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I'd say that my heading is a pretty good indicator as to what I think is the biggest story coming out of UFC 76.
Lets look at the questions in order of importance?
- Who's next for Rampage?
I believe the answer to that question is Forrest Griffin. All of the other challengers have either suffered losses recently, Liddell, Rua or are busy with other things, Tito and Rashad. Jardine is possible but I'd think the fact Forrest has 2 wins in a row makes him the top challenger to Rampage at this point.
- What's next for Chuck Liddell?
This is an interesting question because he did lose 2 fights in a row and all night Mike Goldberg kept saying that if Liddell won he'd face Wanderlei silva in December. Fact is I really don't know what the UFC is going to do with Chuck next. I suppose they could still try the Silva fight but Goldberg was so insistant chuck needed a win it might be hard for them to go to that fight just yet.
- What about Wanderlei Silva?
Again, it is a case where you've got some guys who are occupied in the coming months and others you don't know what to do with at this point. If I'm the UFC, I give serious consideration to a Jardine Vs. Silva match. I think it would be a fun fight, and plus I don't really see how the UFC could lose by making that match. If Jardine wins then he takes the top spot for the belt after Forrest and if Silva wins then he's beaten a quality opponent in his UFC return.
- What's happening to the pride of Pride?
Mirko Cro Cop 1-2 in the UFC. Since returning Dan Henderson is 0-1. Mauricio Rua 0-1. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira 1-0 but should probably be 0-1 and Kazuhiro Nakamura 0-1. Its a good thing this isn't the Super bowl of MMA otherwise it would be like the time San Francisco beat Denver 55-10.
Maybe its the differences between ring and octagon. Maybe its the difference between UFC and Pride rules. Perhaps it may have something to do with the fact that no drug testing took place in Japan. Maybe the reason is different for each guy, but the established UFC guys have gotten the better of the newcomers from Pride.
- Will people stop looking at Alumni of the Ultimate Fighter as second class citizens?
Forrest Griffin beat Mauricio Rua who many including myself believed was the top Light Heavyweight in the world. Keith Jardine defeated Chuck Liddell who is the former UFC Light Heavyweight champion and one of the most dominant fighters in the history of the organization. These guys didn't beg for legitimacy, they reached out and yanked it for themselves. Guys who use TUF to get to the UFC can't be looked upon as reality show stars first and fighters second, they are clearly for real. Some of us knew this a long time ago but tonight put an exclamation mark on the end.
- Is there any fighter who is consistently more entertaining than Tyson Griffin?
He's had 3 fights this year and gone 2-1 and all have been incredible fights and fight of the year contenders. I'd like to see him finish some guys but he's welcome on my TV any time.
- What's next for Jon Fitch, Diego Sanchez?
The win will move Fitch up in the ladder of contention. Unfortunately, he's behind GSP and he's behind Matt Hughes. GSP won't get his shot at the Hughes-Serra winner until the spring and it will be longer for Fitch.
You can't have this guy sit out until then, so he's got to fight someone. I believe after his fight in March he said he wanted Kro Parisyan. If Parisyan is victorious in November, set up a Fitch-Parisyan match and have the winner of that face the winner of the GSP match against either Hughes and Serra. That's a more realistic option than having GSP fight Fitch with the winner moving on because UFC sees money in both GSP and Serra 2 and GSP-Hughes 3. So if Karo is victorious in November November, it would give he and Fitch both a legit claim at the next shot. Karo still feels he has a claim at a shot getting injured before his UFC 56 bout and not being granted an immediate match.
As for Sanchez, you could always do Sanchez-Koscheck 3. Sure, the second fight was boring but part of that had to do with Sanchez' staff infection. Otherwise, you're going to have to find someone or bring someone in for that spot. With a log-jam at Welterweight, you wonder if some won't soon be making the jump to the WEC. I'm not suggesting that for either Fitch or Sanchez but for some on the lower level it might be a good idea. Plus, there's going to be an influx of talent in that division after TUF 6 is concluded.
- What about the lightweight title?
If Sean Sherk is stripped which seems likely, this is what I would do. I would have Kenny Florian Vs. Tyson Griffin and BJ Penn Vs. Joe Stevenson. I'd either have those be tournament bouts or I'd have Florian-Griffin determine the top contender to a Penn-Stevenson winner. I actually lean toward the second option because if I were doing a tournament I'd have Penn and Stevenson as the top 2 seads.
So there's my look at where some of the things stand after UFC 76. I think it is safe to say my Light Heavyweight rankings need revising.
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