Your 10 Best

Page 1

local

Your 10 Best Today, Darren Metselaar offers his 10 fave mixed martial arts combatants. Darren is a Big Country 93.1 Sales and Marketing Representative and a public member of the Grande Prairie Combative Sports Commission. Grande Prairie has only recently had the ability to host MMA events.

1

anDerson ‘sPiDa’ silVa

(31-4) UFC Middleweight Champion. He currently holds the UFC record for longest win streak and most title defenses. Here is a fighter who at times actually gets bored of his opponents. He tops my list ahead of GSP simply because he finishes his opponents. He got a scare from an ‘enhanced’ Chael Sonnen, but still found a way to win while being dominated 95% of the fight. He even went up to 205 and beat Forrest Griffin senseless. That is a winner and that is why he is #1!

GeorGe st. Pierre

Metselaar •Submit YOUR 10 BEST to frinne@bowesnet. com, photos optional but welcome, and be eligible for some great prizes from the DHT •

4

2

9

Cain Velasquez

(9-0) UFC Heavyweight Champion. Some would rank him higher, but we will see how he handles Junior Dos Santos after his torn rotator cuff surgery. I take nothing away from this exceptional talent. He destroyed Brock Lesnar in every aspect of the game to win the title. Junior is more experienced than Brock and will be a huge threat to his championship. If Valesquez wins convincingly in November, then the skies the limit for him.

6

Chris CYBorG santos

DoMiniC Cruz

(17-1) UFC Bantamweight Champion. You’re in for a treat when you see the ‘Dominator’ in the cage. He is another WEC standout that most MMA fans may not know. UFC (22-2) UFC Welterweight is the mainstream, and Champion. GSP is #2 for me now that he is there, look because he doesn’t finish inferior out. Joseph Benavidez opponents like Anderson Silva. Not may be the one to to take away a win and his huge success, but GSP went 5 rounds with dethrone Cruz, but that is unlikely to me. Cruz will dazzle you Dan Hardy, Jake Shields, and a myriad of others who have since with his speed and heart. I guarantee you’ll be a fan! been KO’d by much less talented fighters. GSP needs to finish a few opponents in order to cement #1 in my mind. (13-1) Heavyweight Another strong Brazilian standout. He has heavy fists and great submissions. He (19-1) UFC prefers beating opponents Featherweight standing up. From Shane Champion. Here’s Carwin, Gabriel Gonzaga, Mirko Cro another dominant talent who Cop, and Fabricio Werdum. Quite can be top dog for years to a list of talent. His next task is come. Urijah Faber used to be winning the UFC Heavyweight title in the man, but Aldo now owns him and many others in the November. Cain Valesquez can strike, Featherweight division. Since UFC’s purchase of WEC, you and his wrestling is far superior, but Brazilian MMA fighters will be seeing a lot more talent you may not be as familiar are tactical and Dos Santos will have a game plan. with. Aldo’s next challenge may come from Kenny Florian who has dropped a weight class, and that will be a test.

3

Darren

5

(10-1) Strikeforce 145lb Women’s Champion. There is no debating when it comes to Cyborg’s dominance. She is a beast. Gina Carano learned that real quick. Marloes Coenen too. Jan Finney is still asleep. What makes her unqiue is she is Shooto Box trained in Brazil with mostly male sparring partners. Although she is in a contract impasse right now and hasn’t fought since January, Cyborg is an all around juggernaut of MMA and is the best and toughest female on the planet.

Junior Dos santos

7

Jose alDo

Jon Bones Jones

(13-1) UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Many call Jones the evolution of MMA. He has simply made a lot of his opponents look like amateurs. Jones is going to get better and that is crazy. He is king of his weight class now. I don’t see anyone in the near future challenging him. Rampage Jackson who is his next opponent, will be another statistic.

your 10 best

8

Frankie the answer eDGar

(13-1-1) UFC Lightweight Champion So many don’t think Edgar is the real deal eh? He had to beat BJ Penn twice to get proper respect. Now he has to deal with Gray Maynard, and Gilbert Melendez is looming too. Edgar is all heart, but don’t be fooled. His underdog tag is just what he wants. He has great hands and even better wrestling. The 155lb weight class is loaded and Edgar will need every bit of his talent to stay atop the mountain.

MauriCio shoGun rua

10

(20-5) Light Heavyweight Shogun is the real deal. Forrest Griffin just woke up from the beating he took in Brazil. Shogun isn’t even 30 yet and his career is nothing short of All Star. The only question mark is his knees. They have been surgically repaired, and at the level he fights at, his career is one match away from over. But suffice to say, Shogun is one of the toughest and best Light Heavyweights on the planet I really want to see a Jon Jones rematch now that he has seen what Bones brings to the octagon.

Congratulations To Our August Winners! Rev. George Malcolm, Laurie Fisher, Cindy Hansen and Donna Coulter who each win tickets to an upcoming Storm game and a concession coupon.

DHT dailyheraldtribune.com


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.