After I wrote about the possible UFC 100 fight between Jon Fitch and Paulo Thiago, I realized that I hadn't updated my list of the top 10 welterweights in MMA since before Thiago knocked out Josh Koscheck at UFC 95, and that got me thinking.
How far should I drop Koscheck in my rankings because of that fight? And should I put Thiago -- whom I had never seen before -- into my top 10, solely on the strength of that fight?
It's a tough call. I think Koscheck has to drop out of the top 5, even though I think his fight against Thiago was stopped too quickly. And I think I need to see more of Thiago before I can be sure he's in the Top 10. But I'm sure there will be disagreements. My top 10 is below.
1. Georges St. Pierre
2. Jon Fitch
3. Thiago Alves
4. Jake Shields
5. Mike Swick
6. Matt Serra
7. Matt Hughes
8. Carlos Condit
9. Dustin Hazelett
10. Josh Koscheck
How far should I drop Koscheck in my rankings because of that fight? And should I put Thiago -- whom I had never seen before -- into my top 10, solely on the strength of that fight?
It's a tough call. I think Koscheck has to drop out of the top 5, even though I think his fight against Thiago was stopped too quickly. And I think I need to see more of Thiago before I can be sure he's in the Top 10. But I'm sure there will be disagreements. My top 10 is below.
1. Georges St. Pierre
2. Jon Fitch
3. Thiago Alves
4. Jake Shields
5. Mike Swick
6. Matt Serra
7. Matt Hughes
8. Carlos Condit
9. Dustin Hazelett
10. Josh Koscheck