Do Minotauro and Sylvia actually deserve title shots?

Now I know that the heavyweight division has been crazy ever since Randy left it, and everyone has been wondering what is going to happen with the belt, the possible answer is that Tim Sylvia is going to fight Minotauro for it. My question is are these two people actually qualified to put on an exciting enough show for an interim match? I truly do believe that these are two of the top heavyweights in the world, but I don't think that one single fight against a guy you've beaten a bunch of times that goes to a decision that you win after you almost got knocked out in the first round is enough of an accomplishment to put you in line. Also, I don't think that having your past 5 fights go to decision is good for your resume for the interim as well. I'm going to list some other fighters I think have earned their shot more than Sylvia and Nogueira.

Cheick Kongo - On a two fight winning streak, including a win over Cro Cop, a fight which Kongo dominated him for three rounds, and Assuerio Silva, two very decorated fighters in the UFC's arsenal.

Andrei Arlovski - Now I know that a lot of people booed the Werdum fight because they thought it was boring and what not, but Arlovski did exactly what he had to do, and Werdum didn't know how to stand with him so it was Werdum's fault just as much as Arlovski, and it wasn't a controversial decision, Werdum lost and everyone knew it. Not to mention when he basically knocked off the head of Marcio Cruz. These are two better contenders in the heavyweight division.

I know the UFC pulled together who they believed to be more qualified and what not, but I just keep looking at the heavyweight division go further and further downhill with Randy leaving, Cro Cop sucking, Sylvia riding fights out, etc. I think they really need to concentrate more on scouting out better heavyweight fighters.

Disagree with a few points, Kongo definetly didn't dominate all three rounds, Cro Cop easily won(dominating) the first round, and Kongo coulden't finish a guy with a broken rib. His striking is sloppy and his ground game is non existant, he definetly doesn't deserve a title shot. AA, probly does, but he's in the last fight of his contract and won't re-sign until after he's an FA, so he's not getting one unless he re-signs. So if you look at it, there are only two who deserve it right now.

I agree with yiu about the non-domination Cmill. Cro-op dominated Kongo in the first IMO.However, I disagree about Arlovski getting a title shot. He beat Pe De Pano, not a big deal to me, and he didn't look well against Werdum. As Sylvia has beat him in back to back fights, and Nog has nothing g to prove IMO, I think they should be the most likely candidates. Arlovski made close to 150 K for his last fight, so I can't see any reason why he thinks he deserves a better deal. I'll stick with Sylia/NOG .

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Posted by hippysmacker

I agree with yiu about the non-domination Cmill. Cro-op dominated Kongo in the first IMO.However, I disagree about Arlovski getting a title shot. He beat Pe De Pano, not a big deal to me, and he didn't look well against Werdum. As Sylvia has beat him in back to back fights, and Nog has nothing g to prove IMO, I think they should be the most likely candidates. Arlovski made close to 150 K for his last fight, so I can't see any reason why he thinks he deserves a better deal. I'll stick with Sylia/NOG .

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I agree AA is a reach, and I think the two discussed deserve it most, the winner of GG werdum will probly be closer, and Cro Cop may be able to work his way back into contention in his next three. I think 2008 will be a better year for title fights.

EDIT: Oh and the reason I think AA is decently close: because everyone else is coming off a loss.

Sylvia definitely deserves a title shot. He's a two time champ and won his last fight so he should be getting a rematch.

Nog is getting his shot on reputation alone and rightfully so. he has been the second most dominant HW ever.

Sometimes huge names like Nogueira get title shots in the UFC quickly because of what they have done in mma. Silva- got a title shot after beating Chris Leben. Rampage- Got a title shot after beating Marvin Eastman. Fedor would have had his first fight be a title shot. So i think that when you have credentials like Nogueira, you deserve a title shot in whatever organization you fight in.

I dont think those two should be fighting for the title. They should fight to see who gets in the number one contender fight for the title.

Arlovski vs Kongo// vs sylvia vs big nog

winner gets the title.

I think they are both deserving there shot , Sylvia was the champ and lost a decision against randy , so normally if you are not KO or completely destroyed you are at 1 win aways for another shot ( unless you find yourself in a very stacked division ).

as for Nog , well, he was already a title contender at his arrival in the ufc, so even if he was not as dominant as he was suppose to be against herring , he won the fight and now he is moving up to a title shot .

normally , they were be in line to fight Randy , so big Nog first and Sylvia after but since Randy don't seem to be in the mood of defending his belt against one of those fighters, it is logical to assume that they should fight each other for the title !!

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Posted by Rezen

Sylvia definitely deserves a title shot. He's a two time champ and won his last fight so he should be getting a rematch.

Nog is getting his shot on reputation alone and rightfully so. he has been the second most dominant HW ever.

