The Changing Of The Guard In MMA
by Kelvin Hunt on Apr 23, 2009 11:29 AM EDT
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PrintI know we've talked about this a little in the past, but as I was driving earlier this morning it really kind of hit me. The guys that we have all grown to love, appreciate, and root for or against in MMA are all heading out the door. If not, they are really close to it. I guess this all is brought to light by all the Chuck Liddell retirement talk(yes, he should retire). However, I don't think I was aware of just how many of these once dominant fighters are close to being in the same shoes as Chuck Liddell. The following is a list of those fighters off the top of my head:
- Chuck Liddell
- Randy Couture
- Matt Hughes
- Wanderlei Silva
- Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
- Dan Henderson
- Mirko Cro Cop
- Tito Ortiz
A few of these fighters have fights coming up that will dictate where their careers will be headed. Of course, a few of them could step back and take a few gimmie fights to extend their careers. However, if they were to take the Chuck Liddell route of fighting the best of the best? They would find themselves in his shoes sooner than later. What's amazing to me is the quicknes that these fighters can fall from the pedestals that we choose to put some of them on. Just two years ago most of these guys were either champions or contenders for a championship. None of them are champions anymore, and arguably none of them are contenders for a meaningful championship.
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What type of adjustments? Almost all of them have been trying to make some type of adjustment to stay relevant, but it’s not that easy. Liddell is a prime example with Howard David. Matt Hughes has never really improved his striking to be a factor, nor has Dan Henderson, nor has Tito Ortiz. Cro Cop doesn’t have anything except a straight left punch, and a left head kick for the most part. He just tries to survive on the ground when taken down. Wandy hasn’t been able to straighten those punches out. Father time has/is catching up with Couture.
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I think that Henderson may not belong on that list. He’s doesn’t seem to have aged in quite the same way as the others, and still pretty relavent; he just beat Palhares and Franklin, two top-ten fighters (is Palhares top ten?) that are certainly of the here and now. Couture is still here too, although I think that the big thing holding him back is his age.
Big Nog is just too worn down.. the beatings have certainly taken their toll on him, otherwise he’d probably be with it today. I’d also put Ortiz and Hughes in the same boat: they’re still (supposedly) healthy enough to compete, they just don’t have the tools to get the job done with the new multi-dimensional fighters of today.
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Agreed
Hendos still workin it out! I’d say Titos career (if he goes to Strikeforce) will still go on longer. If he goes back to the UFC I don’t see him winning too many.
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."
by xFenixKnightx on Apr 23, 2009 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions
I don’t see Tito holding the belt if he goes back to the UFC, but I do see him doing well where ever he goes.
by Wookalarman on Apr 23, 2009 12:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, Tito will probably keep fighting, and he’ll beat the guys are supposed to beat, and lose to everyone else.
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I agree with the entire list…even Henderson…you can tell their age and mileage is catching up with them when you see them fight, almost all of them are much, much slower with the reflexes than they used to be…if this was 3 years ago, I’d still be shocked that Matt Hughes lost to Thiago Alves but that’s what happens when age gets you…Hendo’s a guy that’s tough enough to stick around but I can guarantee he’d probably lose to a good percentage of the middleweight and light heavyweight top tens
by Charles Walker on Apr 23, 2009 12:45 PM EDT reply actions
I understand why Hendo is there, but I think he shouldn’t be on the list unless defeated by Bisping.
After all Hendo two losses in the past two years were title defenses.
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It’s sad in some ways because of the nostalgia factor, but there is more young, exciting talent in the sport today that ever. MMA over the next few years is just going to get more interesting and each division will continue to get better and better fighters (as always, assuming we’re not shut down by alarmists and anti-MMA politicians).
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