- Joined
- Nov 6, 2009
- Messages
- 799
- Reaction score
- 0
...but really didn't.
Some of my picks may seem harsh, because they include people who did go on to win the belt. But I wonder who you saw in their first couple of fights and thought 'Jeez...this kid is gonna be running shit one day'. You know, like when Anderson Silva destroyed Leben, we all new a different kind of dude had entered the game. Anderson obviously lived up to his potential, but who didn't after initially wowing you...?
Mine:
JDS.
I suppose in the heavyweight div. one punch can end it all, but I remember seeing him destroy CroCop and Werdum and thinking he was going to be the second coming. I thought he was gonna rule the roost for years.
Lyoto Machida.
I totally bought into the 'Machida Era' hype. He was undefeated when he won the belt, and I thought he was gonna defend his belt for years and then move up or down a weight and destroy them all there too.
Uriah Hall.
Let's see how he does against Anderson, but seeing him on TUF sending all his opponents to hospital was morbidly thrilling. I've never seen a fight on TUF induce such fear in the hearts of the whole house.
Erick Silva.
I remember hearing all these rumours about this kid coming out of Anderson Silva's camp who was gonna be the next big thing. He looked amazing in his first three fights- athletic and superskilled, and then boring old Jon Fitch put a beating on him and he's never quite been the same since.
Rory McDonald.
This is perhaps unfair, because I still think Rory could be great, and he's still so young. But I've been so shocked by his losses to Lawler. I remember when he was in his early 20s I thought he could have beat GSP if they ever decided to cast aside their friendship. I couldn't see anyone for miles coming anywhere near him, even when he was barely out of his teens (The Condit fight just felt like he was a bit wet behind the ears, made a couple of mistakes and got caught).
Some of my picks may seem harsh, because they include people who did go on to win the belt. But I wonder who you saw in their first couple of fights and thought 'Jeez...this kid is gonna be running shit one day'. You know, like when Anderson Silva destroyed Leben, we all new a different kind of dude had entered the game. Anderson obviously lived up to his potential, but who didn't after initially wowing you...?
Mine:
JDS.
I suppose in the heavyweight div. one punch can end it all, but I remember seeing him destroy CroCop and Werdum and thinking he was going to be the second coming. I thought he was gonna rule the roost for years.
Lyoto Machida.
I totally bought into the 'Machida Era' hype. He was undefeated when he won the belt, and I thought he was gonna defend his belt for years and then move up or down a weight and destroy them all there too.
Uriah Hall.
Let's see how he does against Anderson, but seeing him on TUF sending all his opponents to hospital was morbidly thrilling. I've never seen a fight on TUF induce such fear in the hearts of the whole house.
Erick Silva.
I remember hearing all these rumours about this kid coming out of Anderson Silva's camp who was gonna be the next big thing. He looked amazing in his first three fights- athletic and superskilled, and then boring old Jon Fitch put a beating on him and he's never quite been the same since.
Rory McDonald.
This is perhaps unfair, because I still think Rory could be great, and he's still so young. But I've been so shocked by his losses to Lawler. I remember when he was in his early 20s I thought he could have beat GSP if they ever decided to cast aside their friendship. I couldn't see anyone for miles coming anywhere near him, even when he was barely out of his teens (The Condit fight just felt like he was a bit wet behind the ears, made a couple of mistakes and got caught).
