The term “gatekeeper” is one we often hear in the mixed martial arts world. You never want to be called the gatekeeper, but if you are a young upstart, you can expect to fight a few on your way to a title shot. At UFC 138, Chris Leben once again proved the fact that while he may be an exciting fighter who has found himself a permanent employer in the UFC, he is best served as a gatekeeper for the middleweight division.
Leben, Kenny Florian, Vladimir Matyushenko, and Matt Brown are examples of fighters across different weight classes who all find themselves thought of in this fashion. While it is not an overtly negative term, being viewed as a gatekeeper does mean that you may never find yourself as the recipient of a title shot. Other than Florian, who has fought for a UFC title on three separate occasions, none of the other fighters in this category have been able to win high-stakes fights against big name competition. Leben, for example, has fallen to Michael Bisping, Brian Stann, and Mark Munoz. At the same time, Leben was able to defeat Yoshihiro Akiyama, and expose a fighter who was expected to do well within the Octagon.
Gatekeepers are important to any organization which seeks to add credibility to its young prospects. A gatekeeper is expected to be good enough to determine if a fighter should be considered the “real deal,” or if he still needs time to develop. Look at how the UFC used guys such as Matyushenko and Stephan Bonnar to test Jon Jones before unleashing him on the upper tier of the light heavyweight weight class. Fighters such as Rory MacDonald should expect the same, as he has shown flashes of greatness in the cage, but still needs to be tested over the next one to two years.
Gatekeepers are expected to be tough fan favorites who can get keep people excited any time they step into the ring or cage. Fans know that fighters like Leben and Brown are going into their fights with the intention to either take someone out or be taken out, which is exactly what casual fight watchers want to see. They may not put themselves into title contention, but having the ability to please the people buying tickets or watching at home is becoming more and more important for any fighter who wishes to make it within the “major leagues” of MMA.
Leben, along with other fighters, should not be offended when they are called gatekeepers. They may be able to rise above the classification, but even if they do not, they will have a place within mixed martial arts, and be able to find long-term homes in MMA promotions the world over.
