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Opinion & Analysis
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Roundtables
ROUNDTABLE (pt. 2 of 3): Which fighters would be most intriguing to see jump from UFC to Strikeforce? Keller, Williams, Schwartzbard, Carter, Shelby, O'Donnell
Since it seems unlikely Fedor will be in the UFC Octagon anytime soon, I’d like to see some top heavyweights from the UFC take him on. Brock Lesnar, Frank Mir, and Cain Velasquez would all make fireworks with Fedor in Strikeforce.
ADAM SCHWARTZBARD, MMATORCH COLUMNIST
I think Rich Franklin in Strikeforce would be very interesting. I do not think he will reach the top of either the Middleweight or Light-Heavyweight Divisions in the UFC, but could be a major force in Strikeforce. I would like to see him fight Jake Shields, and perhaps a re-match with Dan Henderson. I also think Diego Sanchez in Strikeforce could be very interesting. I would love to see him fight Nick Diaz; that can be a very exciting fight.
ALEX WILLIAMS, MMATORCH COLUMNIST
Rich Franklin can't beat Anderson Silva; maybe he can beat Jake Shields. Mike Swick won't fight his teammates Jon Fitch and Josh Koscheck, but I doubt he'd have a problem fighting Nick Diaz.
ALVIN BENJAMIN CARTER III, MMATORCH COLUMNIST
B.J. Penn would be the first person I would like to see leave for one reason - so he could fight Shinya Aoki. After Penn's dominant performance against Diego Sanchez and Aoki's brutal bone breaking submission at Dynamite! 2009, there is no question that this would be a fight for the ages.
Next, I could be sneaky and say Brock Lesnar so he could fight Fedor, but I know that might not hold much weight. So I will have to say Matt Hughes. It would be great to see him fight Nick Diaz for the Strikeforce Welterweight Title. Hughes could be pretty dominant in Strikeforce's Welterweight Division.
ANDREW O'DONNELL, MMATORCH SPECIALIST
I'll make this quick and easy. Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture and Cain Velazquez. To beat Fedor. I think all three can do it, but any of those fights are bad matchups for Fedor and I want to see Fedor pushed. I remember when the rumors started of a possible Fedor-Couture fight, no one gave Randy a chance, but I feel most confident that if anyone could beat Fedor up and ultimately win, it's still Randy Couture. That's the ideal match, not Fabricio Werdum or Brett Rogers.
WADE KELLER, SUPERVISING EDITOR
Randy Couture vs. Fedor is intriguing, but the clock is ticking and Randy's probably not going anywhere after solving his last impasse. Rich Franklin is among those fighters who might be able to win a title in Strikeforce, but if they're treated fairly by UFC and feel there are intriguing non-title matches that interest them, what's the point in going to Strikeforce even to become champion if nobody thinks of it as anything but a secondary title anyway? Kenny Florian and Frankie Edgar are in a similar position. I haven't given up on Florian being able to improve enough to beat Penn in the next year or two, either. Chris Leben and Wanderlei Silva would have some fun match-ups in Strikeforce. Leben would be that "recognizable face" to perhaps help draw TV viewers on CBS or Strikeforce, plus he can put on an exciting fight with a decisive ending (one way or another). Silva would also be a big draw for Strikeforce, although there are some intriguing fights left for him in UFC, too.
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