Here's how I see it going down: Lightweight Grand Prix The Champ: BJ Penn The #1 contender: Kenny Florian. These two are not in the Grand Prix but will Coach the next installment of TUF. Imagine the fun that would be as BJ has said it was Kenny who told him that GSP was a greaser.. something Kenny vehemetly denies. The talent pool (top 16 remaining fighters) 1. Sean Sherk 2. Tyson Griffin 3. Gray Maynard 4. Diego Sanchez 5. Clay Guida 6. Nate Diaz 7. Jim Miller 8. Roger Huerta 9. Frankie Edgar 10. Joe Lauzon 11. Joe Stevenson 12. Spencer Fisher 13. Josh Neer 14. Kurt Pellegrino 15. Hermes France 16. WEC Lightweight champ (currently Jamie Varner) For fun I added the WEC lighweight champ as a way of the WEC showcasing their fighter and garnering interest in their org. Tough Ommissions: Mac Danzig, Matt Wiman, Gleison Tiabu So 1st round 8 matchups: #1 Sean Sherk vs #16 Jamie Varner Varner is a great well rounded fighter, but Sherk is a beast who can take 95% of the lightweight fighters down and keep them there. Sherk tries boxing starts to lose and ground and pounds his way to a win. Winner -Sean Sherk via Dec. #2 Tyson Griffin vs #15 Hermes Franca Franca is a world class BJJ fighter with ackward stand up and heavy hands. Tyson Griffin is a top shelf wrestler with precise striking. I think Griffing controls where the fight goes and since he can take a shot will weather and early storm on the feet from Franca then methodically pick him apart with a few take downs to score points and win Winner -Tyson Griffin via Dec. #3 Gray Maynard vs #14 Kurt Pellegrino Hey wow another top shelf wrestler vs a rounded guy who won't be able to get the takedown and will spend a lot of time on his back.. sensing a theme yet are we? Winner -Gray Maynard via Dec. #4 Diego Sanchez vs #13 Josh Neer Sanchez could be upset here as Neer is tough as hell and can give as good as he takes. Sanchez has stuck with standing up and vs Neer it could be an issue. If it goes to the ground Neer can sub someone too. Sanchez has only lost via Dec. to top ten welter weights Jon Fitch and Josh Koscheck. So I think Sanchez can earn a decision here. Winner -Diego Sanchez via Dec. #5 Clay Guida vs #12 Spencer Fisher Clay has been on a roll of late and Fisher has been good but Clay brings a pace that most find hard to keep up with and I see Clay winning this fight in the late rounds via TKO. Winner -Clay Guida via TKO #6 Nate Diaz vs #11 Joe Stevenson Joe Stevenson has fallen in love with the stand up and appears to have ignored his ground game getting subbed twice in his last 4 fights and losing another stand up fight with Diego Sanchez via Dec. Nate has unorthodoz striking that will cause the fight to go to the ground where he'll work the sub. Winner -Nate Diaz via Sub #7 Jim Miller vs #10 Joe Lauzon Interesting battler. Joe will have the crisper stand up, Jim may have the better ground game but not by much. If Jim can get this to a brawl on the feet he can win it, but I think Joe gets the upset win here. Winner -Joe Lauzon via Sub #8 Roger Huerta vs #9 Frankie Edgar Frankie is a great wrestler but he's overmatched in every other area with Huerta who will force the pace, outstrike him and be active enough to get the fight back standing if it goes to the ground. Winner - Roger Huerta via Dec.
