Issue 084

January 2012

Gareth A Davies, MMA and Boxing Correspondent for The Daily Telegraph, London

Although everyone loves a heavyweight matchup, what a difference the lighter weights have made to UFC events this year. There have been thrilling contests in the lightweight division and below, in spite of the fact both the featherweight and bantamweight divisions are still at an embryonic stage in development after being subsumed into the world’s largest fighting organization.

At lightweight, this month’s cover star, Frankie Edgar, has been immense this year, with two KO-defying UFC title defenses against Gray Maynard. If the first was a thriller, the second was even more enlightening on the champion, who has the chin, heart and desire to go down as one of the great mixed martial artists.

With the likes of Ben Henderson, Donald Cerrone, Anthony Pettis, and even rising British lightweight Terry Etim, the matchups can come thick and fast for the New Jersey native. Indeed, even the prospect of Edgar moving down to featherweight to meet José Aldo has the makings of a classic contest. 

Dominick Cruz, also, is becoming a bigger star with each fight, in spite of the criticism which seems to come his way as he zig-zags his way to glory. In some ways, he is beginning to suffer similar criticism to Georges St Pierre at welterweight. Is the ‘W’ being achieved at the cost of entertainment? Barbs directed at Cruz from some fans in the bleachers over his style are unfounded and, quite honestly, baffling.

Moreover, those who say they don’t like Cruz because of his personality should find another sport… that’s a fatuous argument. Cruz has a diverse array of takedowns, and although he doesn’t commit to a great deal of power to his strikes, unique style and fast-paced footwork has also attracted other fans to him.

The bottom line with the lighter fighters is that knockouts are less likely, and their mobility and conditioning means that faster fights are inevitable. Cruz has been a main event now for two years on free shows, and had one pay-per-view fight, against Urijah Faber, on a 4th July weekend card. In some ways, the bantamweight gene pool needs additions, but that will come with the Asian nations growing stronger and stronger.

But I’ll argue that Cruz has an incredible record – and is only getting stronger. Perhaps the adage that a ‘clever fighter not only wins, but wins easily’ holds true for the Arizonan. I’d argue Cruz is just unique in the way he fights, and his skillset and phenomenal workrate enables him to win in this way. As for future opponents for Cruz, the UFC’s matchmakers – Sean Shelby (featherweight and below) and Joe Silva (lightweight and above) – have a potential star on their hands in Renan Barao.

The Brazilian signaled at UFC 138 that he could be moved into title contention with alacrity. But it may make greater sense to build-up the Cruz-Barao title fight over the next eight months before that happens. Barao could do with another test before we can rightly say he deserves a title shot. Brad Pickett was the first top-level, rounded bantamweight he has fought, and perhaps a battle with the likes of Scott Jorgensen or Joseph Benavidez should come first.

Moving up to featherweight, and José Aldo is a thrilling exponent of mixed martial arts. But he looked sluggish against Kenny Florian in his last UFC title defense. Has the incumbent wealth he has enjoyed over the 12 months slowed what was once hungry ambition? Maybe a match-up with Frankie Edgar would put pay to that notion.

And perhaps the most action-packed weight class is still to come. The expectations on the flyweight division are already at fever pitch. Just who will be the first lord of the flies?

Bruce Lee moment...

Mark Munoz revealed his ‘Bruce Lee moment’ with Anderson Silva after victory over Chris Leben at UFC 138. They knelt together on the mat after their first pad session and Silva instructed Munoz ‘to play, to have fun’ with his art. Have we all had a Bruce Lee moment? Mine came 22 years ago in China, when I met a shaman down in Tiger Leaping Gorge in Yunnan Province. I spent 12 months living in China and was practicing wushu at the time, a martial art involving a six-foot stick.

I took a class with the shaman and he told me to eat well, and never cut my hair. The Fighters Only team reckon I’ve overdone it on both counts. Do you have a ‘Bruce Lee Moment’? Let me know.