UFC 103: Things I Learned Last Night

1. SOMETHING LIKE A PHENOM-ENON

I have no problem admitting I was dead wrong about Vitor Belfort.

While the trouble he had making the 195 pound catchweight limit still worries me, there are no questions remaining about what Vitor Belfort has returned to the UFC and the type of danger he presents for everyone in the middleweight division.

Glancing blows dropped Rich Franklin before a fast-paced flurry ended things. It's hard to train for a fighter with that kind of hand speed.

2. NEXT UP: ANDERSON SILVA

The middleweight champ has shown little interest in fighting Dan Henderson or Nate Marquardt, so Belfort's impressive performance Saturday night should skyrocket him to the the top of the title contenders list.

Now, we've said before that different fighters could cause problems for Silva and repeatedly been proven wrong and Belfort may be no different. But Belfort may be the first guy to stand across the ring from "The Spider" who possesses the same kind of deadly striking ability as the undefeated Pound-for-Pound king.

Hopefully, all sides are interested and we can make this fight come to fruition early next year.

3. CRO COP IS FINISHED

He looked spent from the time the second round started, throwing very few strikes and showing no real defense against the attacks of Junior dos Santos.

As much as the Mirko Cro Cop highlight reel is still one of the most impressive collections of knockouts around, those days are gone, as is the opportunity for the UFC to use his as a headlining name anywhere other than overseas.

His decision to enter the arena wearing an old Pride t-shirt says it all; those were the glory days and when he was at his peak, but unfortunately, those days and that organization are long gone.

4. CIGANO IS THE REAL DEAL

Junior dos Santos continues to impress inside the Octagon, running his UFC record to 3-0 and bringing down another high profile name.

The key will be how the UFC proceeds from here; while you certainly can't have him take a dramatic step back in competition, a lot of the top level heavyweights are currently contracted to fight.

While he's not quite ready for a title shot, he's definitely leapfrogged Cain Velasquez in my books and could make for an interesting fight against Frank Mir if (when?) MIr disposes of Cheick Kongo.

5. WHAT TO DO WITH THE WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION?

First, Josh Koscheck scored the impressive knockout he needed to erase the memory of Paulo Thiago starching him last February.

Then Paul Daley made things even more interesting by laying a beating on Martin Kampmann, announcing his presence in the UFC in impressive fashion.

So now what do you do? Mike Swick is still needs a top tier challenger after missing out on the action last night in Dallas, and there is no one cemented as the #1 Contender to Georges St-Pierre's throne.

My bet is that Koscheck gets a title shot simply because Jon Fitch got pounded on too recently to get a rematch and no one else fits the bill.

6. GIVE NATE DIAZ TYSON GRIFFIN IF HE WANTS A TOP 5 TALENT

After his victory over Melvin Guillard at UFN 19, the brash Diaz proclaimed he was ready for a step up in competition.

I say feed him to Tyson Griffin, who looked outstanding in executing a perfect gameplan to earn the finish many were waiting for over Hermes Franca.

With Gray Maynard looking like the next challenger for the lightweight title, another solid performance over a name brand fighter would put Griffin right in the mix and Diaz offers just that; a name casual fans know, but not enough offense to derail the Xtreme Couture powerhouse.

7. DREW McFEDRIES NEEDS TO GO

I've actually know this for quite some time, as have many others I would bet. But after last night's performance against Tomasz "Gorilla" Drwal, this has got to be the end of the line for Drew McFedries.

He's a one-trick pony who fails to perform that trick more often than not. If the UFC can wave goodbye to Thales Leites one fight removed from a title shot, they can certainly show McFedries and his 4-5 record the door.

8. ROB EMERSON IS GOING TO BE WALKING FUNNY FOR A COUPLE DAYS

Did you see how jacked up his left leg looked? Yikes!

Rafael Dos Anjos laid a beating on the inside of Emerson's left leg and looked good for a third straight performance. While he lost the first two, he showed well before taking the "Uppercut from Hell" from Jeremy Stephens, and pushed Tyson Griffin to a decision that was closer than the scores suggested.

Emerson, on the other, can join Drew McFedries on the unemployment line as far as I'm concerned. Somewhere, Jason MacDonald is scratching his head, wondering exactly how he got cut while "The Saint" still remains in the UFC?

9. K2 INTERVIEW SERIES CURSE UPDATE

Basically, I'm poison.

