October - 2015
SCRAPP! FIGHT MAGAZINE
28
(Dave Mandel/Sherdog)
Roy “Big Country” Nelson suggested a way to spice up the UFC’s heavyweight
division during his pre-hype media availability in Saitama.
Nelson’s suggestion of a tournament pitting the top heavyweights against each other
has a very nice ring to it, one which most, if not all, MMA fans would gravitate towards.
There are certainly a good number of pitfalls to something like this scenario but it is
something fun to think about.
So, this is The MMACorner’s Sweet 16 Heavyweight Tournament. It’s a spur of
the moment thing so there’s bound to be a fair of share of debate and issues but here
are a few guidelines, and a major caveat that these rankings come just days before
Nelson’s fight against Josh Barnett in Japan and many other bouts already booked:
*The current champion and the top 15 fighters, according to the official UFC rank-
ings, are in the event.
*Brackets would be based on current rankings.
*Tournament quarter-finals are split into two events with two fights on each; semi-
finals are held on the same card. This is not a one-night event. We’re looking at this
as a year-long tourney to accommodate for healing time for the fighters and maximize
exposure.
The MMA Corner’s
Heavyweight Tournament
Article By: Scott Zerr
