Melvin Manhoef and 10 Fighters in Dire Need of a Victory
When fighters hit a two or three fight losing streak, many fans begin to question whether or not they still have what it takes to hang with the best. Depending on how good their opponents are, those types of losing streaks are sometimes a mark of someone who is facing the toughest challenges they can get.
A losing streak doesย not just determine a fighters' place in MMA, but it can sometimes determine their place in standout organizations like the UFC and Strikeforce.
10. Lyoto Machida
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Machida isn't necessarily in dire need of a win to stay among the best, but UFC President Dana White admitted he is in need of one to keep his place inside the organization.
A two-fight losing streak is common when a fighter faces the type of competition Machida has, but his style makes him a fighter that if he isn't winning in exciting fashion, people probably won't want to see him fight.
His losses don't represent any question of whether or not he can fight among the elite. His two losses are to UFC light-heavyweight champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and former champion Rampage Jackson. The loss to Jackson was a controversial decision many had thought he had won.
His next fight will be at UFC 129 against UFC Hall-of-Famer Randy Couture. If he loses that fight convincingly, he may be in danger of being cut even if he doesn't deserve to be.
9. Patrick Cote
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Cote has a record of 13-7 and is currently riding a three-fight losing streak. His losses came at the hands of middleweight champion Anderson Silva, Tom Lawlor and Alan Belcher. He was cut from the UFC roster in October 2010.
Cote has recently signed with Montreal's Ringside MMA promotion and is fighting Kalib Starnes on April 9. It will take a couple comeback fights for the Canadian fighter before he makes it into the bigger organizations. The UFC should have no problem resigning him if he gathers a few victories.
8. Todd Duffee
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Less than a year ago, Duffee was being considered one of the best up-and-comers in the UFC's heavyweight division. His record setting seven-second knockout win at UFC 102 was enough to convince fans he was going to be a threat in the division.
In May 2010, he took on Mike Russow and seemed to be on his way to a quick victory early in the fight. In the third round, Russow landed a short right that put the 25-year-old to sleep on the canvas. He was cut shortly after because of a contract dispute with the UFC.
His comeback fight wasn't any easier. He signed to fight Alistair Overeem with two-weeks notice at a New Year's Eve event promoted by Dream and K1. It only took Overeem 19 seconds to finish his overmatched opponent, leaving himย sleeping on the canvasย again.
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7. Gabriel Gonzaga
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Gonzaga is 1-3 in his last four bouts. Two of those losses came by way of knockout to UFC heavyweight contenders Shane Carwin and Junior Dos Santos. His last loss was to Brendan Schaub at UFC 121.
This isn't the first time the Brazilian fighter has tasted a two-fight losing streak. After knocking out Mirko Cro Cop, he was given a title shot versus Randy Couture. He lost by TKO in the third round. His next fight was a rematch against Fabricio Werdum. He lost to the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt for the second time by TKO.
The good thing is he did come back from those losses to have wins and some success so it's not out of the question that he doesn't make his way back into the leading organization. For now, he should be able to find worthy challenges in Strikeforce where arguably the best heavyweights are.
6. Tim Sylvia
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Sylvia seemed to be on the start of a successful comeback. Winning four fights in a row, he took on TUF veteran Abe Wagner earlier this year and lost 32 seconds into the bout. It was his fifth loss that occurred in under a minute.
The good news is that Sylvia was able to win those four fights after losing three times in a row to Ray Mercer, Fedor Emelianenko and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. His weight is a constant issue that needs to be dealt with if he wants to be taken serious again. Nobody is taking him serious, even when he does win.
5. Melvin Manhoef
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Manhoef may be the most exciting fighter who just can't seem to win in the big shows. He has lost five of his last seven fights including four submissions and one knockout.
Only two of his 34 MMA bouts have gone the distance, and his reputation as an elite level striker will always make fans excited to see him fight. His ground game is his weakest area and opponents are usually inclined to go for a takedown early.
Strikeforce should be able to get Manhoef another fight in a main card, but hopefully it is versus a striker so we get to see whatย he does best.
4. Joe Stevenson
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Stevenson is a veteran of over 44 MMA bouts. At 28, he is still young and able to grow as a mixed martial artist. The question of whether this will happen in or outside the UFC is a concern now that he is on a three-fight losing streak.
The fighter that goes by the nickname of "Daddy" is worthy of more fights inside the Octagon. He is a tough test for the up-and-comers in the division and still is young enough to improve overall as a fighter. It will be harder to keep a job as a lightweight now that the WEC and UFC have merged the stacked division, but Stevenson still should remain in the organization.
3. Marcus Davis
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Davis has lost four of his last five bouts and all have taken place inside the UFC. After his last defeat to Jeremy Stephens, he was cut from the organization. The 37-year-old looks for more fights and a second chance once he is able to put together a win streak.
Davis was on his way to a title shot, winning eight of his first nine fights inside the Octagon. His career took a wrong turn, and he suddenly found himself on the end of a two-fight losing streak. He rebounded with a win over Jonathan Goulet but lost twice more after.
He is currently scheduled to face Curtis Demarce at an upcoming MFC event. Some notable fighters in the organization include Wilson Gouveia, Dean Lister and David Heath.
2. Brandon Vera
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Vera's dreams of holding the heavyweight and light-heavyweight belts simultaneously turned into trying to hold onto his job.
In what has been an unsual career, Vera hasn't seemed to be fighting the way fans have come to expect from him when he brutally knocked out Frank Mir and Justin Eilers. Weight cuts, broken orbital bone, a broken handย andย a broken nose are just some of things Vera has had to deal with over the last couple years.
His three-fight losing streak quickly put his contract up in flames, but aย positive drug test by Thiago Silva made the UFC reconsider, giving him another chance and one that he needs. Hisย UFC career is definitely on the line in his next bout.
1. Tito Ortiz
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Ortiz may be the most obvious choice for this list. The former UFC light-heavyweight champion hasn't won a fight since 2006 when he stoppedย Ken Shamrock in their third meeting.
Ortiz has gone 0-4-1 since that fight,ย and every fight has taken place in the UFC including bouts versus four former champions. A bout with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira was supposed to take place at Ultimate Fight Night 24 later this month, but a injury forced Ortiz out of the fight.
Fans will need to wait a little bit longer before Ortiz fights again, but they have been waiting in what probably seems like forever to see him win.
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