Super fights
On paper, B.J. Penn and Georges St. Pierre was one of the biggest fights the UFC has made in recent history. Two of the top five pound-for-pound fighters in the world squaring off in their prime. It’s tough to top that. Yet, with GSP’s win, the next rumored superfight is a potential middleweight bout between GSP and Anderson Silva, a fight that has even more intrigue than GSP vs. Penn II.
Moving up a class would probably hurt St. Pierre more than Penn (since Penn had fought at welterweight before) but it would still be an epic tilt. Beyond that, what are the great fights left? If you could match up any two guys, who would you like to see?
I think we’ll probably see Anderson Silva move up to light heavyweight for a big money bout, possibly with Chuck Liddell, at some point. But I don’t think we’ll ever see Silva compete regularly for the light heavyweight title. Assuming Fedor Emelianenko doesn’t end up in the UFC, Silva vs. St. Pierre is probably the best possible fight the UFC can put together. Still, in a perfect world, these are five fights I’d like to see.
1. Anderson Silva vs. Georges St. Pierre (for reasons explained above).
2. Anderson Silva vs. Fedor Emelianenko. Top two pound-for-pound fighters going at it, although Silva probably gives up too much weight to make this as competitive as it could be.
3. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brock Lesnar. Fedor is the greatest heavyweight fighter of all time, Brock Lesnar is one of the most popular. Lesnar is a freak athletically and is a future star in the sport. I’d love to see this fight 15 months from now. I’d take it tomorrow if it was possible though, just for curiosity’s sake. Fedor would probably armbar Lesnar in the first or second round.
4. Anderson Silva vs. Rampage Jackson. If Silva is going to move up, I think this could be the most interesting fight for him.
5. Randy Couture vs. Fedor Emelianenko. MMA usually gives us dream fights a year or two too late (Chuck Liddell’s fight with Wanderlei Silva is a perfect example of this) but this would still be an intriguing fight. Not nearly as big as it would’ve been before Lesnar beat Couture, but it still would be entertaining.
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
I'd say you have them pretty much the way I would except Silva/Fedor seems kindof crazy, but it would be like old school no weight class MMA. I guess I would replace the Silva/Fedor fight with a Forrest/Rampage rematch. That's the one I really, really want to see because I love both fighters so much. I think a Penn/Faber fight would be interesting too.
Posted by: Nick Sadaka | February 11, 2009 11:34 AM
Nick--Faber/Penn is a good one, that would be an intriguing bout. Forrest/Rampage will be a good fight, but I think it's more along the lines of a GSP v. Fitch. A great fight, but not a legendary bout (on paper). It would make for an entertaining fight though.
Posted by: Mark Chalifoux | February 11, 2009 11:42 AM
I think Forrest-Rampage would be a good fight, but to qualify for superstar status, this fight can't stack up. It's tough to have two guys from the same weight class and same promotion in a superfight because they probably have already faced each other once (or more).
That's why a lot of these are guys jumping around in different classes, and most are champs. It's more to settle top pound-for-pound debates than it is to set up a division.
As for the Diaz decision, I get it. I don't disagree with it, although I certainly see where he's coming from. He can make a case but it's disappointing he would have to go to those lengths to declare himself a winner.
I was disappointed with Diaz in that fight. I expected more out of him. I thought he'd finish Guida.
Posted by: Mark Chalifoux | February 11, 2009 11:56 AM
I would have Shinya Aoki/B.J Penn on that list for sure.
Posted by: Ted Feltham | February 11, 2009 5:45 PM
I would like to Mousasi vs. Silva. Mousasi won the Dream MW grand prix and I read recently he is looking to move to LHW. I would also like to see Overeem vs. Lesnar. With all the muscle Overeem has put on, I think Lesnar would have someone much closer to his size that actually has some talent.
Posted by: Joshua F | February 12, 2009 7:02 PM
I like to see Couture drop back down to Light Heavyweight and take on... pretty much anyone. Henderson would be great, Jackson, Griffin, Wanderlei, Franklin. Then again, the UFC's heavyweight division is lackluster enough already, so Couture leaving it probably wouldn't be good.
Posted by: Andrew Barr | March 4, 2009 4:52 PM
Mark,
Please post that the Baltimore Renegades Fight team is holding open tryouts on Monday and Weds evenings from 7:30Pm till 9Pm for the whole month of August go to shaddockmma.com for address and contact info
Posted by: Bones Shaddock | August 4, 2009 6:20 PM