FloCombat Fantasy Matchmaker: May Edition
FloCombat Fantasy Matchmaker: May Edition
There are few simplicities when it comes to matchmaking in combat sports.Although some bouts seemingly fall into place in the natural progression of a divis
There are few simplicities when it comes to matchmaking in combat sports.
Although some bouts seemingly fall into place in the natural progression of a divisional picture, the majority are created through measure and comparison. It’s a complex picture with many moving parts, but when the alchemy is perfect, the proof unfolds inside the cage.
Circumstances undoubtedly differ from fight to fight, but they all mean something in the larger scope. Whether a matchup fits into the divisional scheme, furthers a title picture, or is simply wired for entertainment, the result will always push one of the competitors forward.
Although Joe Silva and Sean Selby are the matchmaking gurus of the modern era, FloCombat is game enough to try on those shoes from time to time.
Every month, we will offer potential matchups that fit the above criteria. Some fights could develop a future title holder, while others will be all about our love of the ruckus.
Let’s take a look at FloCombat Fantasy Matchmaker: May 2016 Edition.
Junior Dos Santos vs. Fabricio Werdum
Few things are better in the world of combat sports than the big boys stepping in to throw bricks. The odds of someone catching the violent sleeps skyrocket when heavyweights are under the bright lights, and the only thing that can make the equation more appealing is a side of beef.
While former champions Junior dos Santos and Fabricio Werdum have traveled different paths since their initial collision at UFC 90 in 2008, the echo of their bout still lingers.
Hindsight is always 20/20—few knew in the moment that they were seeing the future of the heavyweight division front and center that night in Chicago. The seasoned veteran Werdum floundered under the UFC banner, and was in a must-win situation to keep his place on the promotional roster.
The task didn’t appear all that steep considering he was facing an unknown fighter from his own native country, but perceptions shifted violently when “Cigano” snuffed the grappling ace just north of a minute into the opening round. No sooner than Werdum’s limp body hit the canvas was his potential deflated and dos Santos’ star born.
Fast-forward eight years, and it’s a totally different ballgame with the same feel.
“Vai Cavalho” resurrected his career to reach the pinnacle of the sport when he forced Cain Velasquez to tap to a guillotine choke at UFC 188 in Mexico City. While winning the most prominent title in the sport seemed like an unlikely turn for a man most counted out, the precision and tenacity Werdum showed on his road to gold told a much different story.
He was no longer the singular, disciplined threat of the Pride era, but a versatile opponent willing and able to end the fight anywhere it went. Although Werdum’s reign didn't last—he was flattened by Stipe Miocic last month at UFC 198—a flash knockout doesn’t erase the credibility he’s built as an elite heavyweight.
And while dos Santos is coming off a victory in his most recent outing against Ben Rothwell, the heavy-handed slugger knows a thing or two about seeking redemption.
Dos Santos thrived during his time atop the heavyweight stack, and spent the past three years doing everything in his power to reclaim the position he lost to Velasquez back in December of 2012.
Those efforts came with mixed results—dos Santos has been in a “take one/give one” rut as of late, but if his showing against “Big Ben” is any indicator of his current form, then all signs point to dos Santos making another strong run for the title.
With the current state of the division in flux and other notable names locked up in matches of their own, dos Santos vs. Werdum is the fight to make. They both have everything to gain and a lot to lose, and when their past history is considered, it all adds up to one hell of a treat for fight fans.
Alexander Gustafsson vs. Ovince Saint Preux
Oh, how quickly fortunes can change in MMA.
Two years ago, Alexander Gustafsson won the hearts of fight fans around the globe by taking Jon Jones to the wire and nearly doing the unthinkable in the process. No fighter before him made the pound-for-pound phenom look human, but at UFC 165, “The Mauler” chipped away the hype and brought the best out of the highly regarded champion.
The rangy Swede did the same for himself in the process. And while the cage-side judges may have seen otherwise, some in the MMA community believe Gustafsson should have been crowned king that night in Ontario.
While the outcome against Jones will always linger in the MMA fan-sphere, what is not debatable is Gustafsson’s career in the aftermath.
