Could Tyrone Spong be a contender in the LHW or MW division?

I always felt that Tyrone Spong could make some serious noise in the UFC at LHW, maybe even MW.
Tyrone Spong and Muhsin Corbbrey are two people I wish the UFC wouls sign right away. Thoughts?

 

Spongo will wreck shop on the feet, but if he gets taken down, show's over. I don't think he'll be able to hang with the top guys, or anyone with proficient wrestling.

 

He has elite striking, underrated ground game and would be a threat to the whole light heavyweight division.

 

Think he gets taken down and pounded out by any decent LHW.

 

He's been with Blackzillians for a long time now, but we've not seen anything from him as far as grappling goes to know how well he would do.

Still, I wish he'd make a run for it.

 

I've seen him excell wrestling and grappling with everyone down at the Jaco training facility (blackzilians)... He would merc some of the best in the world at LHW!

 

He's got an elite skillset in one discipline. Obviously, if he could add in the grappling an wrestling, he'd be a force.

But who knows. He makes a lot of money outside of the UFC.

 

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This.

 

why is he not in the UFC anyway?

 

Could be a fun attraction, if he was brought up slowly against strikers with shitty offensive grappling. Could challenge for a title a few years down the road.

 

If he could adapt good TD defense, he would be very formidable. He's one kickboxer that doesn't rely heavily on the high guard, uses good lateral movement and strikes well in close. He also has a durable chin. Nobody would want to eat a hook from him with 4 oz gloves. Would love to see him brought along slowly and let things play out.

 

Spong is a sub par mma fighter. Does not deserve to be in the UFC.

 

He is too smart to fight MMA.

 

My dawg... C'mon cuh.

 

Ture unfortunately, but I think he'd make top five lhw if easy if brought in slow

 

according to some sherdogger's he could've annihilated an entire team of WW's single handily

but coming back down to reality the top LHW wrestlers would give him real trouble
guys like Glover, DC and especially Jones would beat him without too much problem

 

Spong vs Manuwa or OSP would be sick, I'd give him Maldonado or Blachowicz as a debut

 

It is clear what Spong would be able to accomplish in stand up exchanges. His resume speaks for itself and he would definitely get the better out of most LHWs and dare I say even HWs. Obviously the issue would be how would his lack of experience in wrestling and jiu jitsu fair against MMA fighters?

One thing I will say he does have working for him is being out of that terrific camp the Blackzillians. With guys like Rashad, MJ, Thiago Silva, Alvarez, and JZ... you got to think he can improve in the grappling department.

Look at Stephen Thompson for example. Had an easy fight for his first... then gets ambushed by Matt Brown... gets easier matchups after to slowly bring him back up, and now his takedown defense has improved and most recently was also able to knockout a ranked MMA fighter with wrestling credentials.

Why can't that same approach be done for Spong? That's of course if he has interest in MMA full time which I am not sure he does.