UFC 125, Dynamite!! 2010, and January UFC Rankings

Let's talk about Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard. Well, hang on. Happy New Year. For mixed martial arts fans, 2010 went out with a bang, and 2011 came in with one. Dynamite!! 2010 (on New Year's Eve) was a fun card, and UFC 125 (on New Year's Day) was a solid event with a terrific headliner. I didn't fit Sengoku: Soul of Fight (on December 30) into my schedule. As it is, I've spent 24 hours watching sports in the last three days: five hours for Dynamite!!, three for the Rose Bowl, four for UFC 125, and 12 for football on Sunday. That's half my waking life, and I spent most of the other half reading or writing about sports. Adding another MMA event would have required total abdication of my social life and day-to-day responsibilities. Sorry, Sengoku fans. For now, let's talk about Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard.

Edgar, the lightweight champion, was coming off back-to-back wins over B.J. Penn. His only career loss was a 2008 unanimous decision against the undefeated Maynard. This was Edgar's chance for revenge, and Maynard finally got his long-awaited shot at the title. In the most exciting fight of Maynard's UFC career, he put Edgar in huge trouble early, but was unable to put the champ away, and tired visibly afterwards. Edgar rebounded, and the fight was declared a draw. Glen Trowbridge scored the bout 48-46 Maynard, Marcos Rosales had it 48-46 for the champ, and Patricia Morse Jarman scored a 47-47 tie. Edgar kept his belt, both fighters were visibly upset afterwards, and there has been widespread disagreement about the scoring in the fight.

I had it 48-46 for Maynard: 10-8, 9-10, 10-9, 9-10, 10-9. The fifth round was razor close, so 47-47 seemed reasonable, too. But how on earth did Rosales give four rounds to Edgar? I watched the fight again, and the third round was closer than I initially thought. Maynard landed a couple of damaging strikes, but Edgar peppered him throughout the round, especially the first three minutes. I also reconsidered the fifth round; it probably should have been 10-10 or a very slight edge to Edgar. Upon second viewing, I had the same score as Jarman: 47-47.

The draw doesn't bother me. It's not particularly satisfying, but it's the only fair result in a fight neither man truly dominated. Maynard should have won early, though. In the first round, from 3:30-3:00, he had multiple opportunities to sink a rear naked choke on Edgar, but instead, he threw haymakers and punched himself out.

After initially announcing that WEC champion Anthony Pettis would get the next shot at Edgar, in a lightweight unification bout, the UFC reversed course and granted Maynard a rematch. That seems like the right thing to do. Both fighters seemed pretty beaten up, however, and if either gets a lengthy medical suspension, I'd like to see the healthy one fight Pettis. Top fighters shouldn't be on the shelf for eight months.

January 2011 UFC Rankings

The rankings below are exclusively for the UFC, so you won't see names like Dan Henderson or Hiroyuki Takaya on these lists.

Heavyweight (206-265 lbs)

1. Cain Velasquez
2. Junior Dos Santos
3. Brock Lesnar
4. Shane Carwin
5. Roy Nelson
6. Frank Mir
7. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
8. Ben Rothwell
9. Brendan Schaub
10. Stefan Struve

Make it Happen: Lesnar vs. Rothwell

Casual fans don't know much about Ben Rothwell, but in the last 5½ years, he's 15-2, including wins over Roy Nelson, Ricco Rodriguez, and Gilbert Yvel. He's lost only to Cain Velasquez and Andrei Arlovski. He's a worthy opponent for Lesnar, and everyone else seems to be out of the question for one reason or another. By pitting Lesnar against Rothwell, the UFC either gains recognition for a talented fighter or puts Lesnar back on the road to a title. Win-win.

Thank You, UFC, For: Uh...

Honestly, nothing in this division particularly excites me right now. Velasquez's shoulder injury is a major bummer, as is Nelson's contract situation.

Light Heavyweight (186-205)

1. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua
2. Jon Jones
3. Lyoto Machida
4. Rashad Evans
5. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson
6. Ryan Bader
7. Thiago Silva
8. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
9. Forrest Griffin
10. Rich Franklin

Make it Happen: Jackson vs. winner of Jones/Bader

MMA Fighting reports that Randy Couture and Machida have verbally agreed to meet at UFC 129 on April 30 in Toronto, though it's "not even close" to being finalized yet. Since that takes a Machida/Jackson rematch off the table, Jackson should fight the winner of Jones/Bader, and the winner of that fight should get a title shot.

Thank You, UFC, For: Griffin vs. Franklin

Two big names who are probably a little past their primes but still relevant in the division. I'd love to see the victor face the winner of Couture/Machida.

