MMA: 25 Questions That Will Be Answered in 2011

Two thousand and eleven has been one of the most fast-paced and astonishing years ever for MMA.  So far, we have seen Zuffa purchase Strikeforce and the UFC make a deal with FOX. However, the year is not over yet.

Fans still have a multitude of  burning questions about the MMA world. Fortunately, many will be answered within the last few months of 2011, since there are a multitude of high-profile events scheduled.

What are these burning questions to which we will soon have answers? Read on to find out!

How Has Alan Belcher Been Impacted by His Inury and Long Layoff?

Alan "The Talent" Belcher is sadly a forgotten name in the UFC due to a very long layoff, which was the result of a severe eye injury. In 2010, he suffered a detached retina that caused him to lose his vision in one eye.

Belcher was picking up quite a bit of steam before the injury. He was 4-1 in has past five matches, with the one loss being a controversial split decision against Yoshihiro Akiyama.

His fight against Jason Macdonald at UFC Live: Shields vs. Ellenberger will answer the numerous question marks around the Mississippi native (a.k.a. UFC Fight Night 25 a.k.a. UFC Live: Battle on the Bayou. I'm sticking with UFC Fight Night 25 from here on since it's faster to type).

Is Jake Ellenberger Ready for the Top Echelon?

At UFC Fight Night 25, Jake Ellenberger will take on former Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields in the main event.

Shields has proven himself to be a top competitor with wins over Dan Henderson, Martin Kampmann and Jason Miller. Shields also had a strong showing against UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre (although he lost, he exceeded expectations in the stand up).

On the other side, Ellenberger has had fewer chances to prove his talent. His biggest wins came over lower-level competitors such as John "Doomsday" Howard, Sean Pierson and Mike Kyle.

Shields will therefore be Ellenberger's first true test, and it will determine whether or not Ellenberger is ready to compete with the top-echelon welterweight fighters.

Is Ben Rothwell Just a Can Crusher?

Before Ben Rothwell signed with the UFC, there was a considerable amount of hype surrounding him. Many thought he was the next big thing at heavyweight; he had a 30-6 record, with his only notable loss against Andrei Arlovski.

However, it didn't take long for fans to realize that Rothwell wasn't living up to the hype. He is 1-1 in the UFC and hasn't looked so spectacular in either showing.

Rothwell is set to face Mark Hunt, who is below .500, at UFC 135. If Rothwell fails to defeat him, or if he beats him but does so unconvincingly, than Rothwell's reputation will plummet and he will be known only as a can crusher.

Is Takanori Gomi a UFC-Caliber Fighter?

It was been long believed by MMA fans that Takanori Gomi was the best lightweight in the world. However, when he entered the UFC, it became clear that his abilities had been exaggerated and that he was overrated.

Gomi is not the only fighter brought up on the Japanese circuit that has not lived up to expectations in the UFC; in fact, it has become a bit of a trend. But let's instead look at Gomi as an individual and ask: Is Takanori Gomi a UFC-caliber fighter? The world will find out when he faces Nate Diaz at UFC 135.

Will Matt Hughes Finally Retire?

Former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes is one of the most legendary figures in the sport's history; however, it's clear that he is not the fighter he used to be.

After a devastating knockout loss to his arch rival B.J. Penn, Hughes was left seriously contemplating retirement.

What will Hughes do if he loses to the younger, faster, stronger and overall better Josh Koscheck at UFC 135? Will 2011 be the year that Hughes finally decides to leave the sport? Or will he go the route of Ken Shamrock and fight for far too long? We will find out at UFC 135.

Is Jon Jones Overrated?

This is one of the biggest questions that will be answered in the remainder 2011. UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones is set to take on Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at UFC 135, which will determine who is the king at 205 pounds.

The debate over whether or not Jones is overrated rages on, and will likely continue after his match with Jackson. However, the result of the UFC 135 title fight will help bring the MMA community closer to an answer.

