Who should Anderson Silva fight next?

[HeGlassedMe]

GSP or JJ.
No more MW cans.

[(PimpThaSystem)]

Originally Posted by the_bigunit

But he was. The middleweight division has always been one of the weakest. Stann lost to Bisping, Bisping lost to Sonnen, Sonnen had just lost to Silva, Belfort and Okami (1-3) had lost to Silva in '11, Shields was at 170, Palhares lost to Belcher, Belcher was making noise but had just two fights since returning from his eye injury, Boetsch was unimpressive against Lombard (as was Lombard), Rockhold was in Strikeforce, and Weidman was about to shed his prospect label against Munoz.

Munoz hadn't lost decisively since 2009 and that was against Hamill at 205lbs and had won 7 of his last 8 (the loss being a close split decision to Okami). There was huge speculation that Munoz was to receive a title shot if he beat Leben (over a year before he even met Weidman). Leben, who was still a hot commodity (had won 4 out of his last 5 - including desolating Wanderlei and pulling out 2 wins in 2 weeks (Simpson, Akiyama)).

Not to mention, at the time, Munoz's Donkey Kong power and (overrated) wrestling was thought to be a big stylistic matchup for Anderson Silva.

IMO Okami's win over Munoz was very decisive, don't know what fight that third judge was watching but Munoz couldn't get anything going against Okami. I also thought Maia got robbed against Munoz. I too have always considered Munoz's high ranking in MW more a testament to the weakness of the division than a credit to his skills as a fighter. The guy went life and death with Kendall Grove and didn't come close to taking down Okami. I don't think many people seriously thought he was a threat to Anderson.

I probably should have said Rockhold's resume was arguably better than Weidman's. It's hard to compare given the separation of the two divisions, but with Strikeforce being absorbed into UFC, I think time will show Kennedy and Jacare > Munoz and Maia

[Rob_Floyd]

Originally Posted by (PimpThaSystem)

IMO Okami's win over Munoz was very decisive, don't know what fight that third judge was watching but Munoz couldn't get anything going against Okami. I also thought Maia got robbed against Munoz. I too have always considered Munoz's high ranking in MW more a testament to the weakness of the division than a credit to his skills as a fighter. The guy went life and death with Kendall Grove and didn't come close to taking down Okami. I don't think many people seriously thought he was a threat to Anderson.

He was also taken down multiple times by Chris Leben. He's been taken down in pretty much all of his fights, in fact. Munoz may have the most overhyped wrestling pedigree in the sport.

[Beouche]

Lombardo offers an interesting match up - he'd surely also get destroyed, but it would sure make for an interesting fight. A hell of a lot more interesting that watching an undersized nice guy GSP get annihilated, or any of the middleweight scrubs Andersons been routinely devastating

If not Bones, then Lombardo would be fun in the meantime

[HomicideHenry]

George Saint Pierre or Jon Bones Jones or Cung Le

[Beouche]

Originally Posted by HomicideHenry

Cung Le

[the_bigunit]

Originally Posted by Rob_Floyd

He was also taken down multiple times by Chris Leben. He's been taken down in pretty much all of his fights, in fact. Munoz may have the most overhyped wrestling pedigree in the sport.

Yeah, I've ranted on this before. I am now dubbing it -- Mark Munoz Syndrome.

Originally Posted by the_bigunit

Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis is the perfect example. It's a push to even say Evans was decent at Michigan State. Davis on the other hand was an absolute STUD at powerhouse Penn State.

But Evans outwrestled Davis inside of the Octagon in amazing fashion.

Collegiate wrestling doesn't always translate perfectly over to MMA. Mark Munoz is my favorite example. Well it's not really that the collegiate wrestling isn't transferring well it's that Munoz chooses to use only his upper body strength. And is NOT a great MMA wrestler.

On the other spectrum you have guys like Rashad Evans, Jon Fitch, and Georges St. Pierre who were either piss-poor in college (Evans, Fitch) or had no organized experience (St. Pierre), yet, are dominating the MMA scene with their wrestling, MMA Wrestling, if you will.

The only fighters, of recent memory, to truly showcase world-class wrestling inside the Octagon as well as the NCAA Division I scene is Josh Koshcheck and Daniel Cormier. (A case can be made for Lesnar and Sonnen as well.)

As for my case against Hendrick's MMA-wrestling, he has yet to control a decent wrestler inside of the Octagon.

[roscoe]

Cung Le.........thats very funny........maybe he should try & rematch the other Silva.....a washed up Wandy & beat him before he decides to get annihilated by Anderson.....Weidman for mine......speaking of Wandy anyone giving him a chance of beating Stann in Japan.

[the_bigunit]

Originally Posted by (PimpThaSystem)

IMO Okami's win over Munoz was very decisive, don't know what fight that third judge was watching but Munoz couldn't get anything going against Okami. I also thought Maia got robbed against Munoz. I too have always considered Munoz's high ranking in MW more a testament to the weakness of the division than a credit to his skills as a fighter. The guy went life and death with Kendall Grove and didn't come close to taking down Okami. I don't think many people seriously thought he was a threat to Anderson.

I probably should have said Rockhold's resume was arguably better than Weidman's. It's hard to compare given the separation of the two divisions, but with Strikeforce being absorbed into UFC, I think time will show Kennedy and Jacare > Munoz and Maia

Don't get me wrong, I'm not running a campaign for Munoz. I don't like him or his game, at all. (Albeit, that stupid-powerful ground 'n pound is fun for kicks.) But the division fucking parted like the Red Sea for that guy.

Well Maia has since picked up some good wins. I don't see Kennedy cracking the top-10 nor Souza a top-5 in the division. But doesn't matter really, Rockhold's badass, nonetheless.

[The Spider]

Originally Posted by Will Munny

Anyone that isn't a can.

Spider makes them all look like cans

[macp1]

Originally Posted by BewareofDawg

He should fight a rubber match with Chael.

Or a stretcher match

[Flea Man]

Originally Posted by Rob_Floyd

He was also taken down multiple times by Chris Leben. He's been taken down in pretty much all of his fights, in fact. Munoz may have the most overhyped wrestling pedigree in the sport.

Great pedigree. Hasn't adapted his wrestling at all it seems.

[Rob_Floyd]

Originally Posted by Flea Man

Great pedigree. Hasn't adapted his wrestling at all it seems.

Yeah, that's more what I meant. His wrestling credentials are legit, but he is far from a great MMA wrestler.

Marcus LeVesseur is another example. One of the most successful Division III wrestlers of all time, with a 155-0 record, but just couldn't find that success that in the cage.

[Flea Man]

Not sold on Munoz at all. And yes that's an even better example.

[Francis75]

Originally Posted by Rob_Floyd

Yeah, that's more what I meant. His wrestling credentials are legit, but he is far from a great MMA wrestler.

Marcus LeVesseur is another example. One of the most successful Division III wrestlers of all time, with a 155-0 record, but just couldn't find that success that in the cage.

Says it all.