Which UFC champ would beat the next weight class' up/down champion?

Oh_Noes

The proposed fights would be

Valasquez vs. Jones
Jones vs. Silva
Silva vs. GSP
GSP vs. Edgar
Edgar vs. Aldo
Aldo vs. Cruz

I think Jones could beat Valasquez but maybe not Silva. I also think Silva beats GSP.

Best UFC champs with the potential to beat the champion in the weight classes both above and below them are Silva and Aldo in my opinion. Though I can see Jones vs. Silva being very even in the bookmakers.

Aldo takes both Edgar and Cruz handily enough IMO.

Edit: Valasquez and Cruz aren't included in the poll because there's aren't any weight classes higher and lower respectively.

pablohoney87

Aldo could take edgar i rekon

MrStuffins

GSP will beat Silva!

Aldo would take Edgar.

Jones v Velasquez is a very very tough one! I can't imaging how that one would go to be honest! But i'd say in a year or 2 from now we'd be picking Jones to beat anyone in the world regardless of weight!

Tones69

Dont see how anyone thinks Jones would beat velasquez, cain is every bit as good a wrestler and has great power speed and accuracy, oh and his cardio is off the charts, cain all day long!

3hn2givr7mx1sc

Could Jones move down physically? He's a big LHW as it is.
Wouldn't beat Velasquez either, imo.

Aldo and GSP could I'd say. Silva v GSP is hard to call, though.

Oh_Noes

baz2009 wrote: »

Could Jones move down physically? He's a big LHW as it is.
Wouldn't beat Velasquez either, imo.

Aldo and GSP could I'd say. Silva v GSP is hard to call, though.

Good point. I never actually thought to put the fights in a context, like Jones moving down in weight and such. I think I subconciously had Silva fighting at 205 because he has before.

Catchweights would be the easiest way to concieve of it.

unknown13

Easy one: Silva because he is going to maul GSP.

Mellor

Oh_Noes wrote: »

I think Jones could beat Valasquez but maybe not Silva. I also think Silva beats GSP.

You think he can beat 245lb Cain, but not 185lb Silva???

Its a pointless debate, even with a meet in the middle catchweight.
Jones, Silva, GSP all won't get down much lower


Out of all the proposed matches.

GSP v Silva will happen at 185

Edgar v Aldo may happen at 145. I think Dana wants this to happen as he is always saying Edgar can make 145
But other than that, I don't see how any other fights are even possible.

A more interesting question would be who will the the next fighter to make belts in two divisions. GSP, Edgar and Aldo all have a shot

unknown13

Faber. I believe he is next in line for Cruz, he has the tools to beat him and in turn hold 2 belts in two weight divisions.

Mellor

He never held a UFC belt.

Plenty of people have held belts from other promotions

Oh_Noes

Mellor wrote: »

You think he can beat 245lb Cain, but not 185lb Silva???

Absolutely. Valasquez is fighting in a poor division and is inexperienced to a point. Not that Jones is much more experienced but Silva has just shown time and time again that he has bags of talent and he's won his last 14 fights in the UFC, including two at 205 lbs. Look what Silva did to Griffin, who's a fairly big LHW. I think when there's such a gulf in class, weight becomes less of a deciding factor. As was evidenced regularly in PRIDE.

Jones and Valasquez probably walk around at the same weight, but I think Jones is a lot faster, sharper and more creative.

danlen

Oh_Noes wrote: »

Jones and Valasquez probably walk around at the same weight, but I think Jones is a lot faster, sharper and more creative.

Not even close. Jones walks around at 220 max.

http://www.heavy.com/mma/2009/11/jon-bones-jones-interview/

MrStuffins

unknown13 wrote: »

Faber. I believe he is next in line for Cruz, he has the tools to beat him and in turn hold 2 belts in two weight divisions.

IMO, Faber and Cruz are 2 fighters moving in opposite directions.

Faber has a win over Cruz, but Faber hasn't impressed me for a while. And on the other hand, Cruz has improves ten fold since the first Faber fight.

I can see Cruz taking Faber easily!

3hn2givr7mx1sc

Looks like ye'll be finding out in July. Cruz v Faber at UFC 132 according to UFC's Twitter.

ShagNastii

I voted Silva. I haven't a clue how Sonnen made him look like such a clum. I'd love to see him beat GSP with another "how the fu*k did he just do that" knockout, similar to the ones dealt to Forrest and Vitor.

Really really hope GSP vs Anderson happens. There is no way it can not be a 5 star classic.

3hn2givr7mx1sc

ShagNastii wrote: »

There is no way it can not be a 5 star classic.

Well it is GSP..

jayteecork

Aldo, would annihilate bantamweight, and I think he takes Edgar.

jayteecork

jayteecork wrote: »

Aldo, would annihilate bantamweight, and I think he takes Edgar.

This. I think Aldo is the best bet for making 3 different weightclasses his b1tch, because of A) his talent and the weight class below is only 10 lbs down whereas Bones trying to go down to 185 would require him to cut off his head as the gap is 20lbs.

I also doubt Silva can make 170 anymore as he walks around at near 220lbs.

Mellor

Aldos walk around weight?
THe lower you weight the harder it is to cut, but I say he can prob make BW, then over the course of a few months make a reasonable move to LW, but he can't compete in all 3 at once imo

angryangel

Anderson beats GSP, Jones and Velasquez, he is king, no one can beat that man. Toughest challenge? Jones standing, Velasquez on the ground, GSP no problem.

Mellor

Mellor wrote: »

Aldos walk around weight?
THe lower you weight the harder it is to cut, but I say he can prob make BW, then over the course of a few months make a reasonable move to LW, but he can't compete in all 3 at once imo

No idea tbh. He looks around the same size as Edgar, I'd guess maybe 160?

I don't think anyone will be competing in more than 2 weightclasses anytime soon. The gaps between weightclasses are too big. I mentioned Aldo as the jumps are 10lbs either way, far more realistic than let's say Silva jumping 20lbs to 205, and then to be big enough to compete needing to get to around 230 for HW.

angryangel wrote: »

Anderson beats GSP, Jones and Velasquez, he is king, no one can beat that man. Toughest challenge? Jones standing, Velasquez on the ground, GSP no problem.

Silva had a lot of problems with Sonnen. GSP can wrestle like Sonnen, but with better sub defence. Size could be an issue, but I don't think it'd be "easy".

Also, my 2c's, I don't think so much that Bones' striking is anywhere near as good as Silva's technically, but more so that his Greco is so feared that it makes opponents more tentative, allowing him to open up more and be effective on the feet. His size, length, wrestling and unpredictabiliy will cause everyone problems lets be fair.

Mellor

Deleted User wrote: »

I don't think so much that Bones' striking is anywhere near as good as Silva's technically,

I don't either. Technically Silva is better.
But bones' reach makes up for this. THe reason his spinning eblows are so good is because his shoulder to elbow length is massive. I really can't stress how big his reach is. If you consider all top level MMA fighters, and all top level boxers. Jones has the third longest reach ever. And only by 1.5"