After being passed over for an immediate rematch many feel he deserved, Gustafsson drifted into an avenue filled with dangerous fights in an attempt to get back to title contention. His first step proved successful as he smote Jimi Manuwa in quick fashion, but his next outing proved disastrous as “Gus” was toppled by brick-handed Anthony Johnson in a title eliminator.
Following his loss to “Rumble,” Gustafsson was understandably shaken. The title Gustafsson had been so close to claiming was now further away than ever, and the mystique he’d built going 25 minutes with the man widely accepted as the greatest of all time was in shambles. The UFC attempted to make things right in the karmic sense by granting the 29-year-old striker a shot at Daniel Cormier’s title, but the fates refused to fulfill his title dreams as the former Olympian emerged victorious by a razor-thin margin.
Suddenly, Gustafsson was facing losses in three of his last four showings, which served to knock him completely out of the title picture. Nevertheless, a reset may not be the worst thing for him.
The same can be said for Ovince Saint Preux.
Although the Tennessee native has not amassed the same resume as Gustafsson, he’s remained a strong player in a difficult division. Saint Preux has found success in all but three of his 10 outings inside the Octagon since coming over from Strikeforce in 2013, and even fights where he was ultimately turned back, “OSP” remained competitive throughout.
Nowhere was this more evident than his bout against Jon Jones at UFC 197.
After Cormier fell out of the highly anticipated rematch against Jones with an injury, Saint Preux stepped up to take a fight few would. And while the returning champion was figured to dispatch Saint Preux in quick fashion, that wasn't be the case when the cage door closed in Las Vegas.
Although Jones swept the rounds on the judges’ scorecards, Saint Preux’s stock ultimately rose in defeat as he proved to be a solid test for the Jackson/Winkeljohn product. With momentum on his side, there’s no doubt Saint Preux will land another high-profile opponent for his next bout, and going toe-to-toe with Gustafsson makes a world of sense.
With Anthony Johnson and Glover Teixeira set to clash in a bout that will most likely determine the next title contender, a potential fight between Gustafsson and Saint Preux could serve to fill the next tier of the championship picture. It’s would also be an interesting stylistic matchup due to the length both fighters bring to the cage.
Although some bouts seemingly fall into place in the natural progression of a divisional picture, the majority are created through measure and comparison. It’s a complex picture with many moving parts, but when the alchemy is perfect, the proof unfolds inside the cage.
Circumstances undoubtedly differ from fight to fight, but they all mean something in the larger scope. Whether a matchup fits into the divisional scheme, furthers a title picture, or is simply wired for entertainment, the result will always push one of the competitors forward.
Although Joe Silva and Sean Selby are the matchmaking gurus of the modern era, FloCombat is game enough to try on those shoes from time to time.
Every month, we will offer potential matchups that fit the above criteria. Some fights could develop a future title holder, while others will be all about our love of the ruckus.
Let’s take a look at FloCombat Fantasy Matchmaker: May 2016 Edition.
Junior Dos Santos vs. Fabricio Werdum
Few things are better in the world of combat sports than the big boys stepping in to throw bricks. The odds of someone catching the violent sleeps skyrocket when heavyweights are under the bright lights, and the only thing that can make the equation more appealing is a side of beef.
While former champions Junior dos Santos and Fabricio Werdum have traveled different paths since their initial collision at UFC 90 in 2008, the echo of their bout still lingers.
Hindsight is always 20/20—few knew in the moment that they were seeing the future of the heavyweight division front and center that night in Chicago. The seasoned veteran Werdum floundered under the UFC banner, and was in a must-win situation to keep his place on the promotional roster.
The task didn’t appear all that steep considering he was facing an unknown fighter from his own native country, but perceptions shifted violently when “Cigano” snuffed the grappling ace just north of a minute into the opening round. No sooner than Werdum’s limp body hit the canvas was his potential deflated and dos Santos’ star born.
Fast-forward eight years, and it’s a totally different ballgame with the same feel.
