Changing of the guard in the UFC?
After Wanderlei Silva was knocked out by "Rampage" Jackson at UFC 92, there were rumors that Silva may look into moving down to middleweight to find better competition. It would make things easier on Silva because light heavyweight is the sport’s deepest weight class, but the reality is that Silva’s time as a factor in title discussions has passed.
Silva is a legend in the sport and no one can take that away from him, yet I can’t see him ever viably defending a title in the UFC. And Silva’s not the only one on that list. I think it’s safe to add Randy Couture to the list. If he was to pull off what he did against Tim Sylvia and come back against a weak opponent, it wouldn’t be long before he fought another legit heavyweight and lost. Couture could compete at light heavyweight, but his best hope would be to break the top five in the weight class -- holding and defending that title isn’t realistic for him either.
Chuck Liddell is another star on his way out. He’s a one-dimensional fighter who isn’t evolving and he fights, again, in the strongest class in the UFC. He may be the biggest draw in the sport but his days of legitimately competing for and defending the UFC light heavyweight championship are over. Matt Hughes is another former champ on his way out of the title picture and Rich Franklin might not be far behind.
Franklin has a chance to earn some relevance by defeating Dan Henderson in a couple weeks. If he can do that, Franklin can still be a player at light heavyweight thanks to his striking. He’s also a top-three middleweight, so while he’s headed the route of Couture/Hughes/Wanderlei Silva, he’s not there yet. The fact that he can’t beat Anderson Silva has certainly made things more difficult on him though, so if he’s going to find new life, it will have to be at 205.
Those are some big stars and big names the UFC will have to deal with "losing" in the near future. Who else can be added to the list? I think at this point, someone like Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is safe because of the weak heavyweight division. However, another showing like he had at UFC 92 and he’ll find himself on the way out.
It’s an interesting time for the sport and things are even more interesting with the bevy of star power that has lost relevance in the last 12 to 18 months.
Kevin Richardson has been a fan of mixed martial arts competition ever since UFC 3, when 600-pound sumo wrestler Emmanuel Yarborough was beaten by Keith Hackney. Kevin will cover the world of MMA — in Baltimore, nationally and internationally. He plans to take readers into the locker rooms and MMA schools, where they'll hear from local fighters and trainers. If you have a news tip or suggestions for the blog, please 
Comments
tito ortiz,tank abbott,kimo,are just a few more that can be added to the list of your out ot there.Maybe a senior fighting
league,I would pay to see or figh
t my self against some them.
Posted by: rudy perales | January 6, 2009 12:44 AM
How about you?
Posted by: Big Rapper | January 6, 2009 1:18 PM
Thanks Tips, what a s--- article, wish I didn't waste my time. Two of those guys will prove you wrong sorry to tell ya buddy
Posted by: billy | January 6, 2009 4:44 PM
Sorry Billy, but Rich Franklin is the only one on the list that has a real legitimate shot at maintaining a career. Nogueira and Silva have been beat up too much to have any time left in their careers. Couture has spent to many years fighting guys that are bigger than him and using athleticism and fitness to beat them. The sport has moved beyond fighters that are in good shape. Hughes and Liddell are one dimensional (so is Couture) and they seem to be too old or too stubborn to learn new tricks. Couture could be hang around for a couple more minutes if they ever got the heavyweight roster deep enough to support a cruiser weight (225 or 235 limit), but I doubt that would last too long. These were all good fighters in their day, but experience is pushing these guys over the hill, or over the cliff in some cases. The only reason Franklin has a chance is because he and Anderson Silva can beat all the same people, he just can't beat Anderson. With Silva saying he will retire at the end of this contract, Franklin could potentially regain the Middle Weight title and defend it. For the rest of the fighters, on their way out, there simply isn't enough weak opponents to sustain much of a career in the UFC for much longer.
Posted by: Joshua F | January 7, 2009 12:13 AM
Good Article. Thanks!
Posted by: Grafs ATA | January 21, 2009 8:53 AM