It makes sense. He can't beat B.J.Penn, and 155 was just too small a weight for him to come in at. He looked tiny, losing all his muscle. Hopefully he regains his form against other 170lb contenders because his contender run at 170 was fun to watch. Yes, he's a weirdo, but he's a fun fighter to watch.
Diego is a top fighter but he aint winning that belt any time soon. Penn took him apart piece by piece and GSP has more of the same on the menu.
I don't know that it is about UFC fighters cutting so much weight thinking it's a huge advantage or something. GSP and Lyoto Machida, as well as BJ Penn have proven that's really just not the case. Weakening yourself like Diego did isn't a good idea. I was telling everyone as it happened that Diego looked much better at 170, his pace and cardio looked like hell, he looked slower, and wasn't the same fighter he was at 170. His pace and cardio used to be his strength, not his weakness.
Cutting weight is far more likely to benefit fighters than not cutting weight. A lot of this is due to the large gap in the weight classes in mma. Exceptions exist, of course, and Diego might be one of them, but I'd lean against it. GSP is easier to hit than BJ. That might help Diego's chances, but as TKO mentions...it's hard to see going up in weight to get to GSP being an advantage over fighting BJ.
Clearly there are several fighters in the UFC who are "between weights" right now. They need some extra divs, just not quite as many as boxing...hell why not just go 155,165,175,185 ?? Guys like Diego or Karo could benefit alot from not having to cut so much. It's not like Diego really "wants" to fight at 155.. he's just too small for alot of the guys that cut because they are too small for 185 etc..
I couldn't disagree more. The last thing MMA needs is more weight classes. At least until the depth of talent increases dramatically. But even then...I don't think it's a good idea. TFK
Almost everyone, including Rogan, Goldberg and GSP himself says GSP cuts from around 185. Not a lot at all.
I would be a-fucking-mazed if that was the case. Maybe he cuts from 185 the night before the weigh in?
http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=8060&zoneid=4 His walking weight is 188 according to him. He also said something to that fact after the Alves fight.
This would be one of the worst things to ever happen. Just like it was for boxing. Boxing would serve itself huge by eliminating all weight classes except for the original 8.
No it doesn't. He couldn't even beat Koschek. He'll be brutally stopped at 170 against a top contender and I am looking forward to it.
You don't know what you're talking about. Diego had a great run at 170. He actually won The Ultimate Fighter Season 1 as a 185lber. He dropped to his usual weightclass, 170, and went on a great tear in the UFC, beating guys like Nick Diaz, Karo Parisyan ( a fast-paced WAR), and Joe Riggs. Koscheck is a good fighter. He beat Diego fair and square, but Diego also had a bad staph infection going into that fight. Diego will give hell to anyone at 170. Even in his losses, he gave the fighters at 170 really tough fights. Diego acts like a moron at times, but he's a stud at 170. No doubt.
Diaz, Parisyan and Riggs aren't even top 10 fighters at 170. Diego will get clowned by the top 10. It doesn't make sense.
At the time they fought, Karo was definitely top 10. Diaz was hot and cold, but when he was on his game, as he was that night, he could beat anybody. He skips around from 170 to 155 and even occasionally 185. Nick Diaz was top 10 when they fought. Riggs was borderline top fifteen at the time, but he was an absolutely huge 170lb fighter and Diego took him out with a brutal kick to the head after Diego had been thumbed in the eye. That was a great victory. Diego will not get clowned by the top ten at 170. He IS top ten at 170. He can't beat GSP or Fitch, but he's even money with a lot of other 170lb fighters if he regains his gas tank. His pace used to be unreal. It all depends on whether or not the loss to B.J. ruined him mentally. Some guys never come back from that kind of asswhipping.
I can't stand Sanchez. But I agree with Buddy that he is pretty close to even money with everyone at 170 outside of GSP and Fitch. Personally I would put Alves in there with them. I think Alves beats Diego up pretty easily.
That would be a hell ofa fight, but I would give Diego a confidence builder or two before tossing him in there with the number three guy in the division.
Alves isn't shit. His win over Kos is greatly overrated. Take away the win over ill-prepared Koscheck and you got a win over Hughes, in which be was huge and missed weight.
pure craziness. Alves is a monster at 170 and getting better. His ground game still lacks, but his stand up is world class and his takedown defense is as Joe Rogan might say "PHENOMENAL".
I like Diego over him though. I think Kos can take him down too with a full camp. Alves is great but he's too big at 170 and he's very immobile and has crappy balance. He's way too oversized I believe. And he's gotten rated a bit higher than he wouldve had he not beaten Koscheck the way he did. But it's incredibly important that Koscheck took that on short notice.
