Rich vs. Wanderlei
The Battle at 195 pt. 2

More and more it seems like Wanderlei is becoming the next Chuck Liddell. He’s the fighter that doesn’t want to change his style. He insists on facing the best competition possible because he’s been successful at it in the past. However Wanderlei’s heyday as the PRIDE 205 champion is long gone. That doesn’t mean that he can’t be successful in the UFC. His KO of Keith Jardine in 2008 proved that. However if he gets stopped again Dana may not want to keep him in the UFC. Liddell was recently retired by Dana because the health risks seemed too great. Wanderlei may be better off taking a step down in competition now before he gets put on the Death Watch List.

Joe Rogan said that UFC fighters are like the gladiators in the Roman Coliseum. When they stay in the game too long they wind up on their shield. Perhaps that’s what Wanderlei wants. He may be happier having his last few fights at the highest level possible, rather than wasting has last precious years taking fights he knows he can win.

It’s also hard to justify putting a guy like Wanderlei in the opening bout of a Fight Night Live when he’s making as much money as he is. Ultimately, (again, no pun intended) the UFC can only function if it’s making money. Wanderlei’s purpose in the company is to be a draw for PPV buys. There’s no doubt that taking the big fights will accomplish that. We can only hope his function as a commodity won’t overshadow the fact that he’s still a human being.

Joe Rogan has said (you can tell I listen carefully to his commentary) that fighters have a button that can only be hit so many times. Part of the excitement in seeing aggressive fighters like Wanderlei and Liddell fight is the fact that you never know when they’ll get their final ticket punched. Chuck’s last fight against Shogun showed us that it often happens sooner then we want it to.

So, I am looking forward to Rich vs. Wanderlei because it seems like both guys have a good chance of winning. They’re both great strikers who know how to finish fights. However it’s a much more important fight for Wanderlei then it is for Rich. I also give Franklin the edge heading into it because of where they’re at in their respective careers. Hopefully, Wanderlei can prove me wrong, by showing that he’s still fit to be in the top 10 of whatever division he competes in...but that’s not what I expect to happen.

Click here to go back to Rich vs. Wanderlei pt. 1

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