While the record remains at 0-2 with one canceled bout, both Kryzsztof Soszynski and Cole Miller has agreed to interviews with me before failing to deliver the goods. Both also lost.

Heading into UFC 104, I say we put this thing to the test and see if I can take down Lyoto Machida. Whattaya say?

10. WELCOME TO NO MAN'S LAND

I saved this one for the very end in hopes that some of you who read my "Rich Franklin: The Under-Appreciated Superstar" piece earlier in the week would miss it.

Well, the former middleweight champion of the world is officially the Mayor of No Man's Land. While a win could have sent him into the Top 5 of the Light Heavyweight division, his loss leaves him without any real role in the company.

Perhaps he should take a meeting with the other residents and see what they have to say. Somebody get Franklin the numbers for Keith Jardine, Chuck Liddell and Forrest Griffin and find out if the boardroom is available next Thursday.


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The Under-Appreciated Superstar

How can a fighter with a professional record of 27-4 who has headlined three fight cards in the last eight months and is a former middleweight champion be under-appreciated?

By being Rich Franklin.

One of the early faces of the UFC, the former math teacher from Cincinnati, Ohio has become an afterthought when discussions turn to the premier fighters in the sport today.

Fans are quick to call out his two devastating defeats at the hands, well, knees of Anderson Silva, as if Franklin's fate was somehow different than the other eight men who have stood before "The Spider" and came away with nothing.

Knowing that a third fight against the dominant middleweight ruler was less than likely to materialize, Franklin set his sights on the light heavyweight division. Since that time, all Franklin has done is whatever the UFC has asked of him, including headlining UFC 93 and 99 earlier this year.

Saturday, he steps into another catchweight fight against another dangerous opponent, the returning "Phenom" Vitor Belfort. While some consider Franklin a gatekeeper to fighters looking to earn instant opportunities in the middleweight division, I call him a consummate professional who is grossly undervalued.

Think about it: his four losses are to Anderson Silva, Dan Henderson and Lyoto Machida. Two of those men are currently the undisputed kings of their divisions, while Henderson was the first man to simultaneous hold titles in two different weight classes.

Their combined record is 65-11.

How do you fault a man for suffering defeats to three of the greatest champions the sport has ever seen?

Say what you will about Franklin being unable to win the big fights against the big names, but no one has been able to beat Machida at all, Silva has barely been challenged under the UFC banner and both of Henderson's UFC losses came in title fights, including one against Anderson Silva.

Yet somehow Rich Franklin has become this middle-of-the-road fighter unworthy of another title shot to some?

A loss to Lyoto Machida six years ago should not preclude Franklin from another opportunity, and a case could be made for a win here catapulting "Ace" into a title fight early next year.

Machida makes his first title defense next month against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, and should emerge victorious. Honestly, can you see the guy who gassed against Mark Coleman come away with a win over the undefeated, almost untouchable champion? Me neither.

But who would be next in line?

Anderson Silva has stated on numerous occasions that he has no interest in fighting his friend and teammate, Quinton Jackson and Rashad Evans have a score to settle once Jackson is done channeling his inner Mr. T and the rest of the potential contenders within the division are all locked up for the foreseeable future.

Add the UFC's need to find a suitable main event for the year-end Ultimate 2009 card (UFC 109) scheduled for January 2 at the MGM Grand and you have a tailor-made opening for Franklin to receive a title shot in a highly marketable main event against Machida.

Regardless of what happens in the future, both next year and tomorrow night, Rich Franklin is a consummate professional and a world class fighter.

Here's hoping some people start to remember that.

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Fight Week Previews: Rich Franklin vs. Vitor Belfort

Even though there is no title belt on the line, the main event of UFC 103 packs a whole lot of interest into the maximum 15 minutes these two warriors will go toe-to-toe.

On one side of the cage you have Rich Franklin, the former middleweight champion and consummate professional, headlining his third event of the year.

Across from him is the returning Vitor Belfort, a former champion in his own right who steamrolled the competition he faced on the two Affliction cards and looks to instantly establish himself as a title threat in whatever division he decides upon.

Simply put, this one is going to be explosive.

Rich "Ace" Franklin (27-4-0, 1 NC) versus Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort (18-8-0)

Starting where we always do, the former light heavyweight champion Belfort gets an edge for being a member of Xtreme Couture.

Not to take anything away from Franklin and the training he does with Jorge Gurgel and company in Cincinnati, but a training camp spent working with the loaded roster at Xtreme Couture gets the edge.

