...OH, ONE MORE THING - PLEASE BOOKMARK US & VISIT DAILY!
Alvin Benjamin Carter III, MMA Torch Specialist
First it was Jake Shields, then it was Nick Diaz - who was followed by his brother - and it was finally capped off with Gilbert Melendez at UFC on Fox 8. The Cesar Gracie camp has an exceptional stable of athletes, but they have all fallen short when given the opportunity to capture a UFC title. Without taking any credit from these fighters who have extraordinary careers to-date, I want to examine the possible disconnect keeping these teammates from capturing UFC gold.
First up is Jake Shields (27-6-1). He entered the UFC at 26-4-1 with notable consecutive wins over Paul Daley, Robbie Lawler, Jason Miller, and Dan Henderson. His UFC debut against Martin Kampmann extended his consecutive win streak to 14 in a row with a split decision victory. Still he was not seen as living up to his hype by many critics. His next bout was against UFC Welterweight Champion George St. Pierre, which he lost, and his UFC record is now 2-2-1. Additionally, he has not finished a fight since June 2009.
Next, Nate Diaz (16-9) won season five of The Ultimate Fighter and has fought in the UFC since his 2007 finale win against Manny Gamburyan. After that, Diaz went on a tear, winning four more in a row and putting him at 10-2. He then had consecutive losses to Clay Guida and Joe Stevenson. Diaz moved to welterweight after his third straight loss to Gray Maynard. He won two fights there before dropping two more in a row at welterweight, sending him back to lightweight. There, he had a three-fight win streak, beating Takanori Gomi, Donald Cerrone, and Jim Miller consecutively. That run earned him a shot at UFC Lightweight Champion Ben Henderson, which Diaz lost by decision, and then he fought Josh Thomson and suffered his first stoppage loss last month.
Third, Nick Diaz (26-9-1) has been a powder keg of misunderstood statements and questionable actions. Diaz captured the WEC Welterweight Title early in his career, moving on to the UFC shortly thereafter. Following a 4-4 run in the UFC, he would bounce around various promotions before winning the Elite XC Lightweight Title. He then went back to welterweight and won the Strikeforce Welterweight Championship. He vacated that title to move back to the UFC and fight Welterweight Champion George St. Pierre, but he could not keep his media obligations and UFC President Dana White pulled him from the fight. Diaz then fought B.J. Penn, whom he beat by unanimous decision in a one-sided fight. He later lost a fight with Carlos Condit for the Interim Welterweight Championship, and he also tested positive for marijuana metabolites. He sat out a year before returning against George St-Pierre in March of this year, where he came up short with a decision loss.
Last, Gilbert Melendez (21-3) has had the most consistent reign as a Strikeforce Champ compared to Diaz and Shields. He first won the Strikeforce Lightweight title in 2006 with a split decision win over Clay Guida. Melendez lost the belt to Josh Thomson in 2008 and then won the interim title in his next fight. He defended it until he unified the title in December of 2009 when he beat Thomson by unanimous decision in a rematch. He defended the title four times, capping off his Strikeforce career with a win over Thomson in a rubber match. Melendez then entered the UFC and was greeted by UFC Lightweight Champion Ben Henderson just last month. He lost by split decision, and later admitted he coasted to some degree in the later rounds based on how he thought the early rounds went.
At first glance it seems as if Georges St-Pierre and Ben Henderson are the problem. Shields and and Nick Diaz just could not find a way to beat GSP, and Melendez and Nate Diaz fell short with Bendo. It could be that the members of Cesar Gracie camp just have had a hard time transitioning to the UFC, but all have been in high pressure situations before and three were champions. Still, one has to ask how no one from that camp has been able to capture UFC gold.
Blaming Cesar Gracie would be the easy way out, but there must be more to it. One factor might be that they are so close as a team that they train hard but in ways that they are "comfortable." Obviously outside fighters are brought in, but it seems as if all the fighters in the camp keep excelling at what they do well rather than adding new dimensions to their game.
Another factor, especially for Nick Diaz, could be his personal life and troubles. His missed press obligations and strange statements that amount to excuses have caused many to question his head space. He is capable of competing at a high level, but does he get in his own way?
I am not ready to write any of these four athletes off, but there is a possibility that they are better than everyone except the current champions. That is a tough pill to swallow, but that goes back to the concept of how they mainly have progressed in the areas they are already good at. They might need to add another layer to their already complex games. Becoming a UFC Champion means rising above the level that made them a contender. It is an opportunity to be the best in the world and show that your potential is not yet met.
The overall disconnect could be, with the exception of Nate Diaz, that they all cut their teeth, so to speak, outside of the UFC. While facing strong competition, there is not the same level of consistency in respect to fighting the best guys who are in their prime or are making a title run. Competing in a talent pool of full of sharks will yield a more dynamic fighter than fighting a shark that is on a down turn or at the end of their career.
Truthfully, I am fan of all these fighters. I especially enjoy watching the Diaz brothers. They do not seem to be in a place where their jobs are in trouble, and they will most likely have some impressive performances their next time out. The question is: how long before one of them gets another title shot, and will they be able to capture the belt?
If they cannot, will Cesar Gracie be credited for creating a stable of top UFC contenders who could not make it to the top? Will all of their prior accolades seem less important since they have not won a title in the biggest MMA promotion in the world? Time will tell as it always does, but it will tell a better story for the four athletes if they can identify what the disconnect actually is.
Follow Me On Twitter: @awwwsnap
[Nick Diaz art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
(Attention MMATorch app users: Make sure to upgrade to the latest edition of the MMATorch app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device!)
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.
