GUEST EDITORIAL: Will the UK ever produce a UFC Champion?

The following piece was submitted by MMATorch reader Dan Moore:

Back in March 2010, Dan Hardy fought Georges St-Pierre for the UFC Welterweight Title at UFC 111. It might not have been wholly deserved, and yes, he was extremely fortunate to be in that spot, but the fact Hardy got a title shot was meant to be the beginning of a new era for UK born fighters in the UFC. Surely it would only be a matter of time before another British fighter got a shot, right? Wrong. Since that one sided defeat in Newark, New Jersey, only Michael Bisping has come remotely close; and the rest? Most have taken backward steps and are so far away from a title shot, it's not even funny (Not for me anyway!).

So which fighters are currently close, which ones have the potential, and who is more likely to be voted in as the next UK Prime Minister before they ever get a title fight?

CLOSE

Michael Bisping: I might as well start with the main man himself. Every man and his dog knows by now that Bisping lost by unanimous decision to Chael Sonnen at the UFC on FOX 2 event last month. If I am being completely honest, I never expected him to win the fight, however, plenty of positives came out of it. Firstly, only 49,999,950 fans in the USA hate him now, the other 50 have changed their opinion for the better. Secondly, he proved that he's actually a very accomplished Mixed Martial Artist who can more than hold his own in elite competition. Beating the likes of Jorge Rivera and Jason Miller won't get you a title shot, and in many ways, 2011 was a wasted year. However, it proved he was a valuable company guy, and Dana White should repay that loyalty by giving Bisping another number one contender fight. Mark Munoz in June or July would be a good option, winner fights Sonnen or Silva this Autumn (Fall), in Manchester, England.

POTENTIAL

John Hathaway: Anyone who beats Diego Sanchez must have potential right? I know many of you will say Sanchez wasn't motivated or in great shape, and you are probably right, but it's still a W for the Hathaway resume. Throw in wins over Paul Taylor and Rick Story, and that's an impressive hat trick of victories. I was one of the 18,000 fans at the o2 Arena in London for UFC 120 who thought Hathaway would convincingly beat the always tough Mike Pyle. How wrong we were. A closely fought win over Kris McCray got him right back on track and his fight with Pascal Krauss at UFC 138 is back on and set for UFC on FOX 3 in May. Hopefully another win, followed by another step up in competition, and just maybe, at only 24 years old, the Brighton born Hathaway will fight for a world title in the not too distant future.

Brad Pickett: I know he lost to Renan Barao at UFC 138, but everyone who fights Renan Barao right now loses, so it isn't the end of the world for One Punch. Fortunately for him, the route to Dominic Cruz isn't as long and demanding as it would be in other weight classes. Demacio Page is up next for Pickett, a tough fight, but ultimately one he will be odds on to win. After that who knows, but with the addition of a flyweight division, the competition is certainly spread thin. Faber can only get so many title shots before the UFC give up on him. Barao is rightly next, after that, the road to Cruz will be relatively clear after a win or two.

A MILLION MILES AWAY

Dan Hardy: Yes Hardy loves to brawl. Yes, he's got charisma and a good look, but will he ever get himself on par with the likes of GSP, Condit, Diaz, Ellenberger et al? No. It isn't just the fact he can't wrestle, it's also his determination to fight every fight his way, whoever the opposition. Granted, it's commendable, and always fun to watch, but Carlos Condit proved last Saturday, the tactical approach can lead to big rewards. Condit traded with Hardy at UFC 120 because he knew he was the better striker, against Diaz he went for a vastly different approach, because Greg Jackson knew he'd probably lose a shoot out, and it paid off. I hope Hardy gets back in the Octagon very soon. In terms of an opponent, i'd match him with Dong Hyun-Kim, but if Joe Silva is in a charitable mood, a better option would be Chris Cope.

Everyone Else: This is not meant as a derogative choice, it's simply a fact and a reality right now. No other UK fighter in the UFC is even remotely close to a title shot right now. Some are only just getting their opportunity and just starting out in the UFC (Che Mills, John Maguire, Paul Sass, Phil De Fries), others have not fulfilled their potential yet (Terry Etim, Jason Young), and some will be used to simply fill out the undercard on every UK based event (Paul Taylor, Rob Broughton, James Wilks).

If things get really desperate, though, we've still got Alistair Overeem. He was born in Hounslow, London, and that folks, is good enough for me if he beats Junior dos Santos later this year.

[Michael Bisping art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/Guest_Editorials_20/article_12535.shtml

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