On the flip side, Franklin holds an advantage when it comes to experience and the consistent level of competition he faces.

While Belfort has been fought some legends in his own right, Matt Lindland serves as the only true test "The Phenom" has faced in the last two years. Defeating Ivan Serati, James Zikic and Terry Martin doesn't come close to the relentless list of challengers Franklin has fought over that same period of time.

Wanderlei Silva and Dan Henderson are still world class fighters, while Matt Hamill and Travis Lutter are at least on par with the competition Belfort has faced.

Additionally, while Belfort has been earning praise for his performances with Affliction, neither was near the top of the marquee; the Terry Martin fight was a preliminary card bout, while he and Lindland batted in the three hole.

Meanwhile, Rich Franklin routinely headlines events, standing in the center of the ring under the brightest lights of them all and never fails to deliver a quality fight.

The opponents these two fighters share results in a wash; both suffered defeats at the hands of Dan Henderson and came away victorious when faced with Wanderlei Silva.

That being said, Henderson scored a unanimous decision over Belfort who then tested positive for a banned substance after the fight (in Japan, no less, where far less substances are banned). Conversely, Franklin dropped a tough split decision to the Team Quest founder at UFC 93.

Of course, Belfort needed just 44 seconds to finish "The Axe Murderer" at UFC Brazil back in 1998, a far cry from the decision Franklin earned at UFC 99 in June.

Stylistically, these two fit each other quite well and will surely make for an entertaining fight for the fans.

Belfort has ferocious one-punch knockout power, as Matt Lindland learned back in January. He likes to charge forward, a whirlwind of punches looking to end the fight early, and possesses some of the fastest hands in the fight game today.

Though Franklin too is more striker than anything else, the former math teacher is more methodical in his approach, picking his spots, changing levels and mixing in powerful kicks to compliment his stiff left hand.

Not only does this fight mark Belfort's return to the UFC, but also a marked step up in competition. No disrespect to Matt Lindland, but dropping a 37-year-old who was equally focused on winning an election is not the same as standing across the cage from Rich Franklin.

The winner will instantly earn title consideration, with Franklin in particular becoming a potential light heavyweight challenger for whoever emerges from the UFC 104 main event.

Who will that winner be?

We'll find out Saturday night in Dallas.

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Be Here Tomorrow...

As mentioned way back in May, we're going to celebrate UFC 100 by counting down the 100 Greatest Fighters in UFC History and it starts tomorrow.

The UFC 100 will be comprised of our selections as the top 100 fighters to work under the UFC banner. While many of the names to be featured on the list have had success outside of the UFC, we're only dealing with their records inside a the Octagon.

So, that means Wanderlei Silva's dominance in Pride is worth a wooden nickel and his 2-5 UFC record is what we'll be considering. Of course, the five losses "The Axe Murderer" has suffered with the UFC came at the hands of Vitor Belfort, Tito Ortiz, Chuck Liddell, Rampage and Rich Franklin, so that has to be considered too.

See how much fun this is going to be?

Each day, we'll roll out 10 fighters, working our way from #100 until we get to #1, a fighter who will receive a full post all his own on Saturday, July 11th.

And don't worry - we're still going to be delivering the same Fight Week Previews that we've done thus far, complete with another round of Punch Drunk Predictions.

But now I have to go. I just realized how much work I have to do in the next couple weeks...

I hope you enjoy it.





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Punch Drunk Predictions: UFC 99

The record is getting better - 7-3 at WEC 41 helped - but the fights are getting harder.

Time to flip a coin and see who will emerge victorious... okay, so I'm not flipping a coin, but it's pretty damn close with some of these fights.

Mirko "Cro Cop" (22-5-2) vs. Mostahpa Al Turk (6-4)
I don't care that Cro Cop is most likely nowhere near the Cro Cop of old. Did you see the way Checik Kongo demolished Al Turk in their last fight? One big kick and this one is done. You don't bring him back on a one fight deal if you expect him to get dummied.

Spencer Fisher (23-4) vs. Caol Uno (27-11-4)
As much as I love seeing Spencer Fisher in wars, that inability to finish guys in those stand-up slugfests is what I see working against him. While he might pick away at Uno, the veteran has simply been down that road too many times against higher calibre opponents.

Marcus Davis (21-5) vs. Dan Hardy (21-6-1)
Thing with poking a bear with a stick is that sometimes, the bear gets mighty pissed and claws your arm off with the stick still in your hand. Unfortunately, I don't think Marcus Davis is that kind of bear. He'll be fired up and despite what he says, will be trying to kill Dan Hardy. Then he'll make a mistake and catch a counter hook in the bean and drop like a sack of potatoes.

Mike Swick (13-2) vs. Ben Saunders (7-0-2)
One thing I'm certain of is that there will be a finish in this fight. When it will come and who will be the one getting their hand raise will all depend on who controls the action. Swick will be looking to pick his spots from a safe distance and Saunders will be looking to use his reach and that deadly Thai clinch. Flip a coin...

Cheick Kongo (24-4-1) vs. Cain Velasquez (5-0)
Kongo has looked damn good in his last couple fights, but Cain just keeps getting better. I liked that he was pissed he didn't finish Denis Stojnic sooner, that shows hunger to me. The guys Kongo has struggled with - Carmelo Marrero and Heath Herring - took the fight to the ground and used their wrestling on the big man. Neither of them is in the same category when it comes to wrestling as the former ASU All-American.

Rich "Ace" Franklin (26-4) vs. Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva (32-9-1)
Simple as this: if Wandi is still all about pleasing the fans, he's going to get laid out. If he sticks to a game plan and uses his aggression wisely, he'll get the win. Remember, Franklin sure didn't like being in Anderson Silva's clinch and Wanderlei has a deeply clinch game too.

Punch Drunk Predictions
Record: 20-21

Preliminary Card
John Hathaway over Rick Story
Denis Stojnic over Stefan Struve
Paul Kelly over Roli Delgado
Paul Taylor over Peter Sobotta
Dennis Siver over Dale Hartt
Justin Buccholz over Terry Etim

Main Card
Mirko Cro Cop over Mustapha Al Turk
Caol Uno over Spencer Fisher
Dan Hardy over Marcus Davis
Ben Saunders over Mike Swick
Cain Velasquez over Cheick Kongo

And in the Main Event of the evening...

Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva over Rich Franklin!

Now touch gloves and come out swingin'...


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Fight Week Previews: Franklin vs. Silva

Time to tackle the Main Event.

While I wouldn't call it "the match up fight fans have been waiting to see" or whatever they've billed it as in the commercials, it certainly is an interesting tilt and one that should contain some serious fireworks.

And for those saying this is a sub-par Main Event, UFC 89 (Bisping vs. Leben) and UFC 95 (Sanchez vs. Stevenson) could tell you a thing or two about being sub-par, not "Ace" and "The Axe Murderer."


Rich Franklin (26-4) versus Wanderlei Silva (32-9-1)
Let's get the training team and training partners angle out of the way right off the bat, shall we?

It certainly doesn't hurt Rich Franklin to be training with Anderson Silva, just because he's Anderson Silva. The fact that Silva has previous knowledge and experience training with Franklin's opponent is clearly a bonus.

That being said, it also pisses off "The Axe Murderer" and even the way that sentence sounds comes off a little dangerous. It's not like Wanderlei trains in solitude either. The entire Wand Fight Team lives under one roof and Silva is a true pioneer in cross-training and circuit training.

As has been the case with a lot of the main card fights, training is a wash.

Franklin and Silva share one mutual opponent: Dan Henderson. Both suffered losses to the former Pride dual champion, though Franklin came out on the wrong side of a close decision in his last fight, while Wanderlei was knocked stiff in his last Pride bout.

Though Franklin gets a slight edge from his "better" result against Hendo, Wanderlei has the stronger overall competition. Not to take anything away from the guys Rich Franklin has fought and defeated, but Wanderlei has been in the ring with some of the best when they were at their peak and came away victorious more often than not. Then again, Wanderlei has two losses in three UFC fights, while Franklin has three in four and a half years...

Stylistically, this fight is a nightmare for Wanderlei Silva. I know that sounds strange, but guys who are willing to take a couple shots to find the right counter-punching opportunity are his kryptonite. Look at the Rampage fight. Franklin is strong enough on his feet and has exhibited a strong enough chin over the years to take a couple of "The Axe Murderer's" early offerings and still move forward.

While Franklin is no slouch on the ground, perhaps this is one time that it might be beneficial for Silva to display the BJJ skills he is reputed to have. After all, you don't train with a multiple time world champion and not pick up a thing or two.

24 hours before I tell you who I like, I still don't know. This whole card has me second-guessing and over-analyzing, and those are the cards I really enjoy.

See you tomorrow for the Punch Drunk Predictions.
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