What will the UFC do with the HW title?

[Ed O'Day]

O.K. Randy Couture has resigned from the UFC and that vacates the Heavyweight championship. What will the UFC do to crown a new champ?

Personally, I'd love to see a HW Grand Prix, but Dana White has gone on record to say that he hates tournaments. Hopefully he can change his mind.

[Austin.]

Nah, I'd say it'll stay vacant for a few months untill someone earns the spot to fight for it.
Like a super-fight or something.

[Dean]

Just have Sylvia fight Gonzaga or something... I mean, just pick two guys who Randy Couture beat recently and have them go at it. It'd be a good fight, and the fans would be fine with it, I'd hope.

[Austin.]

What if Sylvia loses to Vera in a few days? I honestly think if Vera and Gonzaga fought, Gonzaga would kill Vera.

[Northern Lights]

A tournament WOULD be the best idea.

[Austin.]

That'd be nice, I miss the old UFC days when they did tournaments. How would they pick the participants? What about the guys that didn't get in it? They would be mad if they think they diserved a shot and didnt get it.

[Northern Lights]

Pick the guys with the best records, I guess.

[Dean]

If they did a tourney, I'd hope it only be 4 guys... The thing is, UFC doesn't have fighters compete more than once a night anymore. They used to, but not now.

[Austin.]

Bring back Tank and Severn, and Gracie and they would.

[Luceid]

Pick the guys with the best records, I guess.

you always hear about rankings, but it's never really mentioned who's what. "so and so is top 5 in the world", mostly from rogan. i don't know if they're official or not, but that would be a way. personally, i think a tournament would rock. as long as heath herring weren't in it. he's completely sucked since coming back to ufc (unless there's a fight or two i'm missing. the two fights i've seen were lame). i believe if silvia beat vera, he was supposed to get a title shot.

[Ed O'Day]

Well, since Sylvia and Vera are fighting soon, maybe the winner of that fight could fight the winner of a Gonzaga/Kongo match-up for the title.

[Dean]

Bring back Tank and Severn, and Gracie and they would.

Those guys are all too old, though.

There's a decent current group of guys who fans probably know better than those fighters anyway.

[Austin.]

Yea they are old, if I'm not correct, didn't Gracie fail a drugtest post-fight with sakabura and isn't allowed to compete in the states for a year? I believe that marks the end of Gracie's awsome carear

[Insane man]

Vera/Sylvia Winner To Face Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira For UFC Heavyweight Title
Posted by Dustin James on 10.17.2007


YahooSports.com is reporting that the winner of the Brandon Vera/Tim Sylvia fight this upcoming weekend will face Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira for the UFC Heavyweight Title. The title's status was uncertain after current champion Randy Couture announced his resignation from the UFC this week. It looks like the upcoming Nogueira/Cheick Kongo fight has been called off for the time being.

[Austin.]

I dont think either one of these guys really deserves it, didn't Minataro just win 1 fight in the UFC and he is already getting a title shot?
Sylvia will win it back, and keep it for quite some time I assume.

[Luceid]

now the news is that dana white isn't accepting randy couture's resignation.

Randy Couture's resignation from the Ultimate Fighting Championship isn't being accepted.

UFC president Dana White said Thursday that Couture remains the promotion's heavyweight champion despite his announced plans to quit. White also reiterated he won't release Couture from the final two fights on his UFC contract, which could lead to a legal battle.

"He definitely belongs to me," White said during a news conference promoting Saturday night's UFC 77 pay-per-view show in Cincinnati.

Couture sent White a letter of resignation last week. Couture was disappointed UFC couldn't book a match pitting him against prized heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko, who is signing with another promotion. Couture's salary also has become an issue.

White signed several major stars from the now-defunct PRIDE promotion earlier this year and is believed to have made Emelianenko a lucrative offer. White insisted Thursday that Couture is UFC's second-highest paid fighter behind Chuck Liddell. White, though, admits Couture is skeptical of that claim.

"There's no way I was going to let anybody come in from another organization and make more money or have better deals than my guys who have been with me for a long time and helped me build this business," White said.

White said Couture, who is filming a movie in South Africa, hasn't returned two messages. White blamed the lack of communication on Couture's "Hollywood" representation.

"That's what these maggots do. They're parasites," White said. "They cling onto a guy they think they can make money off of."

so who knows what'll happen now. in another note, from the same article,

"I talked to him a few weeks before (this) and he was feeling like he had nothing else to prove unless he fought Fedor," White said.

The reigning PRIDE champion since 2003, Emelianenko (27-1) hasn't lost in 20 fights while scoring victories over almost all of MMA's top heavyweights. White, though, doesn't have a high opinion of Emelianenko's skills.

"To be honest, I think Randy would smash Fedor," White said. "He'll beat him easily ... Fedor is over-hyped, overrated. The guy hasn't fought anybody in the last year and a half, two years."

wtf?

[Austin.]

Wow, So either Cotoure isn't going to fight and get sued, or he will fight, and be piss*ed off and lose. It's a lose lose situation for Cotoure. I can't wait to see how this will play out.

[Northern Lights]

Well, if he fights then he could be one pissed off guy. Someone's gonna get killed.

[Austin.]

True, True. Man that'd be cool, to see Cotoure come in swinging and just knock someone the F out. Man I bet this is going to turn into a legal battle.

[storm4]

A couple of thoughts: Austin, the only way that that slug Sylvia could hold the belt for a long time is by fighting the way he's fought the last few fights before Couture: Do just enough to win. Personally, I have The Truth beating him, although I'm conflicted on that (If he wins he'll do that STUPID, STUPID DANCE! :puke:

Secondly, did Dana really say that Couture belongs to him? Wow, that's a great way to win the guy over. Don King says what?

The best resolutions would be for both sides to sit down and hash this thing out. A long, drawn out court battle won't be good for anybody.

[Luceid]

(If he wins he'll do that STUPID, STUPID DANCE! :puke:

sylvia was doing a radio interview last week around here and the DJs asked him if he would do the dance if he beat vera and he said he was planning on it. so, either way, someone's gonna dance!!

[Austin.]

Yea Cotoure is Dana's slave, wait didn't ole Abe abolish that a long time ago? someone needs to tell Dana that.