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By: Dan Moore, MMATorch UK Columnist
This is the second article of my four-part special and focuses on current UK and European fighters in the UFC Middleweight and Welterweight divisions. Click here for Part One.
MIDDLEWEIGHT
Michael Bisping (24-5) is one of the single most prominent and well known UFC fighters in Europe. Not only does he reside in the upper echelons of the middleweight division, he's also carving out a very successful second career as an expert TV analyst. Forever a company man, and twice a coach on The Ultimate Fighter, Bisping is always a couple of big wins away from title contention.
A win over a top ranked opponent still evades him, but success against Yoshihiro Akiyama, Brian Stann, and Alan Belcher is still impressive in anyone's book. It's just very frustrating that he seems to take one big step backwards after taking two forward. Beating Mark Munoz convincingly will do wonders for his title aspirations, but it's likely he'll need to fight again before getting the title shot he craves.
Cypriot Costa Philippou (12-2,1 NC) is currently riding a five-fight win streak, with the most notable being a TKO victory over contender Tim Boetsch late last year. Philippou is a former professional boxer who possesses one of the very best stand-up games in the division. Beating Boetsch elevated him into the upper echelons of the iddleweight rankings, and with another couple of credible wins, he's got to be a contender for a title shot.
After withdrawing from a bout with Ronaldo Souza earlier this year, Philippou now faces Frenchman Francis Carmont (21-7) at UFC 165. Carmont has won all of his first five UFC fights, including a hugely debatable split-decision win over Tom Lawlor. This fight is a classic striker vs. wrestler match-up and one that could go either way. My own money is going on Philippou providing his takedown defense has sufficiently improved.
One man who's edging towards the UFC exit door is the Italian, Alessio Sakara (19-10, 1 NC). After consecutive losses to new champion Chris Weidman and Brian Stann, he deservedly earned a disqualification in his last fight against Patrick Cote at UFC 154. A rematch was scheduled for UFC 158 but Sakara withdrew because of injury. Considering the fact he hasn't won in three years, another loss will more than likely see him get released.
Englishman Tom Watson (16-6) and Bulgarian Stanislav Nedkov (12-1, 1 NC) earned themselves a 'Fight of the Night' bonus for their highly entertaining undercard fight back in February. Nedkov suffered his first official defeat after a previous loss to Thiago Silva at light heavyweight was overturned when the Brazilian failed yet another drug test. Nedkov brutally knocked out Luiz Cane in his first fight, and despite the Watson defeat, he'll get another chance to shine.
After that fantastic win at Wembley Arena; Southampton born Watson suffered his second UFC loss against a resurgent Thales Leites. It was, in my opinion, deserving of a FOTN bonus. Watson was simply beaten by the better fighter as he struggled to utilize his very effective clinch game. Resilience and determination are traits the UFC love and Kong is the kind of fighter they will keep around, even after multiple losses.
I'm expecting rookie Luke Barnatt (6-0) to fight on the Manchester card in October. His official UFC debut came on the TUF 17 Finale, when he secured a very close decision win over Collin Hart. It wasn't the best performance from Barnatt, but a win is a win. We last saw Dutchman Michael Kuiper (12-2) get submitted by Tom Lawlor in Sweden, despite dominating the early exchanges with some excellent clinch work.
That same Sweden event in April also saw first UFC wins for Papy Abedi (9-2) and Tor Troeng (16-4-1). Adopted Swede Abedi won a very close welterweight fight with compatriot Besam Yousef that went to a split-decision. As a middleweight, he now fights TUF competitor Dylan Andrews at UFC Fight Night 27, in Indianapolis. Troeng, on the other hand, easily submitted the very poor Adam Cella, and now takes on the always dangerous Rafael Natal in Brazil next month.
Last man on the middleweight list is Swede Magnus Cedenblad (10-4), who lost his first UFC fight to the aforementioned Francis Carmont. His next fight comes later this month at UFC 164 against the beatable Jared Hamman, who himself is on a two-fight losing streak. Unless the fight turns out to be a classic, it's hard to see the loser of this one not getting his marching orders.
WELTERWEIGHT
It's going to be a sad day for UK fight fans if Dan Hardy (25-10, 1 NC) has to call time on his MMA career because of a recently detected heart condition. Hardy bounced back from a four-fight losing streak last year, recording wins over Duane Ludwig and Amir Sadollah. I'm a big fan of Hardy despite his obvious skill limitations. His persona is extremely marketable and despite lacking the tools to be elite, he's accomplished far more than most.
Defeats against Georges St-Pierre, Carlos Condit, Anthony Johnson, and Chris Lyttle are nothing to be ashamed of. Like most British fighters, he's allergic to wrestlers and takedowns. Condit aside, he was manhandled on the ground in three of those losses and there was nothing he could do about it. He could have conceivably won the Condit fight, but the American connected a split second earlier and it was lights out.
It's hard to see how Hardy comes back if he refuses to indulge the UFC's request for detailed testing of his condition. John Hathaway (17-1) is another Brit currently sat on the treatment table. An intriguing yet difficult fight against Erick Silva was planned for June, but was scrapped because of another serious injury. Hathaway has proved his talent, and if he can stay injury free, he could make a run at the top 15 rankings in the next few years.
It's not often Danish star Martin Kampmann (20-6) ends up in a horrible fight. Whether it's a late submission win over Thiago Alves, or a first-round knock-out loss to Johny Hendricks, this man is extremely entertaining. It was just my luck that I saw him fight live in a stinker split-decision loss to Jake Shields at UFC 121. The Kampmann vs. Condit rematch later this month has the potential to be an absolute classic and I can't wait to see it.
Former Strikeforce Welterweight champion Tarec Saffiedine (14-3) can't catch a break right now. Yet to make his UFC bow, the Belgian missed out on a fight with Robbie Lawler due to persistent injury. His last six-fights have gone to a decision, but Saffiedine can be exciting if given the right opponent. A fight against Martin Kampmann later this year could be fantastic.
That opponent logic also applies to the undefeated Icelander, Gunnar Nelson (11-0-1). His fight with Jorge Santiago wasn't horrible, but it wasn't a master class either. I'll be surprised if he's not on the Manchester card, making it three consecutive fights in the UK. He was supposed to fight Mike Pyle at UFC 160 but withdrew injured. A fight with Jordan Mein is likely, but the opponent could change before it's officially announced.
German Pascal Krauss (11-1) is 2-1 so far with his only career defeat coming against John Hathaway. As part of the Duke Roufus set-up in Milwaukee, it was inevitable he would fight at UFC 164, so Lim Hyun-Gyu is up next for him. Bradley Scott (9-2) suffered a decision loss to Robert Whittaker at the TUF Smashes Finale and is still waiting for his next fight to be announced.
Russian Adlan Amagov (12-2-1) made a very good start to his UFC career in Sweden. He absolutely dominated Chris Spang (5-2) on route to a comfortable win and now meets T.J. Waldburger at UFC 166 in October. Spang himself has yet to be given another fight in the organization. Same applies to the previously mentioned Swede, Besam Yousef (6-2), who lost to fellow countryman Papy Abedi.
German Benjamin Brinsa (13-0) is a recent signing who's yet to have a UFC fight announced. He may never get to fight for them after revelations about his political beliefs came out recently. Although the fighter himself denies it, he's been accused of being part of a Neo-Nazi political group. As 'The Hooligan' nickname suggests, he's also a self-confessed former football hooligan. Someone didn't do their research and his UFC status remains a doubt.
Next week I'll take a detailed look at the Lightweight and Featherweight divisions.
Follow me on Twitter, @MMATorchDan
[Michael Bisping art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
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