Chritchfield's Top 10 Matches That Never Happened

[-Swizzy-]

1. Randy Couture vs. Fedor Emelianenko
2. Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Rickson Gracie
3. Ken Shamrock vs. Frank Shamrock
4. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Josh Barnett
5. Wanderlei Silva vs. Chuck Liddell (in their primes)
6. Frank Shamrock vs. Kazushi Sakuraba
7. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brock Lesnar
8. Anderson Silva vs. Matt Hughes
9. Tito Ortiz vs. Dana White
10. Randy Couture vs. Wanderlei Silva

http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles...ver-Made-46731

[kaps]

#2 should be #1

[-Swizzy-]

#2 should be #1

agreed.

but the most intriguing pick on that list to me was Anderson vs Hughes.

At first I thought that pick shouldn't even be on the list until I read his reasoning.

I completely forgot that during Hughes reign at welterweight, Anderson was also fighting at Welter. And knowing now that Anderson's biggest weakness(at least a couple years ago) was his wrestling, this matchup isn't as clear cut as it seems.

Anderson only grew in size a couple of years later and even ended up losing to smaller guys. Daiju Takase even took Anderson down and dominated him with GnP and eventually won by triangle choke.

IMO had Anderson and Hughes fought at 170 back when Hughes was just starting his title reign, I think Hughes would have won, and quite easily too.

[kaps]

agreed.

but the most intriguing pick on that list to me was Anderson vs Hughes.

At first I thought that pick shouldn't even be on the list until I read his reasoning.

I completely forgot that during Hughes reign at welterweight, Anderson was also fighting at Welter. And knowing now that Anderson's biggest weakness(at least a couple years ago) was his wrestling, this matchup isn't as clear cut as it seems.

Anderson only grew in size a couple of years later and even ended up losing to smaller guys. Daiju Takase even took Anderson down and dominated him with GnP and eventually won by triangle choke.

IMO had Anderson and Hughes fought at 170 back when Hughes was just starting his title reign, I think Hughes would have won, and quite easily too.

I think it would've been more like Hughes vs. Pele...

[Clegg]

Rickson-Sakuraba and Silva-Liddell would be my top 2. Fedor-Couture would've been significant but not as competitive IMO.

[-Swizzy-]

I think it would've been more like Hughes vs. Pele...

Pele clearly has better takedown strength than Silva. Look at those legs and core muscles. The guy was yoked.

Silva at 170 was a toothpick. It was incredibly easy to take him down once you got a hold of him. Even at 185 with the added muscle he didn't have great takedown defense early on.

That first attempt where Hughes tried to take Pele down but Pele stuffed it, that would have been a VERY easy takedown on Silva. And while on the ground Hughes wouldn't have had nearly the difficulty transitioning and mounting Silva.

Totally different level of grappling and ground defense between Pele and Silva.

Remember, we're talking about 2002-2003 versions of Hughes and Silva.

[CHOWWOKKA]

1. Randy Couture vs. Fedor Emelianenko
2. Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Rickson Gracie
3. Ken Shamrock vs. Frank Shamrock
4. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Josh Barnett
5. Wanderlei Silva vs. Chuck Liddell (in their primes)
6. Frank Shamrock vs. Kazushi Sakuraba
7. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brock Lesnar
8. Anderson Silva vs. Matt Hughes
9. Tito Ortiz vs. Dana White
10. Randy Couturevs. Wanderlei Silva

http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles...ver-Made-46731

My picks.............

[Big BRICKS]

I think Wanderlei would have taken Couture in the clinch, he was an absolute tank in his prime and probably could match strength with most heavyweights of his time

I'd always bet on Wanderlei in his prime but against Chuck Liddell it would have been hard.

[kaps]

Prime Wandy was a beast. Not this watered down UFC Wandy yall see now...

[Anthony342]

1. Randy Couture vs. Fedor Emelianenko
2. Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Rickson Gracie
3. Ken Shamrock vs. Frank Shamrock
4. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Josh Barnett
5. Wanderlei Silva vs. Chuck Liddell (in their primes)
6. Frank Shamrock vs. Kazushi Sakuraba
7. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brock Lesnar
8. Anderson Silva vs. Matt Hughes
9. Tito Ortiz vs. Dana White
10. Randy Couture vs. Wanderlei Silva

http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles...ver-Made-46731

2, 4, 5 and 7 I would've loved to see. 4 we came close to seeing. I could see a close decison for Liddell in 5, but that could go either way, knowing they'd probably slug it out. Almost saw 7 too, if Fedor had been able to sign or wanted to sign with the UFC at the time. The fact that he didn't bow down to that bald ******* only makes me like Fedor more now hehe.

2 would've been great, as Sak had beaten every other Gracie at that point. Only Ralek and Royce beat him in rematches, by unanimous decision.