WSOF Champions vs UFC, how would they fare?

[TheBrownRanger]

How would each of the WSOF's champs do in the UFC?

1. Blagoi Ivanov (Heavyweight) - Blagoi is very tough and I think he'd be around the 12-8 area in the UFC's 265 division. Personally, I think he could beat Bigfoot and Nelson. Mir could be a big "if" since he was good wrestling and may be able to neutralize Ivanov. 50/50 against Hunt and Barnett.

2. David Branch (Light Heavyweight) - Branch could probably beat the strikers of this division like Rua, Lil Nog, and Manuwa. He would hover around the OSP, Bader, Evans group, I could see those guys giving Branch trouble. The top 5 beat Branch handily.

3. David Branch (Middleweight) - Branch would fare a bit better than he would in LHW. Top 15 for sure, same as above, beats the lower top 10 strikers (Mousasi/Hall). Anderson, Machida, and Bisping would give him some problems. Only for sure win I'd give him in the top 5 is TRT-less Vitor. Souza, Weidman, and Rockhold have the best fighting styles to be able to beat Branch.

4. Jon Fitch (Welterweight) - Paper belt, I know. Would feel kind of awkward to add Palhares to this considering he might never fight again due to long suspension. Fitch certainly wouldn't do as good as he did back in 2009-2010. The division has passed him by and should be able to deal with his style. Some wins I'd say he could get in the top 15 would be Saffiedine, DHK, and maybe Brown. Anyone ranked above those three would dust him.

5. Justin Gaethje (Lightweight) - He could either be a fun Joe Lauzon type of fighter or a top caliber striker like Pettis. I'd say he could beat Chiesa and Dunham in the top 15. 50/50 with Barboza, Poirier, Diaz, and MJ. Loses to Ferguson, Pettis, Khabib, Alvarez, and RDA

6. Alexandre Almeida (Featherweight) - I'd say he might be able to beat Lentz and Guida considering he defeated a good wrestler in Lance Palmer. I think Stephens and Bermudez would best him to be honest. Loses to anyone ranked above Bermudez.

7. Marlon Moraes (Bantamweight) - Would have a good shot at winning the UFC title, I think he has the best chance of doing so in the entire WSOF. I'd have him somewhere in the top 5. 50/50 with Sterling and Assuncao. I'd have Faber, Cruz, and Dillashaw beating him but in a close fight.

 

[VIP1349]

I think Moraes is the only one with any chance to be champion. The rest get messed up. Justin and Branch I think do well against Rockhold and Dos. But they don't win.

 

[fightdonttweet]

I think Moraes is the only one with any chance to be champion. The rest get messed up. Justin and Branch I think do well against Rockhold and Dos. But they don't win.

Gaethje gets owned by RDA. He just doesn't have the striking defense to compete.

 

[Alex]

David Branch (Middleweight) - Branch would fare a bit better than he would in LHW. Top 15 for sure, same as above, beats the lower top 10 strikers (Mousasi/Hall). Anderson, Machida, and Bisping would give him some problems. Only for sure win I'd give him in the top 5 is TRT-less Vitor. Souza, Weidman, and Rockhold have the best fighting styles to be able to beat Branch.

Man, Mousasi is so underrated these days. He is probably top 5 middleweight in the world with some weird loses.

 

[mattandbenny]

Ivanov: Ranked 10 - 15.
Branch: Ranked 10 - 15 at MW.
Fitch: Ranked 15-20.
Gaethje: Top 5.
Almeida: Ranked 15-20.
Moraes: Title contender.

 

[BJ@LW&WW]

branch and gaethje are the only ones worth considering imo, but i still think both get readily handled by the cormier, rockhold, or dos anjos.

 

[Durruti]

I dont think there is any potential UFC tittle holder, but every WSOF champion is UFC top ten material imo

Fitch would get dusted by ufc top tens?? Maybe by Robbie, Rory and GSP. But he definitely can give a tough fight to Condit, Magny, Thompson, Woodley, Brown or DHK.

 

[BJ@LW&WW]

today, usada fitch would get worked by everyone you mentioned. fitch was a true elite ww maybe 5 years ago.

 

[qw3rty]

Ivanov: Top 15
LHW Branch: Top 15 / 10
MW Branch: Top 10
Fitch: Top 20
-Palhares: Top 15-
Gaethje: Top 15
De Almeida: Top 20
Moraes: Top 10 / 5
-Bibulatov: Top 15-

 

[Durruti]

today, usada fitch would get worked by everyone you mentioned. fitch was a true elite ww maybe 5 years ago.

Not sure about that. And not sure some of the guys mentioned would do better than Fitch did against Yushin Okami and Joao Zaeferino, who are solid competition.

 

[BJ@LW&WW]

i dont see how you can call okami solid competition when their fight was his debut of his skeletor form. i think all those guys also wreck okami and zeferino. was burkman also solid competition? because we know for sure how he would do against fitch and how he would do in the ufc.

 

[Durruti]

C'mon, would you bet on Burkman in a rematch? He got caught, it happens. If Maia wasnt able to submit him I highly doubt Burkman will do it twice

Okami was technically outwrestled, no one kept Okami down the way Fitch did, not even Sonnen. It's true that he struggled with the weight cut and gassed but still.
Zeferino is better than you give him credit for. He isnt tittle contender material in UFC but could make a good run there

Fitch is not the solid top5 WW he was years ago, but his mma wrestling skill, conditioning and grittines is still pretty much there, and with it he could take a decision from almost anyone out of the top 5 in a good night, imo.

 

[BJ@LW&WW]

yeah, well 3 of those guys you listed off are well within the top 5 by anyones rankings, and most of the others are in the same league in terms of skill.

 

[Durruti]

idk about anyones rankings, most of the times rankings are cojuntural. People talk about them as if they were the Bible.
Solid Top 5 in my book are Robbie, Rory, Condit and Hendricks. So would GSP and Diaz. Fitch is not beating these guys.

Woodley is not a solid top 5 to me, despite him being ranked #3 in official rankings.
Magny and Brown are susceptible to get outwrestled by a crafty wrestler, which Fitch is and has the cardio to keep up. They dust Jon Fitch? Maybe, maybe get humped.
DHK is in the top ten, I like him but its not like he has looked that impressive against elite competition. Why Fitch doesnt stand a chance against him?
Then Saffiedine, Story, even Thiago Alves is in the top 15.
You tell it like Fitch is far behind this level but he is not in my opinion

 

[BJ@LW&WW]

ahh, so when you say top 5, you mean just specifically your top 5 lol.

of all the people you listed, i think fitch would have the best chance against dhk, maybe matt brown because of his style. id have him as at least 3-1 underdog against anyone else you listed. against dhk, maybe 2.5-1.