Rank them right now: top-5 from LHW

Gregoire · Post #1 » by **Gregoire** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 10:21 am

Right now how you rank them according to odds for winning the division in 2014:

Jones
Cormier
Gus
Davis
Glover?

Post #2 » by **CPT** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 1:39 pm

This division got really depressing all of a sudden.

Most of the old dogs can't be taken seriously anymore, and there isn't enough new talent coming up to replace them.

It might just be Jones making everyone else look bad, but there aren't a ton of matchups I'd be stoked to see if he moved up to HW.

Anyway...

Jones

Cormier

Davis

Gus

Glover

----------------------------------------

Hell, I know it's kind of boring, but Rashad may actually be in there right after Cormier, and they are fighting next. If he wins, he'd be the clear #2 IMO.

I may be continuing to underrate Gus, but I also think others may be overrating him a bit based on him doing better than expected (but still falling well short) against Jones. I think he's a worse matchup for Jones than the others might be, but still loses to all of the guys ahead him on the list. He's built to better defend Jones' style of wrestling than the other guys'.

Post #3 » by **NO-KG-AI** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 4:09 pm

I don't think it's depressing at all. The LHW division before Jones was really great, and entertaining, but now it's not as many smaller guys that could be fighting at 185, the top talent is bigger guys that could legitimately stand a better chance of threatening Jones.

Jasen777 · Post #4 » by **Jasen777** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 4:32 pm

Let's see Cormier make a weight cut and actually fight at 205 first.

miladay · Post #5 » by **miladay** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 5:12 pm

Jones
Gustafsson
Cormier
Glover
Davis

cgf · Post #6 » by **cgf** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 6:35 pm

Jones
Gus
Glover
Cormier/Shad

Post #7 » by **CPT** » Tue Dec 31, 2013 12:38 am

Interested to see why Gus is ranked so high. As I said above, I think it's reaction to the Jones fight, which is fair, but a) what is he going to do better against Jones in a rematch, and b) would he have similar success against other grapplers with a more traditional takedown style than Jones?

I know it was nearly 4 years ago, but Phil Davis tapped him when they fought. Gus has clearly improved (by training with Davis, actually), but I think Davis has as well. Gus had the benefit of being matched up carefully up to his fight with Jones, with a solid collection of has been strikers, each getting incrementally tougher. Davis kind of got rushed into a fight with Rashad, and is now working his way back up. If they fought again, I think I'd take Davis again.

I see Cormier as a (much) better version of Davis, but as Jasen pointed out, we don't know how he's going to look at 205.

Glover is kind of a wild card. I would pick him to lose each fight against all of the guys named, but wouldn't be surprised if he won.

Gregoire · Post #8 » by **Gregoire** » Tue Dec 31, 2013 7:15 am

My ranks:

Jones
Cormier
Gus
Davis
Glover

cgf · Post #9 » by **cgf** » Wed Jan 1, 2014 1:43 am

CPT wrote:Interested to see why Gus is ranked so high. As I said above, I think it's reaction to the Jones fight, which is fair, but a) what is he going to do better against Jones in a rematch, and b) would he have similar success against other grapplers with a more traditional takedown style than Jones?

I know it was nearly 4 years ago, but Phil Davis tapped him when they fought. Gus has clearly improved (by training with Davis, actually), but I think Davis has as well. Gus had the benefit of being matched up carefully up to his fight with Jones, with a solid collection of has been strikers, each getting incrementally tougher. Davis kind of got rushed into a fight with Rashad, and is now working his way back up. If they fought again, I think I'd take Davis again.

I see Cormier as a (much) better version of Davis, but as Jasen pointed out, we don't know how he's going to look at 205.

Glover is kind of a wild card. I would pick him to lose each fight against all of the guys named, but wouldn't be surprised if he won.

Gus is also a young fighter still rapidly improving himself. Nobody saw him stuffing the champs take downs the way he did, with the way he worked his TDD who knows what he'll be able to do to the champ by the time they re-match.

skflives · Post #10 » by **skflives** » Wed Jan 1, 2014 3:20 am

NO-KG-AI wrote:I don't think it's depressing at all. The LHW division before Jones was really great, and entertaining, but now it's not as many smaller guys that could be fighting at 185, the top talent is bigger guys that could legitimately stand a better chance of threatening Jones.

Ehh, I agree with the other guy. The division has gotten kinda depressing. It gets a little more interesting if Cormier looks good with the weight cut because it will add a new contender while eliminating a potential pointless Jones/Evans rematch. Bu overall there is one proven contender (Gustaffson), two potential contenders (Cormier and Davis), a soon to be gatekeeper (Evans), more gatekeepers (Rua, Nogera, Bader), some unproven guys and some scrubs. Its a really uninteresting division.

Gregoire · Post #11 » by **Gregoire** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 1:39 pm

Jones vs Gus:
lI think in the rematch Jones will win relatively easy, as a strikers they are about even, but Jones is much better wrestler and grappler.

Jones vs Cormier:
Tough matchup for Jones, as striker he has advantage, as a wrestlers they are about even, maybe even DC better. Overall I think Jones will win by decision. Bones is just more talented fighter.