The end of UFC 137 brought a high level of excitement to mixed martial arts fans. When an event ends, we as fans and “experts” should feel anticipation for new contenders and potential matchups in the future. Here, I will take a moment to look at some of the fights that I would like to see going forward.
Georges St. Pierre vs. Nick Diaz
I don’t normally write about the obvious title matchups that can be created, but this one here is a no-brainer. Look around at some of the post-fight videos from Sherdog or MMA Fighting, and you will see how fired up GSP is from Diaz’s statements. Regardless of whether Diaz believes it or not, the fact that Diaz called out GSP the way he did is going to set the welterweight division ablaze.
Diaz proved once again that he has great boxing ability, and knows how to press people into dangerous situations. He did so against Penn, and had him hurt multiple times in the bout. Diaz also showed that his grappling is among the best in the sport, as he was able to escape Penn’s dangerous back control and return the fight back to the feet. Over the latter part of the first round and the remaining two rounds, Diaz shown that his reign as Strikeforce champion wasn’t as much of a fluke as some people thought.
However, wrestling has always been the Achilles’ heel for the Diaz brothers, and when you talk about wrestling in MMA you have to talk about St. Pierre. After watching this fight, it’s clear that St. Pierre would do all that he could to get the fight to the ground and grind out a victory like he has done in the past. It is on the mat, however, where we would see how good Diaz’s Brazilian Jiu Jitsu abilities are, and whether he could submit, sweep, or get back to his feet. That is the major question within this bout, one that I’m looking forward to finding out the answer to in the coming months.
Cheick Kongo vs. Travis Browne
Although it was not pretty, Kongo found a way to win a unanimous decision victory over Matt Mitrione in their bout at UFC 137. Using constant movement, leg kicks, and takedowns in the final round, he was able to walk away with his ninth victory in the Octagon. His next fight should be a rematch with Travis Browne.
Back at UFC 120 in late 2010, Kongo was well on his way towards handing Browne his first professional defeat, until repeated fouls caused him to lose a point on the judges’ scorecards. Those points caused this fight to end in a draw, continuing the up and down roller coaster that Kongo has been on over the last few years. Browne has continued to impress since that draw, with two definitive wins in 2011.
The heavyweight division is the division in the UFC with the least amount of contenders, and the UFC can use this fight to create one. A win for Kongo or Browne would start that three-fight win streak that is necessary for a fighter to be considered “in the mix,” and the division needs a bigger mix. Along with that, this fight would settle the unanswered questions from their original bout, as well as test whether Browne has developed since that contest last year.
Diego Nunes vs. Hatsu Hioki
UFC debuts have continued to be difficult for Japanese fighters moving over to the North American fight scene. While he did not look as impressive as expected, Hioki was able to pull out a split decision victory over George Roop at UFC 137. While debates will rage over who should have won this bout, Hioki was awarded the victory.
At this point I would like to see Nunes take on Hioki in what would be a true test for the Japanese standout. Nunes was knocking on the door for a shot at the featherweight title until he was unable to get by Kenny Florian. While he was defeated, he impressed many fans and commentators with the way he was able to rock Florian multiple times. He also has some grappling chops, with six submission wins on his resume. Hioki and Nunes would make a fine matchup, because their respective grappling abilities complement each other.
Donald Cerrone vs. just about anyone at 155
Donald Cerrone has impressed me. End of story. In 2011 he has fought four times; three of those fights were ones which he stepped into on short notice to take someone’s place due to injury. Each time he has come out on top, looking impressive from start to finish. If he continues on this path, you can bet that we will not see him fight on free television for a while.
I would like to see Cerrone face Joe Lauzon, Anthony Pettis or Nate Diaz. I’ve written about him fighting all of these athletes, and I believe that each bout would be fantastic from start to finish. Right now I would be most interested in him fighting Pettis, as this fight could have gone down in the WEC. Still, no matter who the UFC puts the Cowboy against, you better believe I will be watching with excitement.