“Vai Cavalho” resurrected his career to reach the pinnacle of the sport when he forced Cain Velasquez to tap to a guillotine choke at UFC 188 in Mexico City. While winning the most prominent title in the sport seemed like an unlikely turn for a man most counted out, the precision and tenacity Werdum showed on his road to gold told a much different story.
He was no longer the singular, disciplined threat of the Pride era, but a versatile opponent willing and able to end the fight anywhere it went. Although Werdum’s reign didn't last—he was flattened by Stipe Miocic last month at UFC 198—a flash knockout doesn’t erase the credibility he’s built as an elite heavyweight.
And while dos Santos is coming off a victory in his most recent outing against Ben Rothwell, the heavy-handed slugger knows a thing or two about seeking redemption.
Dos Santos thrived during his time atop the heavyweight stack, and spent the past three years doing everything in his power to reclaim the position he lost to Velasquez back in December of 2012.
Those efforts came with mixed results—dos Santos has been in a “take one/give one” rut as of late, but if his showing against “Big Ben” is any indicator of his current form, then all signs point to dos Santos making another strong run for the title.
With the current state of the division in flux and other notable names locked up in matches of their own, dos Santos vs. Werdum is the fight to make. They both have everything to gain and a lot to lose, and when their past history is considered, it all adds up to one hell of a treat for fight fans.
Alexander Gustafsson vs. Ovince Saint Preux
Oh, how quickly fortunes can change in MMA.
Two years ago, Alexander Gustafsson won the hearts of fight fans around the globe by taking Jon Jones to the wire and nearly doing the unthinkable in the process. No fighter before him made the pound-for-pound phenom look human, but at UFC 165, “The Mauler” chipped away the hype and brought the best out of the highly regarded champion.
The rangy Swede did the same for himself in the process. And while the cage-side judges may have seen otherwise, some in the MMA community believe Gustafsson should have been crowned king that night in Ontario.
While the outcome against Jones will always linger in the MMA fan-sphere, what is not debatable is Gustafsson’s career in the aftermath.
After being passed over for an immediate rematch many feel he deserved, Gustafsson drifted into an avenue filled with dangerous fights in an attempt to get back to title contention. His first step proved successful as he smote Jimi Manuwa in quick fashion, but his next outing proved disastrous as “Gus” was toppled by brick-handed Anthony Johnson in a title eliminator.
Following his loss to “Rumble,” Gustafsson was understandably shaken. The title Gustafsson had been so close to claiming was now further away than ever, and the mystique he’d built going 25 minutes with the man widely accepted as the greatest of all time was in shambles. The UFC attempted to make things right in the karmic sense by granting the 29-year-old striker a shot at Daniel Cormier’s title, but the fates refused to fulfill his title dreams as the former Olympian emerged victorious by a razor-thin margin.
Suddenly, Gustafsson was facing losses in three of his last four showings, which served to knock him completely out of the title picture. Nevertheless, a reset may not be the worst thing for him.
The same can be said for Ovince Saint Preux.
Although the Tennessee native has not amassed the same resume as Gustafsson, he’s remained a strong player in a difficult division. Saint Preux has found success in all but three of his 10 outings inside the Octagon since coming over from Strikeforce in 2013, and even fights where he was ultimately turned back, “OSP” remained competitive throughout.
Nowhere was this more evident than his bout against Jon Jones at UFC 197.
After Cormier fell out of the highly anticipated rematch against Jones with an injury, Saint Preux stepped up to take a fight few would. And while the returning champion was figured to dispatch Saint Preux in quick fashion, that wasn't be the case when the cage door closed in Las Vegas.
Although Jones swept the rounds on the judges’ scorecards, Saint Preux’s stock ultimately rose in defeat as he proved to be a solid test for the Jackson/Winkeljohn product. With momentum on his side, there’s no doubt Saint Preux will land another high-profile opponent for his next bout, and going toe-to-toe with Gustafsson makes a world of sense.
With Anthony Johnson and Glover Teixeira set to clash in a bout that will most likely determine the next title contender, a potential fight between Gustafsson and Saint Preux could serve to fill the next tier of the championship picture. It’s would also be an interesting stylistic matchup due to the length both fighters bring to the cage.