Quote Originally Posted by bobsticks
Some thoughts:

1) Absolutely true that there are too many sanctioning bodies but I suspect that we'll see some of that disappear as some go bankrupt or are cannibalized by UFC. Them Fertittas and Jackass Dana are only beginning to really grasp the fight game. It does currently lead to an unnecessary level of poltical intrigue into potential matchups and never-will-be's.
I think with boxing as a precedent, we won't ever have to worry about MMA going that route - as long as there's tv ratings, there'll be UFC on TV. That'll sell the PPV. Really, they've followed the pro-wrestling blueprint more than the pro-boxing blueprint. How successful Pride and Elite and Affliction etc all do? Who knows. Competition is good IMO, but I hope greed and greedy promoters don't ruin the chance for all the dream fights we want to see.

3) A compelling argument can be made for any of the top three. Silva has looked great but has also taken some losses. GSP the same, although his recent fight with Fitch wa a one-sided pummeling...and Fitch ain't no joke.

I'll tell you my reasoning behind supporting Fedor---and agin, this is nothing more than an opinion and preference---but the man is a beast. I think more than any other he has the ability to fight against any opponent. He can take on the small guys and, in fact, take on and convincingly defeat the Super Heavywieghts. I'm not sure Silva or St. Pierre could take on Zulu or Hung Man Choi or even Big Nog.

Throw into the equation his ability to withstand punishment and his performances are even more amazing. Ever see his bout with Randleman...ol' boy took a suplex right on the noggin' and came up completely unphased. Of note too would be the fact that unlike many who fight in one sport under limited contract, Fedor regularly defends his World Sambo Championship, another combat sport at which he's never lost.
Hmm, yeah...if you had asked me best fighter period I'd probably have taken Fedor as I do think he would overwhelm GSP and probably scare Silva even...gawd that'd be a dream fight...but lb for lb my completely unscientific method forces me to discount the man's size to equalize the playing field a bit. Maybe I'm wrong. Silva looks so precise and I don't think Fedor's faced anything close to a fighter at that level.

In terms of being able to fight any opponent - I think that is also GSP's strength. He's out wrestled good wrestlers, out brawled strikers and out BJJ'd grapplers. Seems he doesn't get the respect he deserves, wonder if it's a language thing? The man's an expert at nothing but very good at everything - the new prototypical MMA fighter. I think his only flaw is he's human, perhaps more emotional than other fighters and has to work at his mental game. I tend to believe in recent years he has fought a lot more high caliber opponents (not necessarily more popular or bigger names though) than the other 2 (victims of the lack of depth in their weight classes). Some of those guys are big names, but haven't been big deals for a few years. Let's face it, BJ Penn at it his cheeseburger eating worse is probably as good as any #2 at any weight class. And I didn't think that match should have gone to the split, GSP was born that day.
With the heavyweights, the 1 punch-ko striking game plays a bigger role and it daws draw bigger crowds - skill for skill I think the smaller guys bring more.

Man, if you ask me again next week I'll probably switch from Silva to GSP or Fedor...lb for lb questions are always tough, but fun.
Overall my own sentiments mirror 3LB's. There's an amazing number of skilled athletes and while the difference between "good" and "great" may not be that much t acounts for something. I think the sport has alot to offer and a bright future.
It is part of the new pop culture in a big way - the goofy skeletal-print black and white T-shirts, and the surge in local MMA startup competitions all over North America are evidence of that. What is it with 18-30 year olds and need to look "tuff"? Anyway, MMA isn't knew - it's been kinda popular since 1993, and if not for all the legal problems of the "old UFC" in the mid/late 90's, we would have been where we are a lot sooner. Dana White, for all his egomaniacal flaws, has done a good job selling the technical side of MMA instead of the brute gore side of it.
Why aren't these guys at the Olympics?