Roundtables
MONDAY ROUNDTABLE: Q: Which fighter would you most like to see change weight divisions? (pt. 1 of 3)
Feb 1, 2010 - 5:36:38 PM MONDAY ROUNDTABLE: Q: Which fighter would you most like to see change weight divisions? (pt. 1 of 3)

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We have brought back the popular MMATorch Roundtable feature. Most days we will publish a question followed by several staff members' answers. We will run several batches of staff responses to the following question over the next several days, and then introduce a new topic after that.

TODAY'S NEW QUESTION:

Who is the one fighter you'd most like to see change weight divisions for at least one fight to test himself or improve his career?

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SHAWN ENNIS, MMATORCH SENIOR COLUMNIST

I'd like to see how Thiago Alves or Anthony Johnson would do at Middleweight. I'd also like to see what Frankie Edgar looks like at Featherweight. I guess that's three fighters, but I'm indecisive like that. Not a lot to elaborate on there. I'd just be interested to see these things. How much bigger would Alves and Johnson be at 185? I would bet they still wouldn't be small middleweights.

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JASON AMADI, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

While I have a feeling the popular opinion is that Georges St. Pierre has the most to prove by moving up in weight class, I actually believe that heavyweight kingpin, Fedor Emelianenko would be the most challenged by cutting down to 205, and facing some of the best fighters in the world there. As dominant as Fedor has been over heavier opponents, he’s always had to overcome size and weight discrepancies, and not necessarily skill. At 205, Fedor would fight guys his own size that are just as skilled at what they do as he is. Could he figure out the Machida puzzle? How would he fair against Anderson Silva at 205? Could Fedor weather the aggression of Rampage Jackson? Could he catch Rashad Evans? The fact is that Fedor hits like a heavyweight, but his size and frame are suited for 205 lbs, and if he were to diet down (Fedor always has had a noticeable belly) he could make the weight with ease. Considering he usually weighs in at exactly 230 lbs. and that Forrest Griffin and Anderson Silva walk around near that before they begin their weight cuts, I think it would be perfect. While Fedor has dominated larger opponents, the real skill challenge for him is at 205 lbs.

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BOB TEAL, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

I think the obvious answer here is George St. Pierre. B.J. has already moved up, Anderson has moved up and Randy moved up and back again. George has continued to rule the welterweight with an iron fist and I don’t really see any clear challenge for him in this division. I don’t think he needs to prove anything and he definitely does not need to improve his career. With that said I think a move up to the middleweight division would be exciting for him and the fans. We could see matchups with Bisping, Wanderlei, Belfort, Belcher and maybe even the Spider. Either way it would bring some excitement back to the division.

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MATT PELKEY, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

Georges St. Pierre. Not just because it would free up an entire division and make it interesting again, but more than Penn or Silva, I'd like to see how GSP's skillset translates to a higher weight class. His game is predicated on no one being able to handle his wrestling, but would that still work when he's average-sized for his weight class?

[Georges St. Pierre photo by Wade Keller (c) MMATorch]