10 Must-See UFC Middleweight Fights
The UFC’s middleweight division has gone from grim to gratifying in just a few short years. An entire new crop of prospects have fought their way into the pool of sharks, and it’s left us with a list of fascinating fantasy match-ups, and some blossoming stars.
There’s also a fair handful of talent within the division that could one day give champion Anderson Silva fits.
Speaking of Anderson, you’ll note that he’s not included in this list; neither is Yushin Okami for that matter. I hope you’ve been paying enough attention to already know they’ll be colliding at UFC 134, but if you didn’t know, now you do.
Here’s a look at 10 middleweight fights the fans would like to see, that could stir up the rankings and make for some new marquee top-liners.
10. Chris Weidman vs. Court McGee
1 of 10
Here is a chance to see two of the divisions brightest prospects vie for advancement.
These two share very similar skillsets; both are good wrestlers who are willing to bang, and both bring well filled gas tanks into the cage.
The edge in heart and determination must go to McGee, but Weidman’s showing against Alessio Sakara (which he took on extremely short notice) proves he’s got the resolve to push through adversity.
These are two of the most underappreciated prospects in the game today. Seeing these men battle it out will not only provide a clearer picture of future middleweight stars, but it’s a sure fire barn burner in the making; I’m not convinced either man can put on a boring show.
9. Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. C.B. Dollaway
2 of 10
Here we have a match that could make for a tremendous “loser leaves town” showdown.
Dollaway’s been far from perfect, compiling a 5-3 record for the promotion (which, for the record isn't exactly embarrassing), and Akiyama has posted one single win (a very, very questionable decision victory over Alan Belcher) in three UFC appearances.
Neither man can lay claim to a spot at the division’s current upper echelon, and both men need to make major adjustments if they hope to excel in the promotion.
These two need to fight, as there’s no better way to decide who belongs and who doesn’t.
8. Chris Leben vs. Jorge Santiago II
3 of 10
These two first met in the cage way back at UFC Fight Night 6.
If you missed it, it was a brutal affair that featured plenty of four ounce gloves crashing into sweat-streaked faces. In the end Santiago found himself gazing up at the bright lights, and Leben was declared the victor by knockout after enduring some shaky moments himself.
Since that fight, both men have provided career defining performances, yet both have fallen to opposition they likely should have beat.
Leben is looking to rebound from a pummeling delivered by Brian Stann, and coincidentally, Santiago ran face first into those same All American fists just days ago at UFC 130.
I’m not necessarily a huge rematch advocate, but this one makes perfect sense. Both men love to stand and trade, both men were recently bested by Brian Stann, and both men need a win to remain relevant in the UFC’s 185 pound division.
One plus one equals two, last I checked.
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7. Tim Boetsch vs. Tom Lawlor
4 of 10
Tim Boetsch made his middleweight debut last weekend at UFC 130. Not only did he make it a successful showing, he made things look easy in his one sided mauling of Kendall Grove.
Tim failed to stop the Hawaiian within the allotted fifteen minutes, but he showed a physical dominance he’d failed to display at 205 pounds, and his wrestling looked absolutely superb (a few of those throws looked a bit reminiscent of Jon Jones’ dizzying array of takedowns).
Tom Lawlor has been a machine since debuting for the promotion back in December of 2008. He hasn’t gone unbeaten under the UFC banner, but he’s proven to be a legitimately tough guy who can wrestle, and bang with some of the divisions best.
Stylistically this is a great fight, as Tim isn’t afraid to stand and bang, and Tom isn’t sweating fighting from his back.
The man to impose his will early likely takes a hard fought victory, but with these two competing, expect the unexpected.
6. Aaron Simpson vs. Alan Belcher
5 of 10
It’s no secret that Simpson’s bread and butter is his wrestling. There’s also no denying the fact that “A-Train’s” willingness to stand and bang has proven a weakness in the past.
Alan Belcher brings solid defensive wrestling (if not spectacular) to the table, and should he stuff a few of Simpson’s takedown attempts, we’re looking at a striking showdown that in no way favors Simpson.
Belcher’s striking is light years beyond Simpsons, and his size alone is a daunting obstacle to overcome.
Should these two meet in the future, we’ll be treated to a true style versus style clash, and in this case, I favor the striker over the wrestler. While Simpson is a dangerous middleweight, Belcher’s got a few too many tools on the belt for the Arizona representative.
5. Mark Munoz vs. Dongi Yang
6 of 10
Yang may tote the moniker “The Ox,” but let’s not fool ourselves both of these men are forward lumbering beasts who love to beat the sensibility from their opponents while exhibiting stellar wrestling bases.
Munoz is the more complete of the two, with an edge in experience, but Yang is the more explosive and likely the more physically imposing figure.
Both thrive from the top position.
What makes this a great fight is the capacity for a finish; neither Munoz nor Yang want to leave a fight in the judges’ hands, so matching these two offensive machines together practically guarantees a very, very violent affair.
Picking a winner here is like predicting which oncoming train will be derailed first upon impact. The action will be high rate, the brutality will be memorable, and the winner stakes a valid claim as the best wrestler in the division not named Chael Sonnen.
4. Demian Maia vs. Rousimar Palhares
7 of 10
Forums tend to buzz with discussions as to who the best middleweight grappler in the game is. Demian Maia, Rousimar Palhares and Ronaldo Souza are generally considered the divisions finest, and since Souza has yet to migrate to the UFC, we’ll eliminate him from this discussion and focus on Maia and Palhares.
Rousimar is often regarded as one of the division’s most physically powerful products, and given his past accomplishments and freakish build, it’s not necessarily a point I’d argue. He’s fast, brings solid wrestling to the table and throws hooks that look better fit for a Mortal Kombat game than a legitimate sporting event.
Beyond his natural physical abilities lies a thorough understanding of jiu-jitsu, and a love for heel hooks that should make any potential foe contemplate signing a contract to tangle with “Toquinho”.
Demian Maia on the other hand looks to be the more well-rounded of the two, and sets up submission attempts with a different sense of ease and fluency. Maia can grab virtually any limb and is well versed in chokes.
While wrestlers have given Palhares in the past, Maia seems to have little difficult with the stylistic match-up, which leads me to give Maia the nod in terms of wrestling. He’s not going to hit you with the power that Rousimar is, but his overall striking game is likely superior.
Picking a winner in a match like this feels near impossible. Each man brings specific dangers in specific positions, and in all honesty, the only way we’ll ever know who the superior jiu-jitsu player is in mixed martial arts context is to put these two in the cage together.
I for one will be tuned in, distractions completely dead to me.
3. Michael Bisping vs. Chael Sonnen
8 of 10
Public banter has already revealed that these two don’t care for each other; there’s good reason, both possess dominant personalities that naturally clash, which doesn’t work well when both look to be the “leader.”
While Bisping prefers to run his mouth in order to sell fights, Sonnen looks to assert his dominance within the cage, despite his pre-fight verbal assaults.
Both are high level competitors, while possessing completely different fighting styles. Sonnen wants to ground his opponent and maul them beyond visible distinction, while Bisping prefers to maintain distance and chip away at his foes with a stick-and-move gameplan.
What happens when the two collide depends solely on Bisping’s ability to avoid the takedown. If he can, he’ll pop-shot his way to a unanimous decision. If Sonnen is able to ground Bisping, it’s probable that Chael batters the Brit en route to a relatively easy decision victory.
Regardless of the gameplan, a winner aligns himself for a title shot. We know Chael is prepared, the question is, is Michael prepared for the monster known as “The Spider”?
2. Vitor Belfort vs. Jason Miller
9 of 10
These two have no bad blood, or preexisting rivalries. That doesn’t alter the fact that stylistically this match is insanely interesting!
Vitor Belfort is an absolute wrecking machine; his hands are lightning fast, he’s diversified his game and he’s still one of the most agile in the weight class. Miller on the other-hand is fearless, possesses a granite chin, a tremendous heart and a submission game dangerous enough to put any man to sleep if given the opportunity.
I see no quit in Miller, and I think his fight IQ sees him survive Vitor’s patented early onslaught. Vitor has been known to gas in the past, and if he can’t keep up with the smothering jiu-jitsu of Miller, we’re looking at a curious situation.
A win for Vitor means another impressive feather in his cap and a reminder to other contenders he’s still knocking on the door to greatness.
A win for Miller births an official UFC star (I know “Mayhem” already has quite the legion of followers due to “Bully Beatdown”), and a fringe contender. It could also place him one win away from a title shot.
1. Brian Stann vs. Wanderlei Silva
10 of 10
Brian has been respectfully requesting this fight for a few months now. Wanderlei has been hesitant to take the fight for fear that battling a war hero will earn him some American haters.
Silva has nothing to worry about. The man has grown to be fairly docile, he’s beloved by fans worldwide and he’s had nothing but positives to say of Stann, he’s got no need to sweat becoming America’s most hated for stepping into the Cage with the “All American.”
The fight could go a long way to outlining the upper echelon of the division. Brian Stann is improving with every fight, and Wanderlei finally looks to be finding comfort in his more disciplined fighting style.
Both are genuine threats to anyone they fight, and determining who leaps in the ranks means this one needs to happen.
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