Re: What a UFC Light Weight Grand Prix would look like Lightweight Grand Prix Round 2 1. Sean Sherk 2. Tyson Griffin 3. Gray Maynard 4. Diego Sanchez 5. Clay Guida 6. Nate Diaz 8. Roger Huerta 10. Joe Lauzon The four matchups: #1 Sean Sherk vs #10 Joe Lauzon Sherk has as technical of standup, but he'd has a significant reach disadvantage. Sherk would have more power too. Joe could get a Sub, but that has never happened before to Sherk because he's so strong and comptact. Sherk would be too strong for Lauzon and would control him. Winner -Sean Sherk via Dec #2 Tyson Griffin vs #8 Roger Huerta Tyson has only lost to 2 top wrestlers in Edagr and Sherk. Both fighters most impressive win was vs Clay Guida. Neither have beaten any top ten talent at LW. Griffin would be able to once again control where the fight goes and I think he'll put Roger on his back early and often. Winner -Griffin via Dec #3 Gray Maynard vs #6 Nate Diaz Gray will be able to control the fight and put it on the ground, but that may not be a great idea here. Nate can pull of some wicked subs. Jim Miller wasn't able to slap on on Maynard but Diaz is a better BJJ practioner. Stand up would be interesting as Nate lets his hands go because he doesn't mind being put on his back. Upset in the making I think here. Winner -Nate Diaz via Sub #4 Diego Sanchez vs Clay Guida Sanchez has too crisp stand up for Guida and will repeatedly pick him apart. Sanchez has good enough wrestling and size to withstand Guida's take down attempts and his cardio will be able to keep up with Guida too. Winner -Sanchez via Dec
Re: What a UFC Light Weight Grand Prix would look like Lightweight Grand Prix Round 3 1. Sean Sherk 2. Tyson Griffin 4. Diego Sanchez 6. Nate Diaz The Semi-Finals; #1 Sean Sherk vs #6 Nate Diaz Diaz starts off winning the striking with his absurd reach, but Sherk eventually closes the distance and gets it on the ground where Diaz is unable to lock anything in and eats a fair amount of elbows. Winner -Sean Sherk via Dec. #2 Tyson Griffin vs #4 Diego Sanchez Tyson can't get Diego down consistently and his striking is not an advantage at all. Sanchez starts to outstrike Griffin and Griffin gets a takedown but only had modest success with his GnP and Diego gets it back up to standing and outpoints Griffin. Winner -Diego Sanchez via Dec. The Finals: #1 Sean Sherk vs #4 Diego Sanchez Both have crisp striking, Diego's is better and more fluid. Sherk can get it down at times, but Sanchez is a big 155er so he is able to get it back up sometimes. It's a back and forth affair but IMO Sherk would do enough like Koscheck and Fitch to keep it on the ground and grind out a win.. it's what he does. Winner of the Lightweight Grand Prix - Sean Sherk! Sherk vs BJ Penn for the Lightweight title. I can see Sherk doing a lot more to get it on the ground this time around
Re: What a UFC Light Weight Grand Prix would look like I think Sherk would get dominated again. I think just for fun, they should throw in Urijah Faber into this. He'd be small, but he might be able to do well.
Re: What a UFC Light Weight Grand Prix would look like I think Sherk would get dominated again. I think just for fun, they should throw in Urijah Faber into this. He'd be small, but he might be able to do well.
Re: What a UFC Light Weight Grand Prix would look like I think you broke it down well CF. But if it were up to me Gray Maynard would be the winner of the Grand Prix. He showed pretty good stand up in his last fight and that combined with his wrestling makes him tough. I dont think Diaz would be able to pull off the upset.
Re: What a UFC Light Weight Grand Prix would look like I will do one for each division unless someone else feels like doing one, just let me know. Welter Weights are next on my agenda. should get it done in the next week. Diaz vs Maynard is a toughie, I went with a gut feeling. I was thinking of adding Faber, but I went with the WEC lighweight champ instead. Not sure if it was fair to put him 16th, but suck is the luck.
Re: What a UFC Light Weight Grand Prix would look like Hmm, I would be interesting in doing one for the LHW division, but who would the top 16 be?
Re: What a UFC Light Weight Grand Prix would look like I sent you a PM. Looking forward to your LHW Grand Prix. One thing I forgot to mention.. by luck more than by design, with all of the matchups I have posted.. not one fighter has faced his opponent before!! Sherk and BJ have faced each other, but that's after the GP sooooo I think this idea has some merit for sure!
Re: What a UFC Light Weight Grand Prix would look like Anyone mind if I take on the middleweight division? Still leaves heavy and welter for other chaps.
Re: What a UFC Light Weight Grand Prix would look like go for it! will be interesting to see the bottom 6 or so fighters and who you leave off with all of the new talent recently added.
Does the UFC have enough talent to do a Heavy weight one? Maybe Celtic Fan, speeds, and I can all combine to do a WW one.
That's a tough call. Sherk has only lost to THE BEST of the best in Matt Hughes in his prime, GSP and BJ Penn. Sanchez lost to some of the top guys but not at the same level as those 3. Sherk has very good takedowns and GREAT control once he gets you there. Still it's a matchup I think we'll eventually see. Sherk's asking for that fight afterall.
I'd take Sanchez over Sherk, but I don't think Sanchez could finish Sherk. Sherk is a hard guy to finish, excellent cardio, and I've seen him recover some really hard knees from Franca and Griffin. I'd have my darkhorse Gleison Tibau in the top 16 probably instead of Fisher or Neer. Partially because the guy makes the biggest cut that I know of percentage wise. He claims to cut 30 pounds (the same that Thiago Alves claims although at WW). Sherk says he weighs 178 during the fight. (23 pound cut)
I haven't been that impressed with Tibau myself. Beyond Clementi who has he faced and beat? I don't consider Terry Etiem a big win either.
He was getting the better of Joe Stevenson, and was clearly bigger and more powerful. However Joe Stevenson got his signature Guillotine choke in.
