Struve wants Nog next

"I think they are great challenges for me. Much has been said about me fighting with Werdum or with Bigfoot, but also a lot about the Minotauro fight. I'm a fan of Minotauro. He was actually one of the guys who inspired me when I started fighting. I really embrace this opportunity to fight a great champion like him. It would be an incredible fight for the fans. But, for all of these fighters there is a solution, with a good strategy and a good camp, I believe I have the potential to beat anybody. All three are black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, so are high-level grapplers. Some of the best jiu-jitsu in MMA. But I believe my ground game is solid and I can compete with them. If I do not make mistakes, I will be fine.

What do you all think? If UFC want to build Struve as a future contender nothing would be better for him than to beat a living legend in Nogueira. Id say its a better fight for him than Bigfoot or Werdum who IMO are probabally tougher fights than Nog at this stage of their careers though Nog is a bigger name, he is the greatest Hw ever to fight in the UFC.

I think its a good fight for Nog too. Struve's main strength is BJJ and he (probabally) isnt subbing Nog... he likes to strike and Nogs boxing has come on a lot (certainly his punch power has improved with age) If Nog were to beat an up and coming 7" kid it would go a long way to making him a title contender again.

I really want this fight to happen.

Mir vs Werdum and Bigfoot vs Hunt.

Big Nog might be high on Stuve's list (winnable big name) but I cant see that Nog will be too keen to fight Struve with only a handful of fights left i dont think Struve would be too high on his list/

If Struve wants to make a push then he should rematch Travis Browne first.

Nog vs Struve is a good match up IMO,since they are both a few fights behind other HW's in the pecking order for a title shot.

I'd say Nog and Struve are currently evenly ranked,with Struve being slightly ahead.
I don't think Nog is going to be given anyone ranked much higher than Struve at the moment and he's certainly a step up from Schaub and Pee Wee,and even though Struve is on a 4 fight win streak,Nog would still be a step up in class and name value compared to those 4.

I'd currently rank the UFC HW's something like this

1- JDS
2- Cain
3- Werdum
4- Reem
5- Carwin (Cormier)
6- Mir
7- Bigfoot
8- Struve (Barnett)
9- Nog
10- Browne

Barnett could be brought straight in,but I haven't a clue what or where Cormier fits in,I mean is Strikeforce going to keep spluttering on untill contracts run there coarse and if he does come to the UFC earlier,is it at 205 or HW.


So to sort the chasing pack of HW's that can be considered,I'd like to see match ups like these.

Werdum vs Mir
Bigfoot vs Barnett
Nog vs Struve
and if Carwin beats Nelson,Carwin vs Reem.

That would give us a much clearer picture of where these HW's stand going into the new year.

Pretty good idea on Struve's part, I wouldn't say a coming out party as such but this is probably a fight that will push him further up the rankings and add a nice shiny name on the old CV.

Yeah suppose Struve would have a lot more to gain from this fight, For Nog he cant fight Overeem or Junior and I doubt he is chomping at the bit for a rematch with Cain... Werdum seems the best opponent for him id say if he is pushing for another shot.

I dont think Cormier will be a factor in the Hw devision, All reports suggest he is moving to 205. Id even half expect his last SF fight to be a Lhw, no reason it should be a Hw with the tournament wrapped up.

Overeem is walking into a title shot Payne, also he beat Werdum head to head and his last win was Lesnar, hes gotta be over Werdum in the pecking order.

Also Browne is no way over Hunt, coming off a loss and compare the Kongo fights...

Not 100% this is confirmed but It seems Nog and Werdum have agreed and will coach for TUF 2 Brazil.

I just read about Nog - Werdum,I'm sure that'll be a huge hit for TUF and the Brazilian fans.
I think Werdum take the fight.

Ben,I know reems going to walk straight into the title shot,but i don't think he should.After failing his drug test when he had the #1 spot and having to sit out for the best part of a year,i think he should now be made to fight again to re earn the spot,plus hopefully they could add that fight to the same card as the JDS - Cain fight.

I don't know about hunt being ahead of Browne,there's not a mass of distance between them ranking wise now,but I personally feel browne is still ahead.

