Fighters Set to be Big by 2013

1. Alexander Gustafsson

At UFC on FUEL TV 2, Alexander Gustafsson will face the returning Thiago Silva in Sweden. Many expect the young Swede to win on home turf and if that is how the fight goes, I can’t imagine it will be too long before Gustafsson  gets a title shot. Right now he is not really viewed as a title contender but given the state of the light heavyweight division and his young age, by 2013 Gustafsson will be a force within the UFC.

2. Antonio Silva

Recently drafted over from Strikeforce after getting knocked out of the heavyweight tournament by Daniel Cormier, Antonio “Big Foot” Silva is set to make his UFC debut against Roy Nelson at UFC 146. With the current heavyweight division being as stacked as it is, I imagine “Big Foot” will be involved in a number of high-profile matches by 2013 and will have amassed a following based, if not on his success, purely on morbid fascination. His crushing victory over Fedor will live long in the memory and will grant him a certain longevity of credence.

3. Gilbert Melendez

Not many lightweight challengers remain for the Cesar Gracie fighter to face in Strikeforce. Although Dana White has spoken against it, it can’t be long before Melendez is in the UFC. There are so many big fights out there in the UFC’s most hectic division. The fans want to see a title unification fight and end this perpetual run of rematches that has congested this accordion of a division.

4. Daniel Cormier

Daniel Cormier has come out of nowhere and now he is just one fight away from perhaps being somewhere special. If he can maintain his 100% record and beat Josh Barnett in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Finale then he may well find himself filling an Overeem-shaped hole in the UFC.

5. Rhonda Rousey

Strikeforce womans champion Rhonda Rousey has garnered a pretty sizeable fan base already. Instantly marketable with her good looks, charismatic personality and not to mention her lethal fighting ability, she could be the figurehead of womans MMA for years to come. Her arm snapping finish of Meisha Tate continued her arm bar gimmick. There is something wholesome about Rousey, unlike with previous womans kingpin ‘Cyborg’ Santos (the female version of Overeem) there isn’t a stomach churning size disparagement between her and her opponents.  If the UFC decides to finally create a womans division, Rousey will in turn become one of the most recognisable fighters in the world.

6. Renan Barao

Described by Joe Rogan as being the ‘best fighter in the world without a belt’, Renan Barao is ripping through the batamweight division like a merciless Brazilian tornado. A string of highlight reel knockouts and an Aldo-esque striking game has earned him a lot of fans.

7.  Michael Bisping

Will Michael Bisping finally shake off his tag as the perennial nearly man? Once again the Brit was on the verge of a title shot only to lose a razor close decision to Chael Sonnen. Unlike the Henderson and Silva fights, this loss does not seem to have dropped him too far down the pecking order. Looking through the middleweight division it does appear that he is locked in a five way battle for a title shot (Munoz, Belfort, Weidman, Palhares and himself). A win over any one of these fighters could propel him into a title shot. Next up he is surprisingly fighting a resurgent Tim Boetsch at UFC 148.

8. Rory MacDonald

An extremely well-rounded Canadian welterweight who trains out of Tristar Gym in Montreal… seem familiar? Rory MacDonald is very much the protegé of UFC welterweight champ George St. Pierre. Described as one of the so-called ‘new breed’ of MMA fighter, MacDonald seems unstoppable in his rise to the top. The one blemish on his young record is a loss to current UFC interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit. There is a feel of the Jon Jones about him and his situation in relation to training partners and title aspirations. It must have crossed GSP’s mind that he is training a young killer who is gunning for his belt. With Nick Diaz out the picture, Fitch losing and BJ retiring, MacDonald may only be two wins away from a title shot. Jake Ellenberger and Martin Kampman will decide the next number one contender and the Hendricks-Koscheck fight effectively knock one of them out of the race. A fight with Jake Shields or a rematch with Carlos Condit (should he lose to GSP) will have the young Canadian challenging for the title.

9. Chris Weidman

Chris Weidman, like Bisping, is on the cusp of a middleweight title shot. Young and unbeaten, Weidman is viewed by many as the next big thing in the middleweight division. In his last fight he beat former title challenger Damian Maia. He hasn’t been given his next opponent yet but all the would be title challengers are currently occupied so a contendership showdown fight is unlikely and probably unadvised. With the middleweight division being as deep as it is, a slow and steady stream of middle of the road middleweights may be lined up as the title picture gets pruned. A fight with Yushin Okami, Chris Leben or Ronny Markes may be next.

10. Edson Barboza

His wheel kick knock out of Terry Etim at UFC RIO extened this young Brazilians unbeaten streak to 10 fights. Lurking in the shadows of the crowded lightweight division, Barboza seems to be only one or two wins away from a title shot and if he continues with his current lethal form I can’t think of many fighters who can stop him. The winner of Miller and Diaz will likely face the winner of Henderson and Edgar but it’s reasonable to assume that the champion at the end of that will have to face ‘Junior’.

