In the final part of this five part series, the Heavyweight division experiences a flurry of new fighters invading what was once a two man division.
It was around this time last year that only two heavyweights dominated the UFC. Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski had the division in the palm of their hands.
So when Sylvia defeated Arlovski last year at UFC 59, it only made sense that the two would have a rematch just a few months later. The rematch at UFC 61 bored the crowd as it all five rounds with very little action.
UFC 65 wasn’t much better for fans of the Heavyweight division. Sylvia took on Jeff Monson. Once again, the bout was another snoozer. Sylvia did very little in the bout, yet still managed to win unanimously.
The year 2006, was a poor year for the Heavyweight division in the UFC, essentially a two man division. No doubt changes were needed.
This year has seen its share of new Heavyweight fighters in the UFC. The additions of Mirko Cro-Cop, Fabricio Werdum and Rodrigo Nogueria has helped add depth to a division that once had such fighters as Pedro Rizzo, Ricco Rodriguez and Frank Mir before his motorcycle accident a few years ago.
Ad those new fighters in with the return of “The Natural” himself, Randy Couture and you have yourself a Heavyweight division.
Randy Couture- Heavyweight Champion
Guess who’s back? It can only be Couture himself. “The Natural” announced last December that he was making a return to the Octagon to take on Heavyweight champion Sylvia.
UFC 68 saw the first true upset of the 2007 calendar year when Couture defeated Sylvia to become the new Heavyweight champion. The 43-year-old now awaits a showdown with his next opponent. Here’s a clue, it’s not Cro-Cop.
Gabriel Gonzaga- The #1 contender
This Brazilian shocked the world when he knocked out Cro-Cop via a kick to the head in the first round of the main event bout at UFC 70. It was the kick that nobody saw coming, not even Cro-Cop.
Gonzaga immediately earned himself a shot at Couture for the Heavyweight title later in the year. Not only that, but his victory over Cro-Cop immediately puts Gonzaga among the Heavyweight elite of the UFC.
The victory over Cro-Cop was Gonzaga’s first victory over a legitimate contender. He has potential and who knows, maybe Gonzaga can pull another upset victory.
Cheick Kongo- The next big thing?
Kongo has the potential to be a terrific Heavyweight in the UFC. One glance at his size leaves many around the Mixed Martial Arts community, salivating at the thought of Kongo being a phenomenal star in the UFC.
He has one major flaw though, he lacks wrestling skills. Kongo has excellent striking skills, but if he gets on the ground, opponents need not worry.
In his win over Assuerio Silva at UFC 70 in April, Kongo was taken down on several occasions. It was Kongo’s boxing skills that helped him earn the victory over Silva.
If he had wrestling skills to work with, he would be a contender for the title tomorrow. But hey you never know what can happen.
This is a new and improved division, certainly not a two man division.