Is Charlie Brenneman a Serious Threat at Welterweight?

Charlie Brenneman burst onto the welterweight scene when he upset Rick "The Horror" Story after agreeing to the fight on short notice.

Brenneman will face the massive Anthony "Rumble" Johnson at UFC Live: Cruz vs. Johnson. The fight will likely determine who will go on to the very top of the welterweight division and who will be cast back down with the rank-and-file fighters.

Does Pat Barry Belong in the UFC?

UFC heavyweight Pat Barry is certainly a charismatic and exciting fighter. Nevertheless, the fact of the matter is that he has never won two fights in a row in the UFC. All of his UFC victories have been followed by losses (although he has never lost two in a row, either).

Barry is currently 3-3 in the UFC and is coming off an epic loss to Cheick Kongo.

If Barry loses to his next opponent, Stefan Struve, than he will have dropped two straight. His record will be 1-3 in his past four fights and 6-4 overall. A loss would bring many to question whether or not the kickboxer belongs in the UFC.

How Much Does Size Matter?

The answer to this question is usually an emphatic "yes." Both the Charlie Brenneman-Anthony Johnson matchup and the Pat Barry-Stefan Struve matchup will show how much size matters, in terms of weight and height, in a contest between skilled competitors. 

How Mighty Is Demetrius "Mighty Mouse" Johnson?

On October 1st, 2011, Demetrius "Mighty Mouse" Johnson will challenge UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz for the title.

Johnson has been carving a path through the bantamweight division and has lived up to his moniker so far. The fight with Cruz will prove just how mighty the "Mighty Mouse" is.

Is Josh Neer Ready for the UFC Again?

Josh "The Dentist" Neer was once a staple of the UFC lightweight division. Unfortunately for him, his career ended up falling on hard times and he was booted from the organization.

Since then, Neer has gone 6-1 in his last seven fights and has won four straight. He will face Keith Wisniewski at UFC Live: Cruz vs. Johnson. The fight will determine if Neer is ready for the big stage again or if he is still just a low-level journeyman.

Will the Nam Phan vs. Leonard Garcia Chapter Finally Be Closed?

It's widely accepted that Nam Phan was robbed at the Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale. Leonard Garcia was awarded the split-decision victory in a fight in which Phan seemed to controlled the action.

Both men will get another chance to prove themselves at UFC 136 in a fight that the MMA world will be watching with great interest; it has "fight of the night" written all over it and it has a compelling storyline. How could you ask for more?

Is Anthony Pettis a Real Contender or a One-Kick Wonder?

Former WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis shocked the world when he landed a gravity-defying kick off of the cage onto Ben Henderson's face. The "showtime kick" has since made it into every MMA highlight reel and has given Pettis a substantial boost in popularity.

Unfortunately, he wasn't able to make use of that boost; Clay Guida unceremoniously stole his thunder at The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale.

Fortunately for Pettis, he is being given a chance to redeem himself against Jeremy Stephens at UFC 136. This fight will tell the MMA community if Pettis is the real deal or if he is just a one-kick wonder.

Jorge Santiago: Legitimate or Overrated?

Jorge Santiago was the Sengoku middleweight champion who eventually vacated the organization's title and went to the UFC.

His UFC debut was less than stellar; he was totally over-matched by Brian Stann.

Santiago's UFC 136 bout against Demian Maia will determine if he really has the chops to be a great fighter or if he's another man in a long, long line of "contenders" from the Japanese circuit who were just crushing can after can, Japanese pro wrestler after Japanese pro wrestler.

Is Dave Herman Legit?

With a 21-2 record at 26 years old, Dave Herman looks like he's had quite a successful career.

However, upon closer inspection, his record doesn't hold up. At UFC 136, Herman will face Mike Russow, in what is undoubtedly his hardest test ever. Simply the fact that Mike Russow is his toughest opponent to date says quite a lot about the kinds of matches that Herman has won.

Who Will Get the Next Shot at Anderson Silva?

