Rumoured DREAM Light Heavy Weight Tournament

Recently I've seen on a number of MMA websites rumours that DREAM are intending to run a light heavy weight tournament. I'm sure many fans will mock DREAM for putting together a tournament with fighters that aren't top ten ranked and are mostly unknown due to the fact that the UFC holds most of the current crop of light heavy weight top ten.

I, for one, am interested. If DREAM manage to pull together a number of light heavy weight champions from smaller organisations, Shooto, Pancrase and King of the Cage for example, then the winner of the tournament will have put together three wins against minor champions to be crowned tourmanent champion. No, they won't automatically rocket into the top ten in their weight class but they will certainly bring a lot of interest with them in their next fight. The UFC's light heavy weight division is getting old and a lot of the fighters in that division have already fought each other. I'm interested in seeing some new blood make their mark and I'm willing to let DREAM push them into the spot light.

I'm interested to see if anyone else has heard any further news on the subject and any possible fighters that might be involved.

Could be interesting, and as you say, likely to unearth some new talent at 205. I assume they'll co promote with Strikeforce, so we'll have people like King Mo in there, Mousasi, Sokoudjou etc.

Could be good, I'm just not sure how much depth they could have in it.

And no doubt your avatar too, Henderson. I'm sure Strikeforce would hate the idea of Hendo being a dual weight class champion though as he wouldn't be able to defend on a regular basis (yes, I am assuming that Henderson will roll Shields at middle weight, and yes, I really don't like boring Jake Shields).

Ill watch any MMA so I voted yes... but Ive very little hope this will be a decent tournament....

UFC have 95% of the good Lhw's,

Were looking at a tournament with.

Hendo
Soko
Mousasi
Kino Mo
Babalu
Filho
Ninja Rua

And thats all I can think! Filho might stay at 185, Ninja may have an exclusive contract with Shine... or stay at 185....

Am I missing any other decent Lhw's who arent in the UFC, the majority of them are Strikeforce so Im guessing they arent going to let their whole Lhw roster fight in Dream.

Id expect half of these guys to fight at best and the rest to be Japanese non ranked Lhw's.

Ninja's shine contract is probably US exclusive like Alvarez' Bellator contract.

hopefully he will be in this.


the GPs generally dont dissapoint.

The one major perk is that I've heard that it is going to be an 8 man tournament. Ben covered at least 7 fighters that should be involved and I personally think they'll try and slip in a Shooto fighter or Pancrase competitor too. Either way, I think the winner will have beaten 3 competent fighters in order to crowned the victor. If any fighter beat 3 of the 7 that Ben mentioned I'd be interested in their future and I'm sure the rest of the MMA community would too. It's the same with a lot of the recent tournaments, putting together a bunch of prospects means that you can come away with at least one or two surprise results and individual performances. After all, who were Lyman Good, Jorge Santiago, Joe Soto, Tony Imada and Michihiro Omigawa before their tournament performances?

I like the format of tournaments, so would definitely be interested on that level. Like the idea of a tournament that involves some of the up and coming fighters outside of the UFC. Mix in the likes of Hendo, Moussassi, King Mo etc. and it could be interesting.

I'd throw Monson into that mix as well. Isn't he cutting back to 205? Don't rule out Arona, i don't think he's signed with the UFC and he's a big name in Japan so they might throw some money his way.

What about Xande Riberio? He is competing in MMA now and is a 205 fighter, would be very intrested to see how he does.

Me and Chesty had a discussion about it not too long ago and he named a few fighters that could lead to an intresting tourtument. I do like GPs so I voted ye, add Monson as well. Just hope Goodbridge isn't involved

Xande is a great shout their mate! Don't think it's beyond the realms of possibility that Jacare and perhaps Lindland would move up for it as well. I'd like to see Jeremy Horn in it too, just because he's Jeremy Horn.

I would LOVE to see Horn there as well, he has been in good form recently and this would show if he can still compete against the best.

cool i love tournaments there always fun i wonder if hendo will be in it hope so

Anfield - Good call on Arona. He was a beast in PRIDE. I always thought he was robbed in his second fight against Wanderlei Silva. His ground game was crushing and the power that he could produce with his fists was incredible.

Chelsea - I have to admit, I know nothing about Xande but a fresh face on the 205 scene would be great. I assume he comes from a BJJ background. It'd be good to see a ground specialist in the mix for a change, too many fighters at 205 decide to stand and bang instead of going back to what they do best.

Shanemc - Awesome avatar of Yodsenklai, that fella is awesome!

Xande is considered by many today to be the best BJJ practioner in the world right now after a few of the Gracie's. His BJJ is outstanding and a level above anyone in the LHW division, including Lil Nog and definitley over anyone in a DREAM GP. He has had two MMA fights so far and he won both by TKO/KO so he has other skills as well.

In terms of BJJ fighters in MMA, i'd go 1. Xande, 2. Jacare, 3. Roger Gracie(and there are possibly a couple of fighters ahead of Roger.

If you're talking trainers etc. then Saulo Ribiero might be the best. Then possibly Eddie Bravo. I think a lot of Gracie's get over-rated because they are Gracie's. No denying a lot of them are amazing at BJJ. But i heard someone say that Renzo is the best BJJer in the UFC now. Well personally i'd give it to Maia. Renzo is graded higher. Sure. He's 15 years older and has been doing BJJ for near 40 years!

i think you are underrating Roger though, i think he is the best bjj in mma.

he is reigning mundials champion subbing all of his opponents using gi-chokes!!!

but i think adcc is more representative of mma given that its no-gi, and Roger was 2005 champion in absolute and -98kg division, and superfight champion in 2007, he couldnt defend in 2009 because of injury.

on that note does anyone else want to see Braulio in mma? he is -88kg and absolute ADCC champion for 1009 and i think his syle is also perfect for mma.

He's only absolute champion because Xande was injured in the final.

I'd pick Xande over Roger because i believe he is better at this moment in time. I'd back him in MMA and a BJJ match over Roger.

Jacare over Roger in MMA because he's proven himself and proven his BJJ. Roger hasn't. Roger might be better at BJJ gi and no gi but that doesn't always translate to MMA.

Roger could prob make 205 couldn't he? He'd be another to add to this list for the tournament.

yes Roger has said he is dropping to 205.

if we are talking about the most proven BJJ in MMA then thats a totally different question

Nog probably takes it.

on topic...it wouldnt be a 205 lb GP without Saku.

i can also see the likes of Minowaman and Shibata being in this, Manhoef, possibly Izumi if its a 16 man gp.

speak of the devil and he shall appear.

http://mmajunkie.com/news/17760/shine-fights-sign-abu-dhabi-champ-braulio-estima-to-multi-fight-deal.mma

Braulio signs for Shine.

I think it's more likely to be an 8 man tournament, like DREAM's welter weight competition, due to the lack of available famous 205ers. The problem of course is that you have to market the tournament and you can't do that without one or two famous faces. So, I'm sure they'd start with say, Mousasi, King Mo, Sobral and possibly a bulked up Filho. Historically, Melvin has fought at 205 so he could fit the post (although I think he's physically too short for the weight). I'm sure Sokodojou would beg for a place on the tournament if only to make up for the mess he made of the Super Hulk tournament final. There is also the possibility of signing on Dan Henderson from Strikeforce, of course this leads to the possibility of team mates fighting in the final, in the form of Hendo and the African Assassin. I think seeing a mad Saku in it could possibly happen, even though he last fought at middle weight. With the return of Arona you'd have 8 fighters there without adding in any other possible bulked up middle weights, should King Mo not be available.