Cleaning Out the Division: Heavyweights 6-10

Cleaning Out the Division: Heavyweights

6-10

 

Travis Browne (#6) is 17-3-1 in the HW division. “Hapa” has only been to decision 3 times (2-1) and in 2013 tore through HW contenders with 3 first round Knock Outs: Barnett, Overeem and Gonzaga. Current HW champ, Fabrico Werdum put an end to that streak at UFC on Fox 11 (4/19/14). Browne bounced back, however. With a first round TKO, this time over Brendan Schaub (12/6/14). In May, the 6’7” 33 year old, was on the receiving end of a 1^st round TKO, this at the hands of, the red hot, Andrei Arlovski.  

 Ben Rothwell (#7) has been fighting since Jan. 2001 when he scored a TKO win over his opponent in the opening 0:21. The Wisconsin native owns 27 first round stoppages in his 35-9 career. “Big” Ben has stopped his past 3 opponents: Brandon Vera (TKO, 3^rd 1:54, 8/31/13), Alistair Overeem (TKO, 1^st 2:19, 9/5/14) and Matt Mitrione (Sub, 1^st 1:54, 6/6/15). Ben is scheduled to face Stipe Miocic at UFC Fight Night on Oct. 24, 2015. With another convincing win, it will be tough to argue against Rothwell’s deserved title shot.  

Mark Hunt (#8) has slipped to 10-10-1 following back to TKO losses at the hands of Stipe Miocic (5^th 2:47, 5/10/15) and Fabricio Werdum (2^nd 2:27, 11/15/14) in an interim title fight. Prior to those two, he had scored his 7^th career KO win, over Roy Nelson (9/20/14). On Nov. 15, 2015 he re-faces Antonio Silva in Melbourne, Australia. The last time the two squared off (also in Aus. 12/7/13) it was judged a Majority Draw, in what many call the best HW fight ever. At 41 years old the New Zealander’s remaining fights are limited.

Josh Barnett (#9) and Roy Nelson meet at the Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan (9/26/15). Barnett comes into the fight 33-7 with 28 stoppages, 8 KO’s and 20 Submissions. He is coming off a loss in his last fight that dates back to Dec 28^th, 2013. The Warmaster was the recipient of those infamous down elbows while Travis Browne’s back against was the fence defending the take down. Barnett stopped at 1:00 of the first round by Browne. Prior to that Barnett had earned two straight, first round stoppage wins in 2013: in Jan he submitted Nandor Guelmino by arm triangle (2:11) for Strikeforce and then in August TKO’d Frank Mir at UFC 164 (1:56).

Alistair Overeem (#10) is on a two fight win streak, besting Roy Nelson in an UD (3/14/15) and a Knock Out over Stefan Struve (1^st 4:13, 12/13/14). The “Reem” is scheduled to take on JDS in Orlando, Fla. on December 19, 2015. Does the 35 year old have another great streak in him? In 07 Overeem went on a 4, plus year-long unbeaten streak. In the 11 wins 10 ended by TKO/KO or Submission with Overeem’s hand raised. At 39-14-1 he owns 16 KO/TKO and 19 Submission wins.