MMM - Mike Swick
Mike Swick is the focus of this week’s Monday Match Maker. Before we get to that though let’s try…
Better Intro?
History has taught us that when personal skill/style is absent it is wise to hop on the nearest pair of coattails and ride your way to the top. Given my complete lack of both style and skill I found it prudent to simply ride on the coattails of a better intro instead of trying to write my own. Without further ado…
Some…Nights
Some…Fights
Go slippin’ through the cracks
But, Guess…who?!
EVIL…POOH
Is pickin’ up the slack
There’s no fight too long,
No fight too quick
When you need info just click
M - M - A - E - L - O
For your answers
M - M - A - E - L - O
When there’s questions
No No it never fails once you get there
Somehow everything is fair!!!
M - M - A - E - L - O
For your answers
M - M - A - E - L - O
When there’s questions
No no it never fails, with Evil Pooh
They’ll show the where’s and why’s and who’s
M - M - A - E - L - O
For your answers
M - M - A - E - L - O
When there’s questions
M! - M! - A! - E! - L! - O!
If you need help finding the beat check out Inspiration and then try again. 8)
Tune in next week when I butcher one of these Next Week?
Hating the game, not the player
Mike Swick got screwed at UFC 99. Not by bad judging, and not by bad reffing. Nay nay, Mr. Swick sadly found himself as just another victim of bad match making. I’d held out all hope since the moment this “fight” was made official that something would change, but sadly, it never did.
I know what some are thinking, “Swick won”, yeah he did, and in doing so claimed a prize of basically nothing. It was an empty win from a fight where he had almost nothing to gain and far, far too much to lose. Even Joe Rogan (who I sometimes get accused of being too hard on) got it right when he pointed out at the start of the fight that the fight really made no competitive sense.
As Joe pointed out Ben Saunders had a lot to gain from the fight, but basically nothing to lose. On the reverse side, Mike Swick had almost nothing to gain and tons to lose. Swick is a fighter that had won three fights in a row since dropping to welterweight (after a loss to Yushin Okami). Prior to that lose he’d won five fights in a row at middleweight.
Instead of getting a “step up in competition” he was given a fighter that though promising simply isn’t at that “next tier”. Please understand that this is nothing against Saunders and he could easily be 2k+ some day and a world champion, but on that night, at that point in both of their careers it was a horrible match up choice. Let’s take a look and see if we can’t come up with some good options for Swick’s next fight.
Mike Swick Vs Martin Kampmann
Is an interesting match up. Kampmann has two wins in a row and also recently dropped form Middleweight to Welterweight. Both guys have the ability to end a fight. This is a fight that makes sense from a ranking and an entertainment point of view.
Mike Swick Vs Karo Parisyan
Is an interesting match up as well. Karo is a fighter that seems to always be “two fights away” from a title shot. After an accident took away his chance against Matt Hughes, he’s struggled to put the right streak together. Karo’s most recent fight was a NC and right before that he lost to Thiago Alves. The winner of this fight would likely only need 1 more “solid” win to guarantee themselves a title shot. Again, seems like good risk/reward for both fighters invovled.
Mike Swick Vs Matt Hughes
This is a fight that Swick pseudo asked for following his win over Saunders. I know some think Hughes should just retire, but like I mentioned last MMM he obviously still wants to compete. Both fighters are quite close in ranking and this is one of those “crossroads” types of fights. Swick is obviously on his way up and many think Hughes is on his way out.
Looking at this fight from an actual fight point of view I think it’s pretty interesting as well. Swick has fast hands and solid striking. Hughes…not so much. Hughes has great take downs, but Swick has demonstrated a solid guillotine in previous fights and might be able to catch Matt while he’s working for a take down.
Putting it all together
Any of the above fights would work well for Swick and help clear up the somewhat cloudy welterweight picture. If I had Carte Blanche I think this is what I’d do (with random notes)…
Mike Swick Vs Matt Hughes - Hughes Vs Alves possibly to follow, Swick gets possible title shot or number one contender fight off a win.
Dan Hardy Vs. Martin Kampmann Should be fireworks. Likely #1 contender fight to follow for winner.
Matt Serra Vs. Marcus Davis Both coming off a loss (Two in the case of Serra). Both fighters are “heavy handed” at welterweight and although likely to bang, there’s still a chance for some excitement on the ground.
Ben Saunders Vs. Dustin Hazelett Saunders is still on the rise overall and a loss to someone he really shouldn’t have been in the ring with shouldn’t take away from that. Let him test himself against an exciting ground fighter like Hazelett. Not to look too far ahead, but I think the winner of this match versus the loser of the Kampmann/Hardy match would be a very interesting follow-up. *shrugs*
Be gentle
I know it’s a lot of fights and law of averages says everyone will hate at least one, and someone will hate all of them. All I ask is that you think about it, and explain what would be so bad about them. From a ranking standpoint all of them seem quite sound, and from a “would I pay money for this” they seem sound as well. There is no doubt that dozens of other equally great fights could be made though. As long as fighters are in competitive matches where both involved have something to gain, I’m all for it.
Tags: Matt Hughes, Mike Swick, MMM