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If they based it off someone being a former champ who won their last fight then Frank Mir should also be in line after he beats Brock Lesnar. The issue is though its that the UFC is a marketing organization and a lot of people don't even like Sylvia anymore because he's gotten scared out of the fighter that he used to be and really has some work that needs to be done. Someone earlier mentioned Kongo not being able to finish off Cro Cop for having a broken rib, most of thest fighters have been in a similar situations. Sylvia couldn't finish Vera after he broke his hand, Arlovski couldn't finish Werdum after he hurt Werdum's leg, etc.

Thats exactly what I was trying to implicate, thank you.

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Posted by PaleHorse

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Posted by Rezen

Sylvia definitely deserves a title shot. He's a two time champ and won his last fight so he should be getting a rematch.

Nog is getting his shot on reputation alone and rightfully so. he has been the second most dominant HW ever.

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If they based it off someone being a former champ who won their last fight then Frank Mir should also be in line after he beats Brock Lesnar. The issue is though its that the UFC is a marketing organization and a lot of people don't even like Sylvia anymore because he's gotten scared out of the fighter that he used to be and really has some work that needs to be done. Someone earlier mentioned Kongo not being able to finish off Cro Cop for having a broken rib, most of thest fighters have been in a similar situations. Sylvia couldn't finish Vera after he broke his hand, Arlovski couldn't finish Werdum after he hurt Werdum's leg, etc.

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Little different, if you've ever bruised your rib you can imagin how bad a broken rib hurts. You can barley breath, definetly won't be agressive, definetly won't have the power, and theres no way you can take kicks or punches to that side of your rib cage. Look at what happend when Shogun broke rampage's rib. Also Sylvia woulden't be in line had couture not walked away, it would be nog and sylvia would be one more away, so look at it that way. Just look at hughes beats lytle and walks into a title shot?

Why do people keep putting down Big Nog after 73? He's already dominated the guy twice and won by sub. Can't we just give Heath Herring just a little bit of credit for not getting subbed? Props to freakin Heath for improving. Don't mean Nog had bad performance.


Kongo and AA are FAR from the HW title IMO....

You want AA to get a shot over Big Tim after Tim has already beaten him twice? Kongo does not have a ground game and would get destroyed by, vera, Nog, Big Tim.

Nog vs. Big Tim is probably the best match up IMO.

Big Nog has beaten Barnett twice and went the distance with Fedor twice. He's submitted Cro Cop. Submtted Mark Coleman, and about 20 other people...

It's the Big Nog era and right now He is #1 in the world...

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Posted by PaleHorse

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Posted by Rezen

Sylvia definitely deserves a title shot. He's a two time champ and won his last fight so he should be getting a rematch.

Nog is getting his shot on reputation alone and rightfully so. he has been the second most dominant HW ever.

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If they based it off someone being a former champ who won their last fight then Frank Mir should also be in line after he beats Brock Lesnar. The issue is though its that the UFC is a marketing organization and a lot of people don't even like Sylvia anymore because he's gotten scared out of the fighter that he used to be and really has some work that needs to be done. Someone earlier mentioned Kongo not being able to finish off Cro Cop for having a broken rib, most of thest fighters have been in a similar situations. Sylvia couldn't finish Vera after he broke his hand, Arlovski couldn't finish Werdum after he hurt Werdum's leg, etc.

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Man !!!
Mir did not win his next fight when he came back for fighting !!

you sound a little bit confuse or drunk maybe !!! ???

if you lose your belt ( for whatever the reason here an injuree or a lost ) and you lose again at your next fight you are not suppose to fight directly for the belt after that man !!

if Sylvia would have lost his fight against vera, he would have went down in the ranking , not up for the title !!

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Posted by PaleHorse

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Posted by Rezen

Sylvia definitely deserves a title shot. He's a two time champ and won his last fight so he should be getting a rematch.

Nog is getting his shot on reputation alone and rightfully so. he has been the second most dominant HW ever.

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If they based it off someone being a former champ who won their last fight then Frank Mir should also be in line after he beats Brock Lesnar. The issue is though its that the UFC is a marketing organization and a lot of people don't even like Sylvia anymore because he's gotten scared out of the fighter that he used to be and really has some work that needs to be done. Someone earlier mentioned Kongo not being able to finish off Cro Cop for having a broken rib, most of thest fighters have been in a similar situations. Sylvia couldn't finish Vera after he broke his hand, Arlovski couldn't finish Werdum after he hurt Werdum's leg, etc.

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Finishing a guy with a broken hand is COMPLETELY different then finishing a guy with a broken rib. If you have a broken rib it is going to affect your breathing, and when your breathing is affected that leads to other problems. Having your hand broken only means you cant hit with that hand. Isn;t Vera supposed to have good kicks and knees too?

Screw the fight, let's just give Big N his belt and call it a day...

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Posted by John_Jobber

Screw the fight, let's just give Big N his belt and call it a day...

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Yeah, I think the fight's a technicality, really...