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By Matt Pelkey, MMATorch Columnist At UFC 100, we got a little bit of everything, including one of the most vicious KO's in recent memory. Not only did Dan Henderson knock Michael Bisping out cold with a huge overhand right, but he added a flying forearm smash to an unconscious Bisping on the mat. There's been controversy swirling about the finish, but regardless of where you stand on the matter, the fact remains that with the win, Henderson moves up the ladder, and Bisping moves down. The biggest question coming out of this is: what's next?
Dan Henderson
The middleweight title picture is probably the murkiest of any division right now. Seemingly, Henderson did all he could to earn a rematch with Anderson Silva by emphatically knocking out Bisping. Unfortunately for him, the UFC brass may not be terribly keen on the idea of giving Henderson another shot. At UFC 102, we'll have another would-be #1 contender fight in Nate Marquardt vs. Demian Maia. Dana White openly stated that he'd like to bring Vitor Belfort back to match him up with the Spider. Then there's Yoshihiro Akiyama, who was also victorious at UFC 100 (albeit in a lower profile fight), and stands to shoot up the ladder should the UFC choose to take advantage of his Far East popularity.
There's really a litany of options for Hendo coming out of UFC 100. He could immediately get his rematch with Anderson Silva. He could fight the winner of Maia/Marquardt while Silva is busy defending against Belfort or taking another superfight. He could fight a returning Belfort to determine a #1 contender, assuming Belfort does sign.
Then there's the possibility that he could move back up to light-heavyweight. I really only see this happening if Hendo sits down with Dana White, and Dana informs him that he won't ever be getting the rematch with Silva. There's a lot of intriguing fights waiting for him at 205; Forrest Griffin, Rashad, Keith Jardine, Shogun, Luiz Cane. I would think that could keep him busy until retirement. In the end, I think he'll get the rematch. That was his most high-profile win in the UFC, with a highlight for the ages to boot, so I expect Dana and Co. to capitalize on his momentum.
Michael Bisping
Bisping is in a trickier situation. Always viewed by his detractors as a paper tiger, they now have more ammunition for their argument than ever. Bisping has headlined multiple events and was featured at arguably the biggest show in the sport's history. Its not like he can go back to fighting the Elvis Sinosic's of the world. He'll have to be matched-up with a halfway decent opponent in his return or face his detractors crying foul at his easy opposition.
In the end, it'll come down to Bisping's mental health more than his physical. Getting knocked out cold for the first time is a hard thing to take, especially when you had nearly reached the pinnacle of your profession before it happened. Will he really be ready to step back into the cage against whoever is thrown to him? Will he ask for someone with a more jiu-jitsu based game so he won't have nightmares of overhand rights?
If his head's right, I'd like to see him take on the Maia/Marquardt loser. Both would be on the rebound, but the fight could still be of the co-headliner variety. Marquardt would present many of the same problems Henderson did, but not on the levels of Hollywood. Maia could tie Bisping in knots, but he wouldn't put a scratch on the Brit's face.
If Bisping's head isn't right, I would think Thales Leites would be the way to go. Leites showed in the Marquardt fight that he isn't afraid to stand and bang, but he largely got his ass kicked in that fight, and Bisping would welcome the chance to use his footwork to his advantage without being punished for his lack of power.
My money is on Bisping fighting the Maia/Marquardt winner next, mostly because I think that'll be Maia. Maia would be a high profile opponent, but would also allow Bisping to shake off a new set of Octagon jitters; the kind you have to overcome after the first time your lights have been turned out.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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