Why Middleweight Is Now the Most Exciting Division.

[FlyThai**]

No, it's because WW is simply a more stacked division, the MW top 15 pales in comparison.

I disagree.

When you talk about top 15 MMA fighters in the world at a certain weight all of those guys are elite

 

[Just a username]

I disagree.

Then argue your case. Imo Condit, Fitch, Hendricks and Diaz are better than the top guys at MW. Besides, Jake Shields, who i believe was a top 5 MW after he beat Hendo, dropped to WW and lost to GSP (understandable) and a borderline top 10 fighter in Ellenberger.

When you talk about top 15 MMA fighters in the world at a certain weight all of those guys are elite

Sure, but if you like at the top 15 HW list, it's less impressive than the one of LW or WW.

 

[FlyThai**]

Then argue your case. Imo Condit, Fitch, Hendricks and Diaz are better than the top guys at MW. Besides, Jake Shields, who i believe was a top 5 MW after he beat Hendo, dropped to WW and lost to GSP (understandable) and a borderline top 10 fighter in Ellenberger.



Sure, but if you like at the top 15 HW list, it's less impressive than the one of LW or WW.

Read my edited post

All top fighters are elite and anything can happen when they fight. There is no argument to be made because you are speaking of fantasy matchups plainly. There is no way we can tell who would when those fights. I think they are all on par with each other

 

[FlyThai**]

Top 15 HWs are differnt than top 15 WWs because their size dictates their skillset. They can't do the things lighter fighters can. Add to the fact that power and speed is much different at that class and fighters skillset will be different.

Same logic applies to lighter weight classes.

This is why comparing top talents across weight classes don't make any sense

 

[Just a username]

Top 15 HWs are differnt than top 15 WWs because their size dictates their skillset. They can't do the things lighter fighters can. Add to the fact that power and speed is much different at that class and fighters skillset will be different.

Same logic applies to lighter weight classes.

This is why comparing top talents across weight classes don't make any sense

So you honestly believe that MW has an equally strong top 15 as WW?

 

[FlyThai**]

So you honestly believe that MW has an equally strong top 15 as WW?

Yes! WW has a ton of wrestlers and lack real diversity in styles minus Nick and Carlos.

MW has a diverse set of skills. Top wrestlers, top BJJ guys, power strikers, technical strikers, battle scared veterans.

Come on now MW has it all

 

[Just a username]

Yes! WW has a ton of wrestlers and lack real diversity in styles minus Nick and Carlos.

MW has a diverse set of skills. Top wrestlers, top BJJ guys, power strikers, technical strikers, battle scared veterans.

Come on now MW has it all

I dunno, the top guys at WW just strike me as better fighters. Who is the best BJJ guy left at MW since Maia left btw?

 

[triangle killer]

I dunno, the top guys at WW just strike me as better fighters. Who is the best BJJ guy left at MW since Maia left btw?

Jacare, who is better than maia

 

[FlyThai**]

I dunno, the top guys at WW just strike me as better fighters. Who is the best BJJ guy left at MW since Maia left btw?

I don't know why. try looking at it with a different perspective

Either way Shields, Jacare, and Palhares, and Weidman

And Vitor almost subbed Jones

 

[ThunderStruck]

In the past year it looks as though Middleweight has had a sudden rush of top talent coming up. They've quickly made it to the top of the division and now the days of Patrick Cote & Thales Leites fighting for the title are long gone and there are at least 10 good fights to fill out Anderson Silvas 10 fight contract. So right now middleweight has:

- The champions of the top 3 companies in the world(UFC, Bellator and the recently closed Strikeforce)
- Five of the best grapplers in the world(Roger, Jacare, Palhares, Shields and Weidman)
- Great strikers(Anderson, Cung Le, Vitor, Phillipou among others)
- Strong wrestlers(Munoz, Weidman, Sonnen, Okami)
- Fighters who can do everything(Bisping, Lombard, Weidman, Franklin)
- American heroes(Stann and Kennedy)
- Exciting mid level fighters(Belcher, Herman, Larkin)

And with the possible middleweight return of Mousasi I really can't wait to see how this all plays out. You'd be a fool to still call this division 'weak'.

What is sad is AS only fought 3 of them. Not sure why he doesn't seem to be interested in his own division at a time it's finally becoming a strong division.

 

[Just a username]

Jacare, who is better than maia

I was talking about the UFC, which makes it Shields i suppose.

 

[Loiosh]

MW was a mediocre division for a very long time, but it's gotten much better.

It still isn't as good as LW or WW, but it's getting there.

LHW has slipped quite a bit, mostly because several of the best fighters there have gotten older, and they haven't been replaced, Jones not withstanding.

 

[The Reed]

I was talking about the UFC, which makes it Shields i suppose.

Palhares imo, much stronger and taps blackbelts like its nothing.

 

[The Reed]

The wording in my post was probably incorrect. When I mean 5 deserving of a title shot, I mean there are a legitimate 5 guys you could setup to get a shot.

HW For Cain I think you would have no complaints if Reem,JDS,Cormier,Werdum could be lined up for one. If Big Foot beats Reem, I would have no issue with him getting a chance at Cain again ould like to see him make an adjustment without being blinded by blood.

LHW- For JBJ, Gus,Machida,Henderson,Rashad,Glover if wins over Rampage which I am confident he will. Give Shogun a win over a good opponent and I wouldnt have a huge issue with this. He fought Hendo real close. He beat an inspired Vera and didnt look awful versus Gus.

WW- For GSP. Hendricks,Diaz,Rory,Condit,Fitch,Ellenberger,Kampmann.

LW- For Benson- Pettis,Maynard,Melendez,Alvarez(once legal work cleared up),Dos Anjos,Cerone,Miller,

FW- for Aldo Edgar,Lamas,Siver,KZ,Koch,Mendes,Hioki,Dias,Poirier,Swanson..,

BW/FlW- I guess you got me here but earlier in this thread I posted I thought the MW division was stronger than HW,BW, and FlW. HW definitely has more guys at the top though.

The thing is if it's 5 guys you could set up for a title shot then there's easily 5 guys at middleweight.

Jacare, Rockhold, Cung Le, Lombard, Phillipou, Okami, Vitor, Bisping, Weidman even Shields.

What is sad is AS only fought 3 of them. Not sure why he doesn't seem to be interested in his own division at a time it's finally becoming a strong division.

Well Anderson hasn't been out that long, the division grew so fast. It just shows how interesting the division come so quickly.

Now if we're going to criticise Anderson for only fighting 3 of those guys why not criticise GSP or Cain for fighting only 3 of the top 15 guys in their weight classes or Aldo for fighting only 2 of the top 15 FWs. Only Jones and Bendo have more than 3 top 15 wins in their weight classes.

 

[Canecorsos]

I hope it gets better its been a really weak weak division since even before rich was president

 

[CorkscrewPunch]

If Bisping loses then Anderson should just take the year off and relax, no one else worth facing.

 

[The Reed]

If Bisping loses then Anderson should just take the year off and relax, no one else worth facing.

Looks like it's going to be Weidman, lets hope Dana offers the Spider enough Anderson Silva money to take it.

Since I made this thread UFC has now aquired the talents of Yoel Romero(world class wrestler with excellent hands and head movement) and Adlan Amagov(good grappler, very fun and explosive striker). This season of TUF looks like it's packed full of talent too, there's not one guy I don't think is worthy of being in the UFC. Uriah Hall looks like an awesome striker and I can't wait to see what Tor Treong, Kevin Casey & Clint Hester have to offer.