture and settled dwn and sorted out his training?


Personally:

1) BJ Penn - I don't see anyone in the UFC beating him at 155.

2) GSP - May be under threat in a rematch with Koscheck but IMO has no threat whatsoever from Hardy.

3) Anderson Silva - Vitor is a huge threat for at least the 1st round or 2. Depends on how well Xtreme Couture prepares his cardio and mindset but on recent performances I would say that he will be a big threat to Anderson. Marquart v2.0 will also be a big threat.

4) Lyoto Machida - IMO has aready been beaten comprehensively.

5) Brock Lesnar - can be beaten but will he be? Biggest threat IMO is Nog and maybe dos Santos (if he has a ground game/TD defence but I doubt it)

We will see about Vitor when he fights a good fighter. The rest I agree with ya mate.

ginoginelli

ginoginelli wrote: »

Im sure pridefighter and most of us are aware that they both fought before. Thanks for reminding us though neil :rolleyes:.

I brought it up solely to make the point about how both have evolved :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Pride Fighter wrote: »

I know that, I am just saying Serra would be his hardest possible match at LW as I think BJ would smash Aoki standing.

Possibly. Serra certainly has the BJJ skills and hands to compete and cause problems but IMO BJ eould be too much for him at this stage of both their careers. But I see what you're saying for sure.

LOL I agree 100% about Aoki!!

Pride Fighter wrote: »

We will see about Vitor when he fights a good fighter. The rest I agree with ya mate.

Ah yea dude. I know what ya mean. Tbh I see Anderson as the favourite but I just don't get how people are countin Vitor out. He has fought 2 good fighters in a row in Lindland and Rich. Both quick finishes so yea hard to say how well he'll be prepped for a long battle. I know those guys aren't on Anderson's level but IMO Vitor is a different kettle of fish at 185 as he was always too small for HW and 205.