MMA Wrestlemania

The worlds of MMA and Pro Wrestling are often accused of overlapping. I do not mean to blur the line because I know MMA fans hate comparisons being drawn between the two. I am a fan of both, I am an MMA fan now and have fond memories of enjoying WWF when I was younger. I have decided to write this article as a nostalgic blend of old and new.

Match #1: Tag Team Titles

GSP + Rory MacDonald v The Diaz Brothers

The opening bout will feature a match up for the tag team titles. GSP and Rory Macdonald are two formidable Canadian welterweights who both fight out of the Tristar Gym in Montreal. Who better to face the Canadian duo than the rowdy Diaz Brothers from Stockton, California. It’s a perfect match up! GSP and the elder Diaz, Nick, have been feuding for weeks in the build up to their expected but eventually non-existent showdown. MacDonald and the younger Diaz, Nate, have fought before in a one-sided victory for the Canadian. Nate later went on to accuse Rory of taking steroids.

Match #2: Handicap Match

Alastair Overeem v Ian McCall + Demetrious Johnson

Next up we have an interesting handicap match between the ginormous Dutchman, Alastair Overeem and mini American fighters Ian McCall and Demetrious Johnson. Pro Wrestling has a tendency of pitting a monstrous heel against two opponents who are much smaller in stature.

Match #3: Ladder Match/ Loser Gets Fired

Jason Miller v Dan Hardy

In this bout, Jason “Mayhem” Miller and Dan Hardy will compete in a ladder match for a UFC contract. Dangling precariously above the centre of the ring is a 3-fight UFC deal and the first man to grab it is once again secure in the number one MMA promotion, the loser is fired. Hardy is on a four fight losing streak that has seen him fall from challenging for the title to the threat of release. Miller has had a nomadic career and last year he returned to the UFC to face Michael Bisping. The manner of Miller’s subsequent beat down has thrown his UFC future into question.

Match #4: Hell in a Cell

Brock Lesnar v Frank Mir

Now that Brock Lesnar has left the UFC, the only way to conclude this most hateful of rivalry is in the iconic Hell in a Cell. The most brutal match to house the most vicious hatred. Imagine Frank Mir getting chucked Mankind-esque from the top of the cell through the announcers table. Joe Rogan would go nuts, while he contemplates watching the rest of the event with nowhere to rest his elbows.

Match #5: Fatal Four Way for the Number One Contender Spot

Michael Bisping v Rousimar Palhares v Chris Weidman v Vitor Belfort

Who shall face the winner of Anderson Silva versus Chael Sonnen? This Fatal Four Way will determine the rightful number one contender. Bisping was gathering real momentum until he ran into Chael Sonnen, however many believed he won the fight and gained a lot of respect and credibility in defeat. Palhares has really captured the imaginations of MMA fans with his terrifying ground game. The fighter dubbed ‘the scariest fighter in the UFC’ by Joe Rogan has grabbed a lot of attention with his horror leg locks that threaten to end the career of anyone who gets caught in them. Weidman is a young middleweight who has amassed a great deal of hype already. His latest victory over a lackluster Damian Maia proved to many that he is the real deal. Belfort is a perennial contender and with his dramatic victory over a much bigger Anthony Johnson he is once again back in the mix for a title shot. If he can get past fellow Brazilian Wanderlei Silva in his next fight he may get another rematch with another Silva.  Oh, and obviously wins this Fatal Four Way… obviously.

Match #6: Kiss My Ass Match
Dana White v Tito Ortiz/ Rampage Jackson/ Fedor Emelianenko

Vince McMahon is the Dana White of the WWE Universe and has a particular penchant for getting his enemies to kiss his ass. This pursuit was reserved for his most bitter of adversaries such as Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock. In this match Dana White would face off against one his rivals with similar ass-kissing stipulations. He could face either Tito Ortiz, Rampage Jackson or Fedor Emelianenko.  Due to the disparagement of technical ability, one of Dana’s stablemates will interfere in the match. Perhaps Lorenzo Fertitta will run in with a steel chair. If it is Rampage he is facing it would be a vengeful Ariel Helwani who would come dashing down to screw Jackson over. Maybe knocking him out with his microphone?

Main Event: World Title Fight

Jon Jones v Rashad Evans w/ Special Guest Referee Greg Jackson

In the Main Event we have title fight between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans with, controversially, Greg Jackson as special guest referee. Jackson is the current trainer of Jones and the former trainer of Evans, will his split loyalties have an effect on his ability to fairly arbitrate the fight? Similar to when Triple H fought The Rock in an Iron Man Match with Shaun Michaels as ref, will Jackson’s presence be a deciding factor in the outcome?