HEAVYWEIGHT RANKINGS SHAKE UP?

   It's not likely that recent fights in the UFC's heavyweight division will result in a completely new top 10.  Losers will drop a spot or two, but as far as #3 contender Travis Browne and former UFC Champion Junior dos Santos (ranked #2) there isn't much room to grow. The UFC's Heavyweight Division is currently seized in a log-jam. Champion Cain Velasquez was forced to withdraw from his title defense, with now interim Heavyweight Champ Fabricio Werdum.  Werdum (ranked #1) bested Mark Hunt, a late replacement for Velasquez, by 2nd round stoppage in Mexico City on November 15th. The next Championship match up will likely be between the two title holders to reunify the belt. Its worth mentioning that JDS owns KO wins over all fore-mentioned fighters other than Browne. So a match up between these two powerful strikers may be the most logical to establish the #1 contender to follow a unification fight.
  Has Matt Mitrione broke into the top 10 with his first round stoppage of an always dangerous Gabriel Gonzaga? Mitrione is on a 3 fight win streak, all 3 fights ending by KO or TKO in the first round. The former TUF competitor owns 8 UFC Knock Outs in his career.  Meathead has been to a decision just twice, only win via decision: way back in 2010 over Joey Beltran. Mitrione displayed great footwork to compliment his punching power and high ranked contenders are certainly in his future.
  First round Knock Outs are familiar territory for Todd Duffee. He's also racked up 3 straight first round finishes. Duffee has never been the distance in his MMA career in fact his UFC debut saw him KO Tim Hague in only 7 seconds. Fresh off a 33 second KO of Alexander Hamilton on Dec 6th, the hard striking Heavyweight should see significant talent in the year to come. With a record of 9-2 the similarities with Mitrione (9-3) may be too intriguing to delay a match up much longer.
  However, the match up makes less sense for Mitrione. Allister Overeem TKO'd Stefan Struve late in the first round.  The Demolition Man is looking to string together a win streak and a fight with Mitrione helps each fighter move up the rankings.

A couple of fighters on the bubble: Josh Barnett currently ranked 6 in the UFC hasn't fought since his loss to Travis Browne on December 28, 2013. Barnett, despite his impressive resume holds just one win over a currently ranked, top 15 UFC opponent, Frank Mir (#13), in Aug of 2013. Antonio Silva may also see himself on the outside of the division's top ten. Beside having his win over Mark Hunt (Dec 7, 2013) ruled a no contest due to Bigfoot testing positive for PPD's his other two latest bouts both resulted in first round KO losses at the hands of Velasquez (March 25, 2013) and Andre Arlovski (Sept 13, 2014). Silva is scheduled to face Mir, who hasn't won in over 3 years, at UFC 184.
  What to do with the losers then. Stipe Miocic put fourth a tough fight, pushing the former champ until the very end of the bout.  Mark Hunt's performance may have seen a different outcome had he been afforded a full training camp to prepare for his match up in elevation. The sharp boxing of Miocic vs the one punch power of Hunt is a no brainer.
  The up again down again, Brendan Schaub won't be looking for a fight until around spring 2015, but a match up with fellow recent loser Gonzaga doesn't work. The two fought in 2010 with Big Brown coming away with the Unanimous Decision.  Seven footer Stefan Stroove and Schaub makes more sense; loser takes away the missed opportunities title.
  While Todd Duffee is coming off a win, a fight with a veteran like Gonzaga will challenge the striker's grappling ability and give him a high profile competitor to build his recognition.
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