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If you have a question you'd like answered by MMATorch Editor Jamie Penick or MMATorch Columnist Rich Hansen, send it in to askmmatorch@gmail.com. We're happy to respond! Here's a new batch of questions.
Jeremy writes: Do you see Belfort being more likely to get/accept a shot at the middleweight or light heavyweight title again?
MMATorch Columnist Rich Hansen answers: I think it's pretty clear that Vitor's staying at 185, despite his stated desire to fight Jon Jones. Certainly, he'll accept any fight presented to him. After all, he accepted a fight against the criminally overrated Luke Rockhold, right? I don't see any reason whatsoever for the UFC to give Vitor any more title shots at 205, after all, the first shot was completely aberrational. Belfort fighting Jones at 205 was a fluke based on unprecedented circumstances. Belfort has beaten every challenger put in front of him at 185, and he absolutely deserves the shot at Anderson Silva.
Michael writes: Sorry to seem like I am beating a dead horse since his career is definitely over, but where do you think Brock Lesnar would be in his MMA career if the UFC was as popular today and he went straight into it fresh out of college and had more time to work on his striking? I am a huge Lesnar fan so this may come off as a little biased but I think he could have possibly been the greatest heavyweight the UFC has ever seen. Thanks.
MMATorch Editor Jamie Penick answers: The thing to remember with Lesnar is that the reason he was such a star in the UFC to begin with was because of his history in pro wrestling and the fact that he was taking on such high level competition with so little fighting experience. It was the perfect combination at the perfect time for the UFC, and the fact that he had success despite that inexperience helped propel him to even higher levels of stardom. Had he entered the sport right out of college, developed his striking game to go along with his wrestling, and came up through the era before TUF and right after, he may have become a great well rounded fighter who knew how to handle taking vicious strikes properly and continue fighting on. At the same time, it's possible he had the same deficiencies he showed near the end of his UFC run, and would have lost some fights earlier against a lesser level of competition, never to find the type of recognition in MMA or any sport for that matter. Of course, Lesnar's athletic ability alone suggests he'd have found a way to make a run in the sport, but so much of him as a larger than life persona was established from his time in the WWE that it's impossible to say he'd have ever reached that level as a star without it. Still, for the short time he competed, he provided the UFC and MMA fans everywhere an exciting run with plenty to talk about.
David writes: Do you find it at all interesting UFC top brass publically chums with Mike Tyson? What does the UFC code of conduct say about convicted rapists?
MMATorch Columnist Rich Hansen answers: Interesting? Sure. Also, vile, reprehensible, and irresponsible. Dana White tells Michael Schiavello he doesn't think Mike Tyson raped that girl, so let's go ahead and deify the raping piece of garbage. He likes pigeons more than he likes forcible sex? Let's make him a cult hero. He was funny in The Hangover? Let's make everyone drink some really nice grape Kool-Aid. As to the UFC Code of Conduct, they need to change the name to the UFC Do-As-We-Say-Not-As-We-Do Code Of Conduct (because whenever you shoot off your damn mouth and cost us money we have to fight the urge to break your legs).
[Brock Lesnar art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
STAFF COLUMNISTS: Shawn Ennis - Jason Amadi
Frank Hyden - Rich Hansen
Chris Park - Matt Pelkey
Interested in joining MMATorch's writing team? Send idea for a theme to your column (for Specialist section) or area of interest (i.e. TV Reporter) along with a sample of writing to mmatorch@gmail.com.