Middleweight (171-185)

1. Anderson Silva
2. Chael Sonnen
3. Yushin Okami
4. Vitor Belfort
5. Demian Maia
6. Alan Belcher
7. Nate Marquardt
8. Wanderlei Silva
9. Michael Bisping
10. Jorge Rivera

Make it Happen: Wanderlei Silva vs. Marquardt

Two ferocious strikers trying to prove they're not done. This has Fight of the Night or Knockout of the Night written all over it. Brian Stann asked to fight Wanderlei after his win on Saturday night. It is time for middle-of-the-pack middleweights to stop calling out Wanderlei and Bisping. Every time someone wins a fight, he wants one of those two. It's played out, guys. Call out Alan Belcher or Sexyama or someone. Incidentally, Stann vs. Sexyama would probably be a really good fight. Line it up, Joe Silva.

Thank You, UFC, For: Okami's title shot

Brother has earned it. Don't renege, UFC.

Welterweight (156-170)

1. Georges St-Pierre
2. Jon Fitch
3. Jake Shields
4. Thiago Alves
5. B.J. Penn
6. Martin Kampmann
7. Carlos Condit
8. Josh Koscheck
9. Matt Hughes
10. Dong Hyun Kim

Make it Happen: Alves vs. Koscheck

The idea of Koscheck being punched by someone as powerful as Alves is really appealing.

Thank You, UFC, For: Kampmann vs. Diego Sanchez

I love this division. These are both exciting, well-rounded fighters. Sanchez looked terrific in his last fight, and Kampmann is a logical opponent as Diego tries to re-assert himself at 170.

Lightweight (146-155)

1. Frankie Edgar
2. Gray Maynard
3. Kenny Florian
4. George Sotiropoulos
5. Jim Miller
6. Evan Dunham
7. Sean Sherk
8. Anthony Pettis
9. Ben Henderson
10. Clay Guida

Make it Happen: Miller vs. Pettis

The match-making for top contenders in this division is baffling. Sotiropoulos, Miller, and Dunham all have fights scheduled against opponents who aren't anywhere near the top 10. Dennis Siver (Sotiropoulos) is okay, and I am looking forward to that matchup. Melvin Guillard (Dunham) is an injury replacement for Florian, so that's understandable, too. But Kamal Shalorus (Miller)? Shalorus is an outstanding wrestler with power in his hands, but giving him a top-10 opponent — and giving Miller a guy with no name recognition — is not the right thing to do. Here's an idea: in wake of the draw at UFC 125, find a new opponent for Shalorus and let Miller fight Anthony Pettis, winner gets a title shot.

Thank You, UFC, For: Edgar vs. Maynard III

I think Edgar will win the rematch, but both men deserve a chance to decisively claim the belt. Edgar/Pettis would have been overshadowed by the draw at UFC 125 anyway.

Featherweight (136-145)

1. Jose Aldo
2. Manny Gamburyan
3. Mark Hominick
4. Diego Nuñes
5. Mike Brown
6. Michihiro Omigawa
7. Dustin Poirier
8. Josh Grispi
9. Raphael Assuncao
10. Chad Mendes

Make it Happen: Nuñes vs. winner of Omigawa/Mendes

This division turned upside down when Brown and Grispi both lost on January 1. Matchmaking at the top has gotten tricky, but this seems like a good fight to determine Aldo's next opponent. Omigawa has won five in a row and Mendes is undefeated, while the 16-1 Nuñes is coming off a win over former champ Mike Thomas Brown.

Thank You, UFC, For: Hominick vs. George Roop

Roop, the TUF 8 alum, looks much better at 145 than he did at lightweight, and is a decent opponent for Hominick.

Bantamweight (126-135)

1. Dominick Cruz
2. Urijah Faber
3. Joseph Benavidez
4. Brian Bowles
5. Miguel Torres
6. Scott Jorgensen
7. Eddie Wineland
8. Antonio Banuelos
9. Brad Pickett
10. Demetrious Johnson

Make it Happen: Pickett vs. Takeya Mizugaki

Mizugaki is a former title contender, coming off a scary submission loss to Faber. This is Pickett's chance to prove he's for real against a recognizable opponent, and Mizugaki's opportunity to jump back into the top 10.

Thank You, UFC, For: everything.

I love this division. It's new to the UFC, but it's already stacked. We've got Faber vs. Wineland, Torres vs. Banuelos, Bowles and Damacio Page, Demetrious Johnson fighting Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto — that's a lot to like.

UFC 125 and 126

The Edgar/Maynard contest, which was a spectacular fight in addition to the controversy, overshadowed the rest of the card. Troubled brawler Chris Leben, recently cited for DUI, got knocked out by Brian Stann, though I'm not buying the latter's hype as a serious contender at 185. I just don't believe he has any kind of ground game. More intriguing were the wins by Thiago Silva, Dong Hyun Kim, and Clay Guida.

Silva destroyed Brandon Vera, who has lost three in a row. I can't believe Vera was on a main card again. Dude hasn't had a significant win in like three years. The UFC seems to like him, though. His next fight will probably be for the belt. Kim won an unpopular decision over Nate Diaz, showcasing superb grappling and submission defense. He's a factor at 170. Guida was once a 1,000-mph blanket, a wrestler with unbelievable cardio and few other applicable skills. He's now finished three straight fights, with two subs and an injury stoppage. If Guida has complemented his frenetic pace with a well-rounded game, he could become more than a gatekeeper at 155.

Looking ahead to UFC: Fight for the Troops 2 (January 22) and UFC 126 (February 5), there are six fights that merit particular attention, most obviously the February headliner between Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort, with the middleweight title on the line. Belfort hasn't fought in more than a year, and he's never fought at middleweight. Silva hasn't looked really impressive in ages. It's an intriguing matchup, as long as Silva decides not to pull his Kalib Starnes routine again, but almost impossible to predict. I guess I'd lean toward Silva.

At light heavyweight, elder statesmen face off when Forrest Griffin meets Rich Franklin. The winner likely edges into the 205-lb. title picture for one last run at a belt, while the loser becomes a high-profile gatekeeper and gets fed to Phil Davis. I'll take Franklin in a small upset. If Griffin/Franklin showcases the UFC's past, Jon Jones vs. Ryan Bader, at the same event, highlights its future. Bader is undefeated, and Jones' only defeat is a disqualification in a fight he was dominating. They're the brightest young stars in the division, and the winner is a force to be reckoned with, presumably very close to a title shot. Don't bet against Jones.

Meanwhile, Dunham tries to stay on the right track against Guillard, Hominick tries to stay on the right track against Roop, and Torres meets Banuelos. Dunham and Hominick are probably two good wins each away from their own chances to fight for a belt, while Torres, the former champion, is angling for a return to glory, and possibly an eventual date with Urijah Faber. Altogether, it's a lot to look forward to. The introduction of the lighter weight classes, particularly the stacked 135-lb. division, is a really exciting development for UFC fans.

DREAM, K-1, and K-1 World MAX Dynamite!! 2010

Ten thoughts on an exciting card:

1. Alistair Overeem may have just completed the greatest year in history for a combat sports athlete. He captured one kickboxing title (K-1) and two MMA belts (Strikeforce and DREAM), and he looked amazing in doing so. I know UFC devotees and Fëdor worshippers will get huffed up over this, but I believe Overeem is probably one of the top two heavyweights on the planet, along with Cain Velasquez. Yeah, Todd Duffee and Brett Rogers aren't exactly the toughest competition in the world, but Overeem just destroys people. He's for real.

2. Karma caught up to Shinya Aoki. In a bizarre fight with rounds alternating between kickboxing rules and MMA rules, Aoki made a mockery of the first round, stalling it out, then got knocked out by a knee four seconds into the next round. This could also be cosmic payback for breaking Mizuto Hirota's arm and then giving him the finger.

3. Frank Trigg and Michael Schiavello bet on the outcome of the fight, and when Aoki lost, Trigg was obligated to wear a pink wig and lipstick. The wig actually looked okay. The lipstick, not so much. He planted at least two kisses on Schiavello, who had visible lipstick marks on his right cheek and the top of his bald head. I am not making this up.

4. Kazushi Sakuraba's match ended prematurely when one of his ears fell off. His cauliflower ear bloodied badly and then partially detached from his head, forcing a halt to the bout. Sakuraba is a legend, with nothing left to prove. I wish he would retire. HDNet's translator interpreted his post-fight apology to the fans for such a short (2:16) bout, "Sorry, my ear came off..."

5. Ikuhisa Minowa is not a serious contender. Minowaman has dropped two of his last three fights, and although both were to larger opponents, he seems doomed to go the way of Sakuraba, though hopefully with both ears fully intact. When Minowaman won the 2009 Super Hulk Grand Prix, he defeated Bob Sapp, Hong Man Choi, and Sokoudjou. Minowa is great in freak shows and mismatches, but he can't consistently handle top competition.

6. I know I say this every time I write about Japanese MMA, but I love Lenne Hardt, the Crazy PRIDE Lady who handles introductions at major Japanese MMA events. Japanese ring entrances are so much more fun than in the UFC.

7. Hiroyuki Takaya won his rematch against Bibiano Fernandes with surprising ease, capturing the DREAM featherweight title. Takaya has reeled off knockout wins against Joachim Hansen and Chase Beebe, and a unanimous decision against Fernandes. He's got a decent case to make as the best bantamweight in the world. I wouldn't bet on him against Dominick Cruz or Urijah Faber, but either one would be a hell of a fight.

8. Satoshi Ishii's MMA career got off to a rocky start when he lost a unanimous decision to Hidehiko Yoshida last New Year's Eve. Since then, the Olympic gold medalist in judo is 4-0, with decisions over Minowaman and Jerome Le Banner, and two stoppages. He's a really interesting prospect if DREAM can find appropriate competition for him.

9. I wish Bellator, Strikeforce, and the UFC used something like the yellow card system. Discouraging stalling is a good thing.

10. Dynamite!! was a great way to ring in the new year, a really appealing mix of fun mismatches and top-tier competition, with competent judging and reffing, few periods of inaction, and Lenne Hardt. Not trying to get all PRIDE-nostalgic on you, but a quality show for a struggling promotion. Happy New Year, MMA fans.