Brock Lesnar's destruction of Frank Mir at UFC 100 means the heavyweight division in mixed martial arts shapes up like this:1. Lesnar is clearly the best heavyweight in UFC, but not in all of MMA.
2. Fedor Emelianenko will take on Josh Barnett at Affliction Trilogy on August 1 for the generally recognized heavyweight championship of MMA.
3. Everyone wants to see Fedor (assuming he beats Barnett) take on Lesnar.
So will Fedor vs. Lesnar happen? Dana White says it will, but I'm skeptical that Fedor will ever agree to the UFC's contractual terms. That's a real shame.
But that doesn't mean we won't get to see Lesnar take on some Top 10 opponents. I think his next title defense will come against either the Randy Couture-Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira winner or the Shane Carwin-Cain Velasquez winner. That means the UFC has three more fights between Top 10 heavyweights on the horizon. It just doesn't have No. 1 vs. No. 2.
Top 10 heavyweights in MMA
1. Fedor Emelianenko
2. Brock Lesnar
3. Josh Barnett
4. Frank Mir
5. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
6. Randy Couture
7. Shane Carwin
8. Alistair Overeem
9. Cain Velasquez
10. Brett Rogers
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Overeem should be top 5 Mir and Nogueira should not. Call me crazy but I wouldn't mind seeing a Lesnar/Couture rematch as long as Couture beats Nogueira.
And I don't think will see Fedor fight in the UFC anytime soon.
I think the winner of Cain/Carwin gets the next shot. The winner of Couture/Nogueira could end up fighting the winner of the rumored Cro-Cop/Dos Santos fight.
I think Shane Carwin should be higher on the list then that. He is going to destroy Cain Velasquez
I understand rankings based on performance, but heres how i see it:
Fedor Emelianenko
2. Josh Barnett
3. Brock Lesnar
4. Shane Carwin
5. Frank Mir
6. Randy Couture
7.Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
8. Brett Rogers
9. Alistair Overeem
10. Velasquez
truth be told i'm not certain Mir or Carwin beats Coulture, you just can't ever count that guy out.
Barnett has a better game than Lesnar, but so did Mir and he got man handled. the question is could Brock impose his size on Barnett the same way he did Mir, I don't think he can. The beating Lesnar put on Mir makes a strong case for him being #2.
Dana White just announced on ESPN's First Take that the winner of the Carwin-Velasquez fight will get the next title shot. Unfortunately, that probably won't happen until around January, since they fight in October.
That would mean Brock would have had 1 fight in all of 2009, and for a guy who's a huge draw and took next to no damage in his fight with Mir is just crazy.
Not a bad top 10 but I would have a little different list -
1. Fedor Emelianenko
2. Josh Barnett
3. Alistair Overeem
4. Brock Lesnar
5. Randy Couture
6. Shane Carwin
7. Frank Mir
8. Jeff Monson
9. Antonio Nogueira
10. Brett Rogers
Outside looking in (in order) Junior Dos Santos, Gabriel Gonzaga, Cain Velasquez, Fabricio Werdum, Andrei Arlovski, Antonio Silva, Bobby Lashley, Cheick Kongo, Roy Nelson & Heath Herring.
I'm not sure why people aren't giving Jeff Monson much credit for what he has done lately. The guy is a complete beast and has just been steam rolling everyone in his way.
Some people also might question the validity of my list because I have Lesnar fourth. The reason being is because I think the three HW's above him are the best in the world right now and because they would all beat Lesnar if they were to figt in my opinion. Lesnar is a beast and a physical specimen but without having many fights under his belt I question him being one of the top three HW's in the world. He hasn't earned that yet IMO.
The only ranking i can strongly disagree with is overeem at #3. I dont think Overeem has the ground game to hang with the HW beasts. it will be a lot easier for a Lesnar or Carwin to take the fight to the mat than it will be for Overeem to pull a switch or escape, i'd say overeems chance of either is about 0.
your list just like my own has guys on it that i see on their way out. as much as i like nogeria, i'm afraid he's spent. i aso dont see monson as a top 10. I dont think he can sub nogeria and i think rogers would ko him.
i would like 2 see fedor vs mir and then the winner vs. lesnar
Carwin vs. Valesquez-winner gets Lesnar
Cro Cop/Dos Santos winner Vs. Couture/Noguira winner, THAT winner takes on current champ.
Good times had by all!
Sad that guys with only 5 or 6 fights in their ENTIRE CAREER get to be on a world wide list of top 10 in their weight class. Sad.
shane carwin vs. brock lesnar is a fight i think will happen soon...carwin will prove to be too much for valesquez securing a win then move on for a title shot, his size alone, KO power. he matches up well w/ brock- height, weight, wrestling bkgrnd, carwins hands are actually bigger than brocks and power they do pack, can't wait for this match up it'll be interesting to see brock try to manhandle carwin i'll go on rec n say our hometown boy will be the victor
actually its funny no one wants to legitimize Lesner because of his past career(WWE). What does this say about these HWs who are getting their asses handed to them? Alot of bias and snobbery in the MMA. They would love to rank the HWChamp as low as they can because he doesnt have MMA background-----------hes just kicking all their asses.
ok guys thats wrong to even not ad cro-cop yeah he had a bad run but crap he has fought some of the biggest ( and i mean size wise in the game and won so give some credit how about this a gonzaga and cro-cop fight for redemption he wins this one and thatll help lead to lesnar. ashley is ggod but he oh most was tapped out against guidas big brother . brock needs to be on his back mounted anthen we see if he is for real sorry but its the truth all these names have been there but not him and they all proved worth of escape ability he might panic.