Brian Stann vs. Chael Sonnen is one of the most intriguing matchups on the fight card.

The results of this fight will demonstrate whether or not Stann can contend with the very top echelon of the middleweight division. It will also show whether or not Sonnen is back in the swing of things. Most importantly, the fight will determine who will get the next shot at UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.

Were the Lighter Weight Classes Easier All Along?

Some MMA fans have a theory that the lighter divisions (featherweight and bantamweight) have a very shallow talent pool and that therefore, the top fighters in those divisions aren't as good as the top- or even mid-level fighters from other divisions. They are the "Mickey Mouse" divisions the same way the AFL is the "Mickey Mouse" league to the NFL.

As proof of this theory, people sometimes mention Mike Brown, a UFC washout and average lightweight. He defeated Urijah Faber, who many thought was the world's top featherweight,.

This theory will have its greatest test when Kenny Florian takes on Jose Aldo for the UFC featherweight title.

If Florian manages to take Aldo's title, then a mid-level lightweight, who always loses to higher-level competition, will have bested one of the top "pound-for-pound" fighters. The theory that the lower weight classes provide inferior competition will be proven true.

However, if Aldo crushes Florian and defends his title, then the lighter weight classes may be able to take the WEC monkey off their back once and for all.

There is also another very important question that will be answered regarding this fight, which is...

Is Kenny Florian a True Choke Artist?

Kenny Florian has consistently lost every single big fight he's been in. If he loses to Aldo at UFC 136, he will forever be remembered as the UFC's most prolific choke artist.

Who Will Rule the Roost at Lightweight?

The first title fight between UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and challenger Gray Maynard was one of the most explosive, epic fights in UFC history and was the most amazing lightweight title fight of all time.

When a fight between two fighters who are so evenly matched takes place, there really is only one question on everyone's mind: Who will win? Frankie Edgar or Gray Maynard?

Was Nick Diaz Overrated All Along?

There seems to be a trend in which any fighter who fights well in one of the major organizations outside of the UFC is called the best in his division. This was the case with Nick Diaz.

Diaz tore a path through the (thin) Strikeforce welterweight division and suddenly people were proclaiming him as one of the top welterweights in the world.

At UFC 137, we will finally know whether or not Nick Diaz is overrated when he meets B.J. Penn.

Will Georges St-Pierre Be a Finisher Again?

UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre has long been criticized for his seemingly nonchalant attitude about finishing fights. His detractors claim that he doesn't try to finish fights and seeks to ride out an easy decision.

The life or death of this belief will be decided at UFC 137 against Carlos Condit. If St-Pierre can't finish Condit, a man whose abilities don't match up well with St-Pierre's, then St-Pierre's reputation will continue to suffer.

Junior Dos Santos or Cain Velasquez?

As with Gray Maynard vs. Frankie Edgar, the heavyweight title fight between champion Cain Velasquez and challenger Junior Dos Santos is so incredible that only one question can be asked: Who is going to win?

What Will Happen with the UFC on FOX?

The aforementioned fight between Dos Santos and Velasquez will be the main event of the UFC's very first foray into network television on the FOX network.

No one knows what the UFC's debut on FOX will entail and what it will mean for the sport. There are many questions that can be asked but they all fall under the umbrella of a more general question, which is: What will happen with the UFC on FOX?

Lesnar or Overeem?

A writer could probably make a slideshow asking a dozen or more questions about Brock Lesnar vs. Alistair Overeem, let alone just one.

If there is one question that's more important than the others, it's the most simple question, the one asked around water-coolers and bench press racks across the world: Lesnar or Overeem?

Will Strikeforce Last the Year?

With the UFC's recent raiding of the Strikeforce roster (Nick Diaz, Alistair Overeem, and now Cung Le), many have realized that Zuffa's initial insistence that Strikeforce would be left alone was anything but accurate.

The question on the minds of many an MMA fan is whether or not Strikeforce will last the year.