MMA Draft: Lightweights

I was recently watching the NFL draft on a Saturday.  I had cleared my schedule, so I had 12 straight hours of pure draft enjoyment. I love drafts, always have and always will.

There is something about building your future from the ground up. I started to wonder what an MMA draft would look like, who would you take, and why. So I created one.

The rules are simple.  First, you must take 10 fighters from each of the five major divisions. You can only draft three fighters from each promotion per division.

The fighters that you draft will be given a three fight contract.  They must fight three times for your new promotion, so don't draft old guys who may fall apart. 

Without further ado, let's start the MMA draft for the lightweights!

1. Takanori Gomi-World Victory Road (28-3-0)

Gomi is of one of the top lightweights in the world, period. 

2. B.J. Penn-UFC (12-4-1)

Penn could have been drafted here or at 170. I like the match-ups at 155.

3. Joachim Hansen-Dream (17-6-1)

Hellboy is a fighter I'd love to see against some of the UFC and Elite fighters. 

4. Shinya Aoki-Dream (15-2-0)

Aoki is coming off a big win. Drafted for a dream match-up with B.J. Penn.

5. Nick Diaz-Elite (15-7-0) 

The guy go-go'd Gomi and he may have been high at the time. I'll accept his Medical Mary Jane card.

6. Gilbert Melendez-Elite (14-1-0)

His only loss was to Mitsuhiro Ishida, a young guy with a ton of upside.

7. Vitor Ribeiro-Free Agent (19-2-0)

Vitor is coming back after being injured in his loss to "JZ" Calvancante.

8.  Gesias Calvancante-Dream (14-2-1)

American Top Team product, who has only two losses, were decisions to Aoki and Hansen.

9. Sean Sherk-UFC (31-2-1)

Sherk is a guy you either love or hate, but he is still one heck of a fighter.  He will produce great fights with the level of competition from the draft. 

10. Gray Maynard-UFC (5-0-0)

Maynard is the wild card in the lightweight draft. He was drafted because of his potential and aggressiveness.

That will do it for the lightweight division. The rule that states you can't pick more than three guys from one promotion really changed things. The UFC has a ton of talent, but choices had to be made.

Look for the other four divisions coming soon!