I kind of want to discuss or read your views on 3 different topics but don't want to make 3 different threads: 1. DAN HENDERSON If he beats Rampage, he could very possibly move down to Middleweight to win that undisputed belt as well. I know he said he would never go back down, but anything is possible. If this happens and he ends up moving down, is Silva or Franklin much of a threat to him and if he wins does he surpass Fedor as #1 in the sport right now???? 2. TITO ORTIZ Does Tito have any chance at beating (other than the "there's always a chance" that anyone has) any of the top guys currently Liddell? Rampage? Shogun? Henderson? I say no....to all. 3. UFC & BOXING Does anyone else think it would be very beneficial to the sport of boxing if the UFC, or some similar organization (future organization) penetrates the boxing world and starts promoting and organizing fights. If it works with MMA, why can't it work with boxing? All they would need to do is sign a few top guys, and a lot of up and comers....soon those up and comers will experience the fame and success many in MMA are. Eventually if the growth and interest is as expected, the "organizations titles" will start to mean more and more and other top names will have no choice but to sign. :think
If Hendo beat Rampage, and then went down to take out Silva as well.. I don't think that you could argue him being the #1 pd 4 pd in the sport. Fedor is far removed from noteworthy fight, and Hendo would be holding 4 title belts, from 2 different organizations in weight classes. That would be simply unbelievable. However, I can see him doing it quite clearly.
If Dan completes the mentioned feat then he should be the sports pound for pound guy. Tito has little chance of winning against tp guys and if he has anymore awful fights like against Evans then he can kiss his on screen career good bye. I just can not see the sports combining in such a way.
Answer to number 2 is I don't think so. I think that Tito has been passed up, and was a bit overrated to begin with. He doesn't have any skill set that is amazing, other than his ground and pound from the gaurd position (IF the opponent is very good at defending on the ground) I could maybe see him having a very close fight with Rampage, only because they are best friends, and have trained together so they know each others strengths and weaknesses down to a T. To answer your UFC/Boxing question. It really wouldn't make a difference. Boxing isn't set up in a manner to where the UFC could do what it does in that sport. Also, if the UFC had to turn into a promotional company, than they would be no different than the other promotional companies in boxing today. The sport is just set up in a different way.
Thats what I'm getting at....reconstructing the sport. Having one organization control it and determine who fights who and when. Make the fighters sign contracts and fight when they are told (given no injury). This is the way every other sport is run, including MMA. If it works for MMA, it can work for Boxing. Just picture the UFC, only boxing rules and in a ring.
This will not happen overnight, but in time it could. All the momentum and hype the UFC has generated can be used to rejuvenate the sport of boxing. Like I stated, you don't need the best fighters to sign initially. You need a good talent pool and the ability to match up the fighters stylistically to provide for entertaining fights. People will watch because people like boxing. People will get to know the fighters and the organization....much the same as the UFC. eventually they will have the money to sign the bigger names and then the the titles will slowly become legitimized more and more as "former WBC" titlists are now holding the organizations belt. I see nothing holding this back. It is the only way to get rid of the alphabet bull**** and crappy PPVs, and greedy promotors :deal :deal :deal
Honestly, if Dan beats Rampage that will be enough to make him my number 1 pound for pound in the sport. I doubt he will go back down. He has gained some serious size and at his age dropping the 15-20 pounds of muscle he has gained over the past year is probably not appetizing at all. He's made a lot of mention of how he's fallen in love with the power his body now has at this weight. Let him fight Shogun next, assuming Shogun beats Forrest. Tito is done, but his marketiability and popularity means that they will be doing everything in their power to convine us otherwise for another two years or so. Overrated to begin with, a B-grade Couture.
1 ) personally , i'll always remember hendo as the guy who should've lost against Kondo , as the guy who (to my surprise) got beat (almost at his own game) by Misaki , schooled in his rematch against nogueira. I think he defeated wandy at the right time , right moment...he's a perfect opportunist...wandy's career wasn't looking too good especially after his horrible loss against crocop... BUT , having said all that...I think it's safe to say that YES , Hendo would probably be concidered as a P4P #1 or #2 best "if" he'd also beat jackson. (especially if it's a very dominant victory).. 2 ORTIZ... Even silva's career look better at this point...Ortiz is done. or maybe he isn't...but it's really not looking good at all... i don't see him ever being capable to beat liddell...and i won't even bother with the rest of the names you've mentioned here.. one thing's for sure , he needs a victory against these guys...at least one , to give him a major boost in his career again. 3 ) I don't know...you mean , if boxing would use the same modus operandi as mma promotions?....the "key" to make things work in "any" forms of combat sports , is to create some major interest...and in order to do that...you need hype...and how to you create this hype? how to you build the excitement?...drive fans crazy?... well , you need to do what boxing used to do back in the 80's and 70's... 1 you need a villain 2 you need a good guy 3 you need scandal.. 4 good talkers...****-talkers... That's what they used to do with Tyson... and Muhammad Ali did this like no other...(he was more like an actor in his interviews really)... the problem is that boxers today , have no charisma. People don't even root for anyone because no one gives a ****... in the HW division...there's tons of non english speaking fighters..(or some that can speak in broken english)... and in every other divisions...you just have guys who are doing their job...nothing more , nothing less... Why is Hatton vs Mayweather generating so much buzz? Why are the fans so excited about this particular fight?... Simple... both are undefeated... but there's better yet... 1 50% of fans HATE mayweather and want to see his ass go down. 2 the other 50% want to see him win and becoming the ultimate legend of boxing , ending his career as an undefeated champ etc... Mayweather loves to talk...**** talking is his specialty.. mayweather never had to fight a guy like Hatton... and even though his chances are not on his side...it's not impossible for him to pull an upset... this is the type of stuff i'm talking about...all the ingredients are their to drive boxing fans wild. it was the same case with delahoya vs floyd too. (only you have millions of mexican fans added into the mix...hoping to see their idol demolish mayweather..) it's a bit like in football...or hell , tennis or any sport... You NEED rivalries..it needs to be over the top. That's what they used to do with Foreman back in ali's era (him , being the bad guy)...it was cinematic... Dana white and co did a brilliant job with the Ortiz vs Shamrock saga for example. (or Liddell vs Couture). (or hughes vs GSP) or (Hughes vs anybody)...same goes with Tim Sylvia (everyone hate his guts including me) and it's always a pleasure to see this **** go down. Toney is a **** talker...but you can barely understand the **** that's coming out of his mouth so it's almost worthless.. but that's what boxing needs... actually , mma is just copying what boxing used to do. and it's working because they also have fighters with "charisma"...
I think I'm going to change my mind. I'm taking Henderson. I've meditated on some points, and I think Dan takes the decision.
1) Henderson - if he can beat Jackson he will sure get some consideration, but there's still a few guys left to fight in the division before we ahead of ourselves. 2)Tito, if he can't get by rashad he's definatly done, besides gatekeeper status. 3)I think Boxing is too far gone to help it. Promoters, ABC's and even TV networks are controlling it between them. That's why Dana has done what he did to prevent the UFC from becoming a joke like many of the boxing org's.Having 1 dictator in the sport is the best thing so the proper fights get's made, and promoters can decide who fights who for the benifit of their pockets.