Hunt came into the UFC on a 5 fight losing streak,losing to 2 MW's on that run,then he lost his debut against Mccorkle,he was lucky to be considered a top 30 HW at that time,so going 3-1 in the UFC,with his best win being Kongo,doesn't move him that far up for me.it's not as if his UFC opponents have been that good either,not that Brownes have been that much better,but 50% of Hunts opponents have since been cut from the UFC and one of them beat him. The high altitude rothwell fight,as funny and entertaining as it was watching Hunt attempt armbars and other fun stuff on a gassed out punch bag,surely can not be considered as a great win,Rothwell had been out for over a year with a torn ACL.He was sucking wind hard after 1 minute of that fight in the high altitude of Denver.

While browne entered the UFC as a 9-0 undefeated HW and stayed undefeated in the UFC for 5 more fights until his recent loss to Bigfoot.
Browne is 4-1-1 in the UFC,he drew with Kongo and he has a win over a current top 10 fighter in Struve.His only loss is to another top 10 fighter,where he suffered an obvious leg injury.(I'm not saying the result would of been different with out the injury,but it obviously had a big effect on Browne)

Reem's suspended for failing a drugs test, he shouldn't even be in the rankings IMO.

I agree with you,that's why I think he should have to re earn his shot,but cheating and suspensions seem to mean little in this sport when it comes to tile shots,it's becoming more about PPV sales than anything else.
Reem beating Werdum and Brock on paper gives him a top 5 ranking and makes him next in line for a shot,that's the fight most fans want as that's what they will get,which in one way i'm happy about,but on the other hand,i think it doesn't send the right message and fucks up some of the integrity of the sport.

even if he's cleared to fight in December,that's when JDS and cain fight,so he's still going to have to wait months before either is ready to defend,so fuck it,make him fight for the #1 spot in december or january against the winner of,probably timing wise,nelson and Carwin,or just match him against mir,werdum or any of the other top HW's that haven't a fight lined up in the next few months.

I'd even at a push,except him taking on Struve,just as long as he is made to take a fight against a top 10 fighter first.

If he is the next rightful challenger for the belt,lets not have him hanging around for a year inactive,plus the time he'd have to wait for a shot,lets have him prove it against these other guys fighting for a chance,who haven't been caught cheating.

I mean can you imagine the cluster fuck that would happen if he fought for the belt,won and then failed another test.
he should automatically have to be made to fight a clean fight against a worthy opponent before he's granted a shot at the belt IMO.
Reem getting an automatic title shot after being suspended for cheating is bullshit to me.

Anfields5thKing wrote:Reem's suspended for failing a drugs test, he shouldn't even be in the rankings IMO.

Didnt he just have elevates T/O same as Sonnen? Some double standards there buddy!

Seems some double standards in MMA not just by fans but by the Comissions and UFC themseves.

Im all for him having to fight again though, no point in keeping a fighter on the shelves that has already had a long lay off... I heard his managment team wanted him to fight asap insted of the title shot.

Id rather he fought again too Payne though I understand the top 3 seems to far seperated from the rest of the devision they dont want to loose the guy who owned Brock by risking him taking a loss.

I never had a problem with Sonnen being taken out of the rankings. I think anyone who's suspended or inactive for a period of 9 months or more should be removed from the rankings unless they're champion or guarenteed a title fight on their return.

If a fighter isn't fighting, remove them. If they're injured and come back and win against a top 10 opponent, put them back where they were. If they've been suspended, they start outside the rankings and work their way back in. Like Reem. If he came and beat Struve, put him at 10 or whereever. If he beat a top 5 guy, but him over them. But he can't be left at 2 or 3 after beating Werdum 18 months ago(as it will be when his suspension expires, so at least 21 months by the time he fights) or Lesnar a year ago(as it will be when he comes back, or 15 months by the time he fights). Especially when Lesnar hadn't fought in 14 months and shouldn't have been ranked either!

Reem should be Comiers first fight in the UFC (I doubt he'll fight for Strikeforce again), a proper #1 contender fight.

The fight could be scheduled for sometime in January