The MW division and it's short term future.

I think World Traveler Man made a good suggestion in his preview of Weidman/Gastelum. A move to LHW could revitalzie his career, since outside of the top 5 it's a ghost town. That's the move he should be doing instead of taking this fight. Which could very well be the nail in the coffin of his fighting career, 4 back to back KO losses is really hard to come back from.

 

On the thread... Whittaker is very clearly the #1 in the world, but it's not official until he beats Bisping. I don't think there's anyone sensible who actually thinks Bisping would win that one, so even if he ducks and retires it won't matter THAT much. But for lineage sake I hope the fight happens.

As for who I want to get the shot? Really want Mousasi to get a chance, he's long overdo and at this point it's hard to deny it on merit.

 

You had the 4 top dogs that were unseperable not long ago....

Bipsing of all people leapfrogs them all
The belt is held hostage - in the meantime the 4 monsters knock each other out in random fashion
Romero ends up getting shafted from his title shot
The other 3 arguably arguably shafted too
Whittaker appears out of the blue, saves Bispings life, and suddenly is top of the heap

Just been a crazy year for the middleweight division

 

Bisping will fight Whittaker im sure. Had Romero won then he'd probably have retired, citing steroids as the reason for the duck

But he'll fight Whittaker, lose, and pass the torch in a dignified manner, leaving the sport a winner (and having the internet community forgetting how much of a dickhead he was the majority of his career)

 

I won't argue my sensibility in this post but I don't know that Bisping is an easy match up for Whittaker. I'm not making my pick yet but I will have to go back and watch some of Bisping's fights before I do. Trying to outbox Bisping gives Bisping his best chance to win and that is most likely Whittaker's approach to this fight. I'm not saying he can't do it and I'm not saying kicks won't be a factor. I'm merely pointing out the style match up.

Sorry guys, Mousasi is gone.

http://mmajunkie.com/2017/07/gegard-mousasi-signs-multi-fight-bellator-deal-after-4-year-ufc-run

 

****... That sucks man. Mousasi let the cynical side get the best of him, he was very close to a title shot. and honestly has a great chance at winning against Whittaker or Bisping.

 

As a critic of the UFC pay scale, how they promote their fighters, a huge Mousasi fan and someone who's supported the decision of certain fighters to move over to Bellator for what(for them anyways) was a greener pasture and made sense at the current point of their career. This really upsets me... Mousasi was closer than ever at securing a title shot.

 

I can sympathize with Bader and Davis... They knew that they didn't have a chance in hell against the foursome of Jones, Cormier, Gustafsson and Johnson, so the decision made sense, that and I'm sure Bellator offered them juicier deals. MacDonald's I viewed as good move because it gave the supremely talented kid an opportunity to recover from his battle wounds and in time maybe return to the UFC down the line and challenge for the belt again rejuvenated and likely with a Bellator title added to his resume.

 

Yeah Moussasi to Bellator sucks in so many ways who the **** is he going to fight unless he moves back up to light heavyweight. Alexander Schlemenko the guy old Tito Ortiz beat is the champion of a weak and shallow division that the dangerous but limited Melvin Manhoef almost won the title

 

That was a boneheaded emotional move my Mousasi, he was right on the cusp of a title shot he had worked hard for. With his defection I can't really see anyone currently giving Whittaker a run for his money.

 

What about Rockhold?

He seems to be the forgotten man

And i'd never safely bet anyone against Romero (or even Jacare or Weidman)

 

From what I've read Rockhold doesn't seem too interested in working his way up the ranks anymore, he wants either an immediate title fight or n.1 contender match which isn't happening. Had he fought a couple times instead of bitching on the sidelines he could've possibly been n.1 contender already. I don't rate his chances vs Whittaker if the weak punching Bisping could ktfo him in only 1 round.