I have to give Mathan Erhardt credit for inspiring this idea. Consider this an addendum to UFC for Dummies. I want to preface this by noting all the stats I collected were from numerous sources, and some sources had conflicting information. Don’t f*cking e-mail me, bitching, that someone’s record is off by 1 loss or win, or that their height is off by an inch. If you’re one of those know-it-all pieces of garbage, do me a favor: skip this column and go walk in front of a bus.
If you’re new to Ultimate Fighting Championship, it can take a while to learn who’s who in the company. Not anymore. With this simple guide you can sit down and watch a UFC pay-per-view with your buddies and actually know what the f*ck you’re talking about. It won’t get you laid, but you just might surprise your friends with your knowledge.
In part two we take a look at the key players in the Lightweight division.
LIGHTWEIGHTS
UFC’s Lightweight division is making a comeback after a two year absence from the company. The Lightweights made a return at UFC 58 with Yves Edwards vs. Mark Hominick.
YVES EDWARDS
Prior to UFC 58 Yves Edwards was considered by many to be the uncrowned UFC Lightweight Champion. The Nassau, Bahamas native stands 5′ 9″, weighing in at 155 lbs, and has a record of 28-9-1. The 29 year-old is a deadly striker and is well versed on the ground. Edwards was upset at UFC 58 by Mark Hominick, a virtual unknown to most UFC fans, but don’t expect that to keep Edwards down for long. Edwards may be young, but he already has nearly ten years invested in the fighting business.
SEAN “MUSCLE SHARK” SHERK
Sean Sherk, winner of the “Second Worst Nickname in MMA Award” (first place went to Frank Trigg), has been in the business since 1999. The 32 year-old Minnesota native stands 5′ 6″, weighing in at…look, they’re all 155…with a record of 30-2-1. Sherk was friggin’ massive as a Welterweight. He will look ridiculous as a Lightweight. Sherk, along with Yves Edwards, will more than likely be a top contender for the UFC Lightweight title. Sherk is a strong wrestler with good submissions, and his striking isn’t all that bad.
SPENCER “THE KING” FISHER
Spencer Fisher has already fought as a Middleweight, a Welterweight, and a Lightweight in his relatively short MMA career. The 30 year-old North Carolina native stands 5′ 7″, with a record of 16-2-0. Fisher lost his UFC pay-per-view debut against Sam Stout at UFC 58, but Fisher was stepping in for Kenny Florian to face Stout with only three days notice. “The King” is a damn fine striker, but he’s no slouch when it comes to submissions either.
MARK “THE MACHINE” HOMINICK
I had never heard of Mark Hominick prior to his UFC debut at UFC 58. In fact, I predicted that Yves Edwards would walk right through him. Not only was I shocked by his second round submission victory, I was f*cking impressed. The 23 year-old Ontario native stands 5′ 8″, with a record of 10-4-0. He’s a good striker, extremely fast on his feet, and definitely knows his way around submissions. This kid could be the future of UFC’s Lightweight division, but he’ll have to prove himself with more than just one victory over a veteran.
MELVIN “THE YOUNG ASSASSIN” GUILLARD
Melvin Guillard will have his first Lightweight fight for UFC at UFC 60, so it remains to be seen how he’ll fare in this division. Fans of The Ultimate Fighter 2 might remember Guillard as a Welterweight contender. I say “might remember,” because Guillard was defeated in the first fight of the season, which took place in the second episode. If you blinked, you missed this kid. Guillard stands 5′ 8″, and now weighs in at 155 lbs. Depending on which stats you read, he either has a record of 19-5-2 (according to Sherdog.com) or 37-6-3 (according to Guillard’s website and UFC.com). Look for Guillard to go the extra mile to prove himself in the Lightweight division.
SAM “HANDS OF STONE” STOUT
Okay, so Stout isn’t a key player yet, but he could be. The Canadian Stout stands 5′ 9″, with a record of 9-1-1. Stout defeated Spencer Fisher via split decision in his UFC debut at UFC 58. Granted, Fisher only had a few days to make weight and prepare, but Stout is supposed to be a decent striker. Other than that, I honestly don’t know shit about this 22 year-old.
THE OTHERS
I think I stretched this one as far as it will go. There are two new Lightweights making their UFC debut at UFC 60; 36 year-old Rick Davis (3-0-1) and 26 year-old Leonard “Bad Boy” Garcia (9-1-0). Rumors are always circulating about other TUF 2 Welterweights considering the move to Lightweight, Josh Thomson could always make a UFC comeback, and rumor has it that BJ Penn would like to return to 155 eventually. The new Lightweight division shows promise, but it needs more exposure so UFC can finally build up to